a brief narrative of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england, in the year 1670 given in by the reverend mr. john elliot, minister of the gospel there, in a letter by him directed to the right worshipfull the commissioners under his majesties great-seal for propagation of the gospel amongst the poor blind natives in those united colonies. eliot, john, 1604-1690. 1671 approx. 22 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a39223 wing e503 estc r3115 11788712 ocm 11788712 49145 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a39223) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 49145) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 491:17) a brief narrative of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england, in the year 1670 given in by the reverend mr. john elliot, minister of the gospel there, in a letter by him directed to the right worshipfull the commissioners under his majesties great-seal for propagation of the gospel amongst the poor blind natives in those united colonies. eliot, john, 1604-1690. company for propagation of the gospel in new england and the parts adjacent in america. 11 p. printed for john allen ..., london : 1671. reproduction of original in huntington library. the last of a series of 11 pamphlets, commonly known as the "eliot tracts," published in london from 1643 to 1671 in the interests of missionary work among the indians of new england. the present tract was issued by the "company for propagation of the gospel in new england and the parts adjacent in america," the successor to the "corporation for the promoting and propagating the gospel of jesus christ in new england," which published several of the earlier tracts. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng massachuset indians -missions. indians of north america -new england. 2003-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-06 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-08 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2003-08 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a brief narrative of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england , in the year 1670. given in by the reverend mr. john elliot , minister of the gospel there , in a letter by him directed to the right worshipfull the commissioners under his majesties great-seal for propagation of the gospel amongst the poor blind natives in those united colonies . london . printed for iohn allen , formerly living in little-britain at the rising-sun , and now in wentworth street 〈◊〉 lane , 1671. to the right worshipful the commissioners under his majesties great-seal , for propagation of the gospel amongst the poor blind indians in new-england . right worshipful and christian gentlemen , that brief tract of the present state of the indian-work in my hand , which i did the last year on the sudden present you with when you call'd for such a thing ; that falling short of its end , and you calling for a renewal thereof , with opportunity of more time , i shall begin with our last great motion in that work done this summer , because that will lead me to begin with the state of the indians under the hands of my brethren mr. mahew and mr. bourn . upon the 17th day of the 6th month 1670 , there was a meeting at mak●epog near sandwich in plimouth-pattent , to gather a church among the indians : there were present six of the magistrates , and many elders , ( all of them messengers of the churches within that jurisdiction ) in whose presence , in a day of fasting and prayer , they making confession of the truth and grace of jesus christ , did in that solemn assembly enter into covenant , to walk together in the faith and order of the gospel ; and were accepted and declared to be a church of jesus christ. these indians being of kin to our massachuset-indians who first prayed unto god , conversed with them , and received amongst them the light and love of the truth ; they desired me to write to mr. leveredge to teach them : he accepted the motion , and performed the work with good success ; but afterwards he left that place , and went to long-island , and there a godly brother , named richard bourne ( who purposed to remove with mr. leveredge , but hindred by divine providence ) undertook the teaching of those indians , and hath continued in the work with good success to this day ; him we ordained pastor ; and one of the indians , named iude , should have been ordained ruling-elder , but being sick at that time , advice was given that he should be ordained with the first opportunity , as also a deacon to manage the present sabbath day collections , and other parts of that office in their season . the same day also were they , and such of their children as were present , baptized . from them we passed over to the vinyard , where many were added to the church both men and women , and were baptized all of them , and their children also with them ; we had the sacrament of the lords supper celebrated in the indian-church , and many of the english-church gladly joyned with them ; for which cause it was celebrated in both languages . on a day of fasting and prayer , elders were ordained , two teaching-elders , the one to be a preacher of the gospel , to do the office of a pastor and teacher ; the other to be a preacher of the gospel , to do the office of a teacher and pastor , as the lord should give them ability and opportunity ; also two ruling-elders , with advice to ordain deacons also , for the service of christ in the church . things were so ordered by the lord's guidance , that a foundation is laid for two churches more ; for first , these of the vinyard dwelling at too great a distance to enjoy with comfort their sabbath-communion in one place , advice was given them , that after some experience of walking together in the order and ordinances of the gospel , they should issue forth into another church ; and the officers are so chosen , that when they shall so do , both places are furnished with a teaching and ruling-elder . also the teacher of the praying indians of nantuket , wi●h a brother of his were received here , who made good consessions of jesus christ ; and being asked , did make report unto us that there be about ninety families who pray unto god in that island , so effectual is the light of the gospel among them . advice was given , that some of the chief godly people should joyn to this church , ( for they frequently converse together , though the islands be seven leagues asunder ) and after some experience of walking in the order of the gospel , they should issue forth into church-estate among themselves , and have officers ordained amongst them . the church of the vinyard were desirous to have chosen mr. mahew to be their pastor : but he declined it , conceiving that in his present capacity he lieth under greater advantages to stand their friend , and do them good , to save them from the hands of such as would bereave them of their lands , &c. but they shall alwayes have his counsel , instruction and management in all their church-affairs , as hitherto they have had ; he will die in this service of jesus christ. the praying-indians of both these islands depend on him , as god's instrument for their good . advice also was given for the setling of schools ; every child capable of learning , equally paying , whether he make use of it or no : yet if any should sinfully neglect schooling their youth , it is a transgression liable to censure under both orders , civil and ecclesiastical , the offence being against both . so we walk at natick . in as much as now we have ordained indian officers unto the ministry of the gospel , it is needful to add a word or two of apology : i find it hopeless to expect english officers in our indian churches ; the work is full of hardship , hard labour , and chargeable also , and the indians not yet capable to give considerable support and maintenance ; and men have bodies , and must live of the gospel : and what comes from england is liable to hazard and uncertainties . on such grounds as these partly , but especially from the secret wise governance of jesus christ , the lord of the harvest , there is no appearance of hope for their souls feeding in that way : they must be trained up to be able to live of themselves in the ways of the gospel of christ ; and through the riches of god's grace and love , sundry of themselves who are expert in the scriptures , are able to teach each other : an english young man raw in that language , coming to teach among our christian indians , would be much to their loss ; there be of themselves such as be more able , especially being advantaged that he speaketh his own language , and knoweth their manners . such english as shall hereafter teach them , must begin with a people that begin to pray unto god , ( and such opportunities we have many ) and then as they grow in knowledge , he will grow ( if he be diligent ) in ability of speech to communicate the knowledge of christ unto them . and seeing they must have teachers amongst themselves , they must also be taught to be teachers : for which cause i have begun to teach them the art of teaching , and i find some of them very capable . and while i live , my purpose is ( by the grace of christ assisting ) to make it one of my chief cares and labours to teach them some of the liberal arts and sciences , and the way how to analize , and lay out into particulars both the works and word of god ; and how to communicate knowledge to others methodically and skilfully , and especially the method of divinity . there be sundry ministers who live in an opportunity of beginning with a people , and for time to come i shall cease my importuning of others , and onely fall to perswade such unto this service of jesus christ , it being one part of our ministerial charge to preach to the world in the name of jesus , and from amongst them to gather subjects to his holy kingdom . the bible , and the catechism drawn out of the bible , are general helps to all parts and places about us , and are the ground-work of community amongst all our indian-churches and christians . i find a blessing , when our church of natick doth send forth sit persons unto some remoter places , to teach them the fear of the lord. but we want maintenance for that service ; it is a chargeable matter to send a man from his family : the labourer is worthy of his hire : and when they go only to the high-wayes and hedges , it is not to be expected that they should reward them : if they believe and obey their message , it is enough . we are determined to send forth some ( if the lord will , and that we live ) this autumn , sundry ways . i see the best way is , up and be doing : in all labour there is profit ; seek and ye shall find . we have christ's example , his promise , his presence , his spirit to assist ; and i trust that the lord will find a way for your encouragement . natick is our chief town , where most and chief of our rulers , and most of the church dwells ; here most of our chief courts are kept ; and the sacraments in the church are for the most part here administred : it is ( by divine providence ) sea●ed well near in the center of all our praying indians , though westward the cords of christ's tents are more enlarged . here we began civil government in the year 1650. and here usually are kept the general-trainings , which seven years ago looked so big that we never had one since till this year , and it was at this time but a small appearance . here we have two teachers , iohn speen and anthony ; we have betwixt forty and fifty communicants at the lord's table , when they all appear , but now some are dead , and some decriped with age ; and one under censure , yet making towards a recovery ; one died here the last winter of the stone , a temperate , sober , godly man , the first indian that ever was known to have that disease ; but now another hath tho same disease : sundry more are proposed , and in way of preparation to joyn unto the church . ponkipog , or pakeunit is our second town , where the sachems of the bloud ( as they term their chief royal-line ) had their residence and rights , which are mostly alienated to the english ▪ towns : the last chief man , of that line , was last year slain by the mauquaogs , against whow he rashly ( without due attendants and assistance , and against counsel ) went ; yet all , yea ▪ his enemies say , he died valiantly ; they were more afraid to kill him , than he was to die ; yet being deserted by all ( some knowingly say through treason ) he stood long , and at last fell alone : had he had but 10 men , yea 5 in good order with him , he would have driven all his enemies before him . his brother was resident with us in this town , but he is fallen into sin , and from praying to god. our chief ruler is ahauton , an old stedfast and trusty friend to the english , and loveth his country . he is more loved than feared ; the reins of his bridle are too long . wakan is sometimes necessarily called to keep courts here , to add life and zeal in the punishment of sinners . their late teacher , william , is deceased ; he was a man of eminent parts , all the english acknowledge him , and he was known to many : he was of a ready wit , sound judgment , and affable ; he is gone unto the lord ; and william , the son of ahauton , is called to be teacher in his stead . he is a promising young-man , of a single and upright heart , a good judgment , he prayeth and preacheth well , he is studious and industrious , and well accounted of among the english. hassunnimesut is the next town in order , dignity , and antiquity ; sundry of our chief friends in the great work of praying to god , came from them , and there lived their progenitors , and there lieth their inheritance , and that is the place of their desires . it lieth upon nichmuke river ; the people were well known to the english so long as conecticot road lay that way , and their religion was judged to be real by all that travelled that journey , and had occasion to lodge , especially to keep a sabbath among them . the ruler of the town is anuweekin , and his brother tuppukkoowillin is teacher , both sound and godly men. this ruler , last winter , was overtaken with a passion , which was so observable , that i had occasion to speak with him about it ; he was very penitent ; i told him , that as to man , i , and all men were ready to forgive him , ah! said he , i fi●d it the greatest difficulty to forgive my self . for the encouragement of this place , and for the cherishing of a new plantation of praying indians beyond them , they called monatunkanet to be a teacher also in that town , and both of them to take care of the new praying-town beyond them ▪ and for the like encouragement , captain gookins joyned pet●hbeg with ▪ anuweekin the aged father of this ruler and teacher , was last year baptized , who h●●h ma●y children that fear god. in this place wes medi●ate ere long ( if the lord will , and that we live ) to gather a church , that so the sabbaths communion of our christian indians may be the more 〈◊〉 able to the divine institution , which we make too bold with while we live at such distance . ogquonikongquamesut is the next town ; where , how we have been afflicted , i may not say . the english town called marlborough doth border upon them , as did the lines of the tribes of iudah and benjamin ; the english meeting-house standeth within the line of the indian town , although the contiguity and co-habitation is not barren in producing matters of interfering ; yet our godly indians do obtain a good report of the godly english , which is an argument that bringeth light and evidence to my heart , that our indians are really godly . i was very lately among them ; they desired me to settle a stated lecture amongst them , as it is in sundry other praying towns , which i did with so much the more gladness and hope of blessing in it , because through grace the motion did first spring from themselves . solomon is their teacher , whom we judge to be a serious and sound christian ; their ruler is owannamug , whose grave , faithful , and discreet conversation hath procured him real respect from the english. one that was a teacher in this place , is the man that is now under censure in the church ; his sin was that adventitious sin which we have brought unto them , drunkenness , which was never known to them before they knew us english. but i account it our duty , and it is much in my desire , as well to teach them wisdom to rule such heady creatures , as skill to get them , to be able to bridle their own appetites , when they have means and opportunity of high-spirited enticements . the wisdom and power of grace is not so much seen in the beggarly want of these things , as in the bridling of our selves in the use of them . it is true dominion , to be able to use them , and not to abuse our selves by them . nashope is our next praying town , a place of much affliction ; it was the chief place of residence , where tahattawans lived , a sacham of the blood , a faithful and zealous christian , a strict yet gentle ruler ; he was a ruler of 50 in our civil order ; and when god took him , a chief man in our israel was taken away from us . his only son was a while vain , but proved good , expert in the scripture , was elected to rule in his fathers place , but soon died , insomuch that this place is now destitute of a ruler . the teacher of the place is iohn thomas , a godly understanding christian , well esteemed of by the english : his father was killed by the manquaogs , shot to death as he was in the river doing his e●le-wyers . this place lying in the road-way which the mauquaogs haunted , was much molested by them , and was one year wholly deserted ; but this year the people have taken courage and dwell upon it again . in this place after the great earthquake , there was some eruption out of the earth , which left a great hiatus or cleft a great way together , and out of some cavities under great rocks , by a great pond in that place , th●re was a great while after often heard an h●ming noise , as if there were frequent eruptions out of the ground at that place : yet for healthfulness the place is much as other places be . for religion , there be amongst them some godly christians , who are received into the church , and baptized , and others looking that way . wamesut is our next praying-town ; it lyeth at the bottom of the great falls , on the great r●ver merymak , a●d at the falling-in of concord river ; the sachem of this place is named nomphon , said to be a prince of the bloud , a man of a real noble spirit : a brother of his was slain by the mauquaogs as he was upon a rock fishing in the great river . in revenge whereof he went in the forementioned rash expedition , but had such about him , and was so circumspect , that he came well off , though be lost one principal man. this place is very much annoyed by the mauquaogs , and have much ado to stand their ground . in this place captain gookins ordered a garrison to be kept the last year , which order while they attended they were safe ; but when the northern sachems and souldiers came , who stirred up ours to go with them on their unsuccessful expedition , the town was for the most part scatter'd , and their corn spoyled . the teacher of this place is named george : they have not much esteem for religion , but i am hopefully perswaded of sundry of them ; i can go unto them but once in a year . panatuket is the upper part of merimak-falls ; so called , because of the noise which the waters make . thither the penagwog-indians are come , and have built a great fort : their sachems refused to pray to god , so signally and sinfully , that captain go●kins and my self were very sensible of it , and were not without some expectation of some interposure of a divine-hand , which did eminently come to pass ; for in the forenamed expedition they joyned with the northern sachems , and were all of them cut off ; even all that had so signally refused to pray unto god were now as signally rejected by god , and cut off . i hear not that it was ever known , that so many sachems and men of note were killed in one imprudent expedition , and that by a few scattered people ; for the mauquaogs were not imbodied to receive them , nor prepared , and few at home , which did much greaten the overthrow of so many great men , and shews a divine over-ruling hand of god. but now , since the penaguog-sachems are cut off , the people ( sundry of them ) dwelling at panatuket-fort do bow the ear to hear , and submit to pray unto god ; to whom iethro , after he had confest christ and was baptized , was sent to preach christ to them . magunkukquok is another of our praying-towns at the remotest westerly borders of natick ; these are gathering together of some n●pmuk ▪ indians who left their own places , and sit together in this place , and have given up themselves to pray unto god. they have called pomham to be their ruler , and simon to be their teacher . this latter is accounted a good and lively christian ; he is the second man among the indians that doth experience that afflicting disease of the stone . the ruler hath made his preparatory confe●sion of christ , and is approved of , and at the next opportunity is to be received and baptized . i obtained of the general-court a grant of a tract of land , for the settlement and encouragement of this people ; which though as yet it be by some obstructed , yet i hope we shall find some way to accomplish the same . quanatusset is the last of our praying-towns , whose beginnings have received too much discouragement ; but yet the seed is alive : they are frequently with me ; the work is at the birth , there doth only want strength to bring forth . the care of this people is committed joyntly to monatunkanit , and tuppunkkoowillin the teachers of hassunemesut , as is abovesaid ; and i hope if the lord continue my life , i shall have a good account to give of that people . thus i have briefly touched some of the chiefest of our present affairs , and commit them to your prudence , to do with them what you please ; committing your selves , and all your weighty affairs unto the guidance and blessing of the lord , i rest , roxb . this 20th of the 7th month , 1670. your worships to serve you in the service of our lord iesus , iohn elliot . books sold by john allen. viz. cotton on the covenant , new printed . confession of faith of the congregational churches , mr. hook and mr. davenports catechism . astrologers routed : shewing that divining by the stars hath no solid foundation from scripture , reason , or experience , &c. a brief description of new-york, formerly called new-netherlands with the places thereunto adjoyning : together with the manner of its scituation, fertility of the soyle, healthfulness of the climate, and the commodities thence produced : also some directions and advice to such as shall go thither ... : likewise a brief relation of the customs of the indians there / by daniel denton. denton, daniel. 1670 approx. 40 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2007-10 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a35692 wing d1062 estc r12462 13132557 ocm 13132557 97866 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a35692) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 97866) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 414:6) a brief description of new-york, formerly called new-netherlands with the places thereunto adjoyning : together with the manner of its scituation, fertility of the soyle, healthfulness of the climate, and the commodities thence produced : also some directions and advice to such as shall go thither ... : likewise a brief relation of the customs of the indians there / by daniel denton. denton, daniel. [4], 21 p. printed for john hancock ... and william bradley ..., london : 1670. for an account of all known copies of this work see "daniel denton's brief description of new york ... a bibliographical essay by felix neumann." reprinted from the publishers' weekly, may 24, june 14, 1902, v. 61. advertisement on p. 21. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng indians of north america -new york (state) new york (state) -description and travel. 2006-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-10 celeste ng sampled and proofread 2006-10 celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a brief description of new-york : formerly called new-netherlands . with the places thereunto adjoyning . together with the manner of its scituation , fertility of the soyle , healthfulness of the climate , and the commodities thence produced . also some directions and advice to such as shall go thither : an account of what commodities they shall take with them ; the profit and pleasure that may accrew to them thereby . likewise a brief relation of the customs of the indians there . by daniel denton . london , printed for john hancock , at the first shop in popes-head-alley in cornhil at the three bibles , and william bradley at the three bibles in the minories . 1670. to the reader . reader , i have here thorough the instigation of divers persons in england , and elsewhere , presented you wi●h a brief but true relation of a known unknown part of america . the known part which is either inhabited , or lieth near the sea , i have described to you , and have writ nothing , but what i have been an eye-witness to all or the greatest part of it : neither can i safely say , was i willing to exceed , but was rather willing the place it self should exceed my commendation , which i question not but will be owned by those that shall travel thither : for the unknown part , which is either some places lying to the northward yet undiscovered by any english , or the bowels of the earth not yet opened , though the natives tell us of glittering stones , diamonds , or pearl in the one , and the dutch hath boasted of gold and silver in the other ; yet i shall not feed your expectation with any thing of that nature ; but leave it till a better discovery shall make way for such a relation . in the mean time accept of this from him who desireth to deal impartially with every one , daniel denton . a brief relation of new-york , with the places thereunto adjoyning , formerly called the new netherlands , &c. that tract of land formerly called the new netherlands , doth contain all that land which lieth in the north-parts of america , betwixt new-england and mary-land in virginia , the length of which northward into the countrey , as it hath not been fully discovered , so it is not certainly known the bredth of it is about two hundred miles : the principal rivers within this tract , are hudsons river , raritan-river , and delewerhay-river . the chief islands are the manahatans-island , long-island , and staten-island . and first to begin with the manahatans island , so called by the indians , it lieth within land betwixt the degrees of 41. and 42. of north-latitude , and is about 14 miles long , and two broad . it is bounded with long-island on the south , with staten-island on the west , on the north with the main land : and with conecticut colony on the east-side of it ; only a part of the main land belonging to new-york colony , where several towns and villages are setled , being about thirty miles in bredth , doth intercept the manahatans island , and the colony of conecticut before mentioned . new-york is setled upon the west-end of the aforesaid island , having that small arm of the sea , which divides it from long-island on the south-side of it , which runs away eastward to new-england , and is navigable , though dangerous . for about ten miles from new-york is a place called hell-gate , which being a narrow passage , there runneth a violent stream both upon flood and ebb , and in the middle lieth some islands of rocks , which the current sets so violently upon , that it threatens present shipwrack ; and upon the flood is a large whirlpool , which continually sends forth a hideous roaring , enough to affright any stranger from passing further , and to wait for some charon to conduct him thorough ; yet to those that are well acquainted little or no danger ; yet a place of great defence aga●nst any enemy coming in that way , which a small fortification would absolutely prevent , and necessitate them to come in at the west end of long-island by sandy hook where nutten-island doth force them within command of the fort at new york , which is one of the best pieces of defence in the north-parts of america . new york is built most of brick and stone , and covered with red and black tile , and the land being high , it gives at a distance a pleasing aspect to the spectators . the inhabitants consist most of english and dutch , and have a considerable trade with the indians , for bevers , otter , raccoon skins , with other furrs ; as also for bear , deer , and elke skins ; and are supplied with venison and fowl in the winter , and fish in the summer by the indians , which they buy at an easie rate ; and having the countrey round about them , they are continually furnished with all such provisions as is needful for the life of man , not only by the english and dutch within their own , but likewise by the adjacent colonies . the commodities vented from thence is furs and skins before-mentioned ; as likewise tobacc , made within the colony , as good as is usually made in mary-land : also horses , beef , pork , oyl , pease , wheat , and the like . long-island , the west-end of which lies southward of new-york , runs eastward above one hundred miles , and is in some places eight , in some twelve , in some fourteen miles broad ; it is inhabited from one end to the other . on the west end is four or five dutch towns , the rest being all engl●sh to the number of twelve , besides villages and farm houses . the island is most of it of a very good soyle , and very natural for all sorts of english grain ; which they sowe and have very good increase of , besides all other fruits and herbs common in england , as also toba●c● , h●mp , flax , pumpkins , melons , &c. the fruits natural to the island , are mulberries , posimons , grapes great and small , huckelberries , cramberries , plums of several sorts , rosberries and strawberries , of which last is such abundance in june , that the fields and woods are died red : which the countrey-people perceiving , instantly arm themselves with bottles of wine , cream , and sugar , and in stead of a coat of male , every one takes a female upon his horse behind him , and so rushing violently into the fields , never leave till they have disrob'd them of their red colours , and turned them into the old habit . the greatest part of the island is very full of timber , as oaks white and red , walnut-trees , chesnut-trees , which yield store of mast for swine , and are often therewith sufficiently fatted with oat-corn : as also maples , cedars , saxifrage , beach , birch , holly , hazel , with many sorts more . the herbs which the countrey naturally afford , are purslain , white orage , egrimony , violets , penniroyal , alicampane , besides saxaparilla very common , with many more yea , in may you shall see the woods and fields so curiously bedecke with roses , and an innumerable multitude of delightful flowers , not only pleasing the eye , but smell , that you may behold nature contending with art , and striving to equal , if not excel many gardens in england : nay , did we know the vertue of all those plants and herbs growing there ( which time may more discover ) many are of opinion , and the natives do affirm , that there is no disease common to the countrey , but may be cured without materials from other nations . there is several navigable rivers and bays , which puts into the north-side of long-island , but upon the south-side which joyns to the sea , it is so fortified with bars of sands and sholes , that it is a sufficient defence against any enemy , yet the south-side is not without brooks and riverets , which empty themselves into the sea ; yea , you shall scarce travel a mile , but you shall meet with one of them whose christal streams run so swift , that they purge themselves of such stinking mud and filth , which the standing or low-paced streams of most brooks and rivers westward of this colony leave lying , and are by the suns exhalation dissipated , the air corrupted , and many fevers and other distempers occasioned , not incident to this colony : neither do the brooks and riverets premised , give way to the frost in winter , or draught in summer , but keep their course throughout the year . these rivers are very well furnished with fish , as bosse , sheepsheads , place , pearch , trouts , eels , turtles , and divers others . the island is plentifully stored with all sorts of english cattel . horses , hogs , sheep , goats , &c. no place in the north of am●rica better , which they can both raise and m●intain , by reason of the large and spacious medow , or marches wherewith it is furnished , the island likewise producing excellent english grass , the seed of which was brought out of england , which they sometime mow twice a year . for wilde beasts there is deer , bear , wolves , foxes , racoons , otters , musquashes and skunks . wild fowl there is great store of , as turkies , heath-hens , quailes , partridges , pidgeons , cranes , geese of several sorts , brants , ducks , widgeon , teal , and divers others : there is also the red bird , with divers sorts of singing birds , whose chirping notes salute the ears of travellers with an harmonious discord , and in every pond and brook green silken frogs , who warbling forth their untun'd tunes strive to bear a part in this musick . towards the middle of long-island lyeth a plain sixteen miles long and four broad , upon which plain grows very fine grass , that makes exceeding good hay , and is very good pasture for sheep or other cattel ; where you shall find neither stick nor stone to hinder the horse heels , or endanger them in their races , and once a year the best horses in the island are brought hither to try their swiftness , and the swift●st rewarded with a silver cup , two being annually procured for that purpose . there are two or three other small plains of about a mile square , which are no small benefit to those towns which enjoy them . upon the south-side of long-island in the winter , lie store of whales and crampasses , which the inhabitants begin with small boats to make a trade catching to their no small benefit . also an innumerable multitude of seals , which make an excellent oyle ; they lie all the winter upon some broken marshes and beaches , or bars of sand before-mentioned , and might be easily got were there some skilful men would undertake it . to say something of the indians , there is now but few upon the island , and those few no ways hurtful but rather serviceable to the english , and it is to be admired , how strangely they have deereast by the hand of god , since the english first setling of those parts ; for since my time , where there were fix towns , they are reduced to two small villages , and it hath been generally observed , that where the english come to settle , a divine hand makes way for them , by removing or cutting off the indians , either by wars one with the other , or by s●me raging mortal disease . they live principally by hunting , fowling , and fishing : their wives being the husbandmen to till the land , and plant their corn . the meat they live most upon is fish , fowl , and venison ; they eat likewise polecats , skunks , racoon , possum , turtles , and the like . they build small moveable tents , which they remove two or three times a year , having their principal quarters where they plant their corn : their hunting quarters , and their fishing quarters : their recreations are chiefly foot-ball and cards , at which they will play away all they have , excepting a flap to cover their nakedness : they are great lovers of strong drink , yet do not care for drinking , unless they have enough to make themselves drunk ; and if there be so many in their company , that there is not sufficient to make them all drunk , they usually select so many out of their company , proportionable to the quantity of drink , and the rest must be spectators . and if any one chance to be drunk before he hath finisht his proportion , ( which is ordinarily a quart of brandy , rum or strong-waters ) the rest will pour the rest of his part down his throat . they often , kill one another at these drunken matches , which the friends of the murdered person , do revenge upon the murderer unless he purchase his life with money , which they sometimes do : their money is made of a periwinkle shell of which there is black and white , made much like unto beads , and put upon strings . for their worship which is diabolical , it is performed usually but once or twice a year , unless upon some extraordinary occasion , as upon making of war or the lik● ; their usual time is about michaelmass , when their corn is first ripe , the day being appointed by their chief priest or pawaw ; most of them go a hunting for venison : when they are all congregated , their priest tells them if he want money , there god will accept of no other offering , which the people beleeving , every one gives money according to their ability . the priest takes the money , and putting it into some dishes , sets them upon the top of their low flat-roofed houses , and falls to invocating their god to come and receive it , which with a many loud hallows and outcries , knocking the ground with sticks , and beating themselves , is performed by the priest , and seconded by the people . after they have thus a while wearied themselves , the priest by his conjuration brings in a devil amongst them , in the shape sometimes of a fowl , sometimes of a beast , and somtimes of a man , at which the people being amazed , not daring to stir , he improves the opportunity , steps out , and makes sure of the money , and then returns to lay the spirit , who in the mean time is sometimes gone , and takes some of the company along with him : but if any english at such times do come amongst them , it puts a period to their proceeding , and they will desire their absence , telling them their god will not come whilst they are there . in their wars they fight no pitcht fields , but when they have notice of an enemies approach , they endeavor to secure their wives and children upon some island , or in some thick swamp , and then with their guns and hatchets they way-lay their enemies , some lying behind one , some another , and it is a great fight where seven or eight is slain . when any indian dies amongst them , they bury him upright , sitting upon a seat , with his gun , money , and such goods as he hath with him , that he may be furnished in the other world , which they conceive is westward , where they shall have great store of game for hunting and live easie lives . at his burial his nearest relations attend the hearse with their faces painted black , and do visit the grave once or twice a day , where they send forth sad lamentations so long , till time hath wore the blackness off their faces , and afterwards every year once they view the grave , make a new mourning for him , trimming up of the grave , not suffering of a grass to grow by it : they fence their graves with a hedge , and cover the tops with mats , to shelter them from the rain . any indian being dead , his name dies with him , no person daring ever afte● to mention his name , it being not only a breach of their law , but an abuse to his friends and relations present , as if it were done on purpose to renew their grief : and any other person whatsoever that is named after that name doth incontinently change his name , and takes a new one , their names are not proper set names as amongst christians , but every one invents a name to himself , which he likes best . some calling themselves ra●tle-snake , skunk , bucks-horn , or the like : and if a person die , that his name is some word which is used in speech , they likewise change that word , and invent some new one , which makes a great change and alteration in their language . when any person is sick , after some means used by his friends , every one pretending skill in physick ; that proving ineffectual , they send for a pawaw or priest , who sitting down by the sick person , without the least enquiry after the distemper , waits for a gift , which he proportions his work accordingly to : that being received , he first begins with a low voice to call upon his god , calling sometimes upon one , sometimes on another , raising his voice higher and higher , beating of his naked breasts and sides , till the sweat runneth down , and his breath is almost gone , then that little which is remaining , he evaporates upon the face of the sick person three or four times together , and so takes his leave . their marriages are performed without any ceremony , the match being first made by money . the sum being agreed upon and given to the woman , it makes a consummation of their marriage , if i may so call it : after that , he keeps her during his pleasure , and upon the least dislike turns her away and takes another : it is no offence for their married women to lie with another man , provided she acquaint her husband , or some of her nearest relations with it , but if not , it is accounted such a fault that they sometimes punish it with death : an indian may have two wives or more if he please ; but t is not so much in use as it was since the english came amongst them : they being ready ▪ in some measure to imitate the english in things both good and had : any maid before she is married doth lie with whom she please for money , without any scandal , or the least aspersion to be cast upon her , it being so customary , and their laws tolerating of it . they are extraordinary charitable one to another , one having nothing to spare , but he freely imparts it to his friends , and whatsoever they get by gaming or any other way , they share one to another , leaving themselves commonly the least share . at their cantica's or dancing matches , where all persons that come are freely entertaind , it being a festival time : their custom is when they dance , every one but the dancers to have a short stick in their hand , and to knock the ground and sing altogether , whilst they that dance sometimes act warlike postures , and then they come in painted for war with their faces black and red , or some all black , some all red , with some streaks of white under their eyes , and so jump and leap up and down without any order , uttering many expressions of their intended valour . for other dances they only shew what antick tricks their ignorance will lead them to , wringing of their bodies and faces after a strange manner , sometimes jumping into the fire , sometimes catching up a fire-brand , and biting off a live coal , with many such tricks , that will affright , if not please an english man to look upon them , resembling rather a company of infernal furies then men . when their king or sachem sits in council , he hath a company of armed men to guard his person , great respect being shewen him by the people , which is principally manifested by their silence : after he hath declared the cause of their convention , he demands their opinion , ordering who shall begin : the person ordered to speak , after he hath declared his minde , tells them he hath done : no man ever interrupting any person in his speech , nor offering to speak , though he make never so many or long stops , till he says he hath no more to say : the council having all declar'd their opinions , the king after some pause gives the definitive sentence , which is commonly seconded with a shout from the people , every one seeming to applaud , and manifest their assent to what is determined : if any person be condemned to die , which is seldom , unless for murder or incest , the king himself goes out in person ( for you must understand they have no prisons , and the guilty person flies into the woods ) where they go inquest of him , and having found him , the king shoots first , though at never such a distance , and then happy is the man can shoot him down , and cut off his long , which they commonly wear , who for his pains is made some captain , or other military officer . their cloathing is a yard and an half of broad cloth , which is made for the indian trade , which they hang upon their shoulders ; and half a yard of the same cloth , which being put betwixt their legs , and brought up before and behinde , and tied with a girdle about their middle , hangs with a flap on each side : they wear no hats , but commonly wear about their heads a snake's skin , or a belt of their money , or a kind of a ruff made with deers hair , and died of a scarlet colour , which they esteem very rich . they grease their bodies and hair very often , and paint their faces with several colours , as black , white , red , yellow , blew , &c. which they take great pride in , every one being painted in a several manner : thus much for the customs of the indians . within two leagues of new-york lieth staten-island , it bears from new york west something southerly : it is about twenty miles long , and four or five broad , it is most of it very good land , full of timber , and produceth all such commodities as long island doth , besides tin and store of iron oar , and the calamine stone is said likewise to be found there : there is but one town upon it consi●●ing of english and french , but is capable of entertaining more inhabitants : betwixt this and long island is a large bay , and is the coming in for all ships and vessels out of the sea : on the north-side of this island after-●kull river puts into the main land on the west-side , whereof is two or three towns , but on the east-side but one . there is very great marshes or medows on both sides of it , excellent good land , an● good convenience for the setling of several towns ; there grows black walnut and locust , as their doth in virgi●ia , with mighty tall streight timber , as good as any in the north of ameri●a : it produceth any commoditie long-island doth . hudsons river runs by n●w-york northward into the countrey , toward the head of which is seated n●w-al●a●● , a pl●ce of great trade with the indians , betwixt which and new-york , being above one hundred mi●es , is as good corn-land as the world affords , enough to entertain hundreds of families , which in the time of the dutch-gove●nment of those parts could not be setled : for the indians , excepting one place , called the 〈◊〉 which was kept by a garrison , but since the reducement of those parts under his ma●esties obedience , and a patent granted to his royal highnes● the duke of york , which is about six years ; since by the care and diligenc● of the honourable coll. nicholls sent thither deputy to his highness , such a league of peace was made , and friendship concluded betwixt that colony and the indians , that they have not resisted or disturbed any christians there , in the setling or peaceable possessing of any lands with that government , but every man hath sate under his own vine , and hath peaceably reapt and enjoyed the fruits of their own labours , which god continue . westward of after-kull river before-mentioned , about 18 or 20 miles runs in raritan-river north-ward into the countrey , some score of miles , both sides of which river is adorn'd with spacious medows , enough to maintain thousands of cattel , the wood-land is likewise very good for corn , and stor'd with wilde beasts , as deer , and elks , and an innumerable multitude of fowl , as in other parts of the countrey : this river is thought very capable for the erecting of several towns and villages on each side of it , no place in the north of america having better convenience for the maintaining of all sorts of cattel for winter and summer-food : upon this river is no town setled , but one at the mouth of it . next this river westward is a place called new-asons , where is two or three towns and villages setled upon the sea-side , but none betwixt that and delewer bay , which is about sixty miles , all which is a rich champain countrey , free from stones , and indifferent level ; store of excellent good timber , and very well watered , having brooks or rivers ordinarily , one or more in every miles travel : the countrey is full of deer , elks , bear , and other creatures , as in other parts of the countrey , where you shall meet with no inhabitant in this journey , but a few indians , where there is stately oaks , whose broad-branched-tops serve for no other use , but to keep off the suns heat from the wilde beasts of the wilderness , where is grass as high as a mans middle , that serves for no other end except to maintain the elks and deer , who never devour a hundredth part of it , then to be burnt every spring to make way for new . how many poor people in the world would think themselves happy , had they an acre or two of land , whilst here is hundreds , nay thous●nds of acres , that would invite inhabitants . delewerhay the mouth of the river , lyeth about the mid-way betwixt new-y●●k and the capes of virginia : it is a very pleasant river and countrey , but very few inhabitants , and them being mostly swedes , dutch and finns : about sixty miles up the river is the principal town called n●w-castle , which is about 40 miles from mary-land , and very good way to travel , either with horse or foot , the people are setled all along the west side sixty miles above new-castle ; the land is good for all sorts of english grain , and wanteth nothing but a good people to populate it , it being capable of entertaining many hundred fami●ies . some may admire , that these great and rich tracts of land , lying so adjoyning to new-england and virginia , should be no better inhabited , and that the richness of the soyle , the healthfulness of the clima●e , and the like , should be no better a motive to induce people from both places to populate it . to which i answer , that whilst it was under the dutch government , which hath been till within these six years ; there was little encouragement for any english , both in respect of their safety from the ind●ans , the dutch being almost always in danger of them ; and their bever-trade not admitting of a war , which would have been destructive to their trade , which was the main thing prosecuted by the dutch. and secondly , the dutch gave such bad titles to lands , together with their exacting of the tenths of all which men produced off their land , that did much hinder the populating of it ; together with that general dislike the english have of living under another government ; but since the reducement of it the●e is several towns of a considerable g●eatness begun and setled by people out of new-england , and every day more and more come to view and sett●e . to give some satisfaction to people that shall be desirous to transport themselves thither , ( the countrey being capabl of entertaining many thousands , ) how and after what manner people live , and how land may be procured , &c. i shall answer , that the usual way , is for a company of people to joyn to-together , either enough to make a town , or a lesser number ; these go with the consent of the governor , and view a tract of land , there being choice enough , and finding a place convenient for a town , they return to the governour , who upon their desire admits them into the colony , and gives them a grant or patent for the said land , for themselves and associates . these persons being thus qualified , settle the place , and take in what inhabitants to themselves they shall see cause to admit of , till their town be full ; these associates thus taken in have equal priviledges with themselves , and they make a division of the land suitable to every m●ns occasions , no m●n being debarr'd of such quantities as he hath occasion for , the rest they let lie in common till they have occasion for a new division , never dividing their pas●ure-land at all , which ●ie in common to the whole town . the bes● commodities for any to carry with them is clothing , the countrey being full of all sorts of cattel , which they may furnish themselves ●●thal at an easie rate , for any sorts of english goods ; as likewise instruments for husbandry and building , with nails , hinges , glass , and the like ; for the manner how they get a livelihood , it is principally by corn and cattel , which will there fetch them any commodities ; likewise they sowe store of flax , which they make every one cloth of for their own wearing , as also woollen cloth , and linsey-woolsey , and had they more tradesmen amongst them , they would in a little time live without the help of any other conntrey for their clothing ; for tradesmen there is none but live happily there , as carpenters , blacksmiths , masons , tailors , weavers , shoomakers , tanners , brickmakers , and so any other trade ; them that have no trade betake themselves to husbandry , get land of their own , and live exceeding well . thus have i briefly given you a relation of new-york , with the places thereunto ad●oyning ; in which , if i have err'd , it is principally in not giving it its due commendation ; for besides those earthly blessings where it is stor'd , heaven hath not been wanting to open his treasure , in sending down seasonable showres upon the earth , blessing it with a sweet and pleasant air , and a continuation of such influences as tend to the health both of man and beast : and the climate hath such an affinity with that of england , that it breeds ordinarily no alteration to those which remove thither ; that the name of seasoning , which is common to some other countreys hath never there been known ; that i may say , and say truly , that if there be any terrestrial happiness to be had by people of all ranks , especially of an inferior rank , it must certainly be here : here any one may furnish himself with land , and live rent-free , yea , with such a quantity of land , that he may weary himself with walking over his fields of corn , and all so●ts of gr●in and ●et his stock of cattel amount to some hundreds , he needs not fear their want of pasture in the summer , or fodder in the winter , the woods affording sufficient supply . for the summer-season , where you have grass as high as a mans knees , nay , as high as his waste , interlaced with pea ●ines and other weeds that cattel much delight in , as much as a man can press thorough ; and these woods also every mile or half-mile are furnished with fresh ponds , brooks , or rivers , where all sorts of cattel , during the heat of the day , do quench their thirst and cool themselves ; these brooks and rivers being invironed of each side with several sorts of trees and grape-vines , the vines , arbor-like , in re-changing places and crossing these rivers , does shade and shelter them from the scorching beams of sols fiery influence : here those which fortune hath frown'd upon in en●land , to deny them an inheritance amongst their brethren , or such as by their utmost labors can scarcely procure a living , i say such may procure here inheritances of land , and possessions , stock themselves with all sorts of cattel , enjoy the benefit of them whilst they live , and leave them to the benefit of their children when they die : here you need no trouble the shambles for meat , nor bakers and brewers for beer and bread , nor run to a linnen-draper for a supply , every one making their own linnen , and a great part of their woollen-cloth for their ordinary wearing : and how prodigal , if i may so say , hath nature been to furnish the countrey with all sorts of wilde beasts and fowle , which every one hath an interest in , and may hunt at his pleasure ; where besides the pleasure in hunting , he may furnish his house with excellent fat venison , turkies , geese , heath-hens , cranes , swans , ducks , pidgeons , and the like : and wearied with that , he may go a fish●ng , where the rivers are so furnished , that he may supply himself with fish before he can leave off the recreation : where you may travel by land upon the same continent hundreds of miles , and passe thorough towns and villages , and never hear the least complaint for want , nor hear any ask you for a farthing : there you may lodge in the fields and woods , travel from one end of the countrey to another , with as much security as if you were lockt within your own chamber ; and if you chance to meet with an indian-town , they shall give you the best entertainment they have , and upon your desire , direct you on your way : but that which adds happiness to all the rest , is the healthfulness of the place , where many people in twenty years time never know what sickness is : where they look upon it as a great mortality if two or three die out of a town in a years time ; where besides the sweetness of the air , the countrey it self sends forth such a fragrant smell , that it may be perceived at sea before they can make the land : where no evil fog or vapour doth no sooner appear , but a north west or westerly winde doth immediately dissolve it , and drive it away : what shall i say more ? you shall scarce see a house , but the south side is begirt with hives of bees , which increase after an incredible manner : that i must needs say , that if there be any terrestrial canaan , 't is surely here , where the land floweth with milk and honey . the inhabitants are blest with peace and plenty , blessed in their countrey , blessed in their fields , blessed in the fruit of their bodies , in the fruit of their grounds , in the increase of their cattel , horses and sheep , blessed in their basket , and in their store ; in a word , blessed in whatsoever they take in hand , or go about , the earth yieldieg plentiful increase to all their painful labours . were it not to avoid prolixity i could say a great deal more , and yet say too little , how free are ●hose parts of the world from that pride and oppression , with their miserable effects , which many , nay almost all parts of the world are troubled , with being ignorant of that pomp and bravery which aspiring humours are servants to , and striving after almost every where : where a waggon or cart gives as good content ●s a coach ; and a piece of their home made cloth , better then the finest lawns or richest silks : and though their low roofed houses may seem to shut their doors against pride and luxury , yet how do they stand wide open to let charity in and out , either to assist each other , or relieve a stranger , and the distance of place from other n●tions , doth secure them from the envious frowns of ill-affected neighbours , and the troubles which usually arise thence . now to conclude , its possible some may say , what needs a rela●ion of a place o● so long standing as n●w yo●k hath been ? in answer to which i have said something before , as to satisfie the desires of many that never had any relation of it . secondly , though it hath been long setled , ye● but lately reduced to his majesties obedience , and by that means but new or unknown to the english ; else certainly those great number of furs , that have been lately transported from thence into holland had never past the hands of our english furriers : thirdly , never any relation before was published to my knowledge , and the place being capable of entertaining so great a number of inhabitants , where they may with gods blessing , and their own industry , live as happily as any people in the world . a true relation was necessary , not only for the encouragement of many that have a desire to remove themselves , but for the satisfaction of others that would make a trade thither . finis . the accurate accomptant or london merchant , containing an analysis for instructions and directions for a methodical ke●ping merchants accompts , by way of debitor and creditor , very useful for all merchants or others , that desire to learn or teach the exact method of keeping merchants accompts , by thomas brown accomptant ; to be sold by john harcock , at the first shop in popes-head alley , at the sign of the three bibles in cornhil , 1670. a late and further manifestation of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in nevv-england declaring their constant love and zeal to the truth : with a readiness to give accompt of their faith and hope, as of their desires in church communion to be partakers of the ordinances of christ : being a narrative of the examinations of the indians, about their knowledge in religion, by the elders of the churches / related by mr. john eliot. eliot, john, 1604-1690. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a39229 of text r9453 in the english short title catalog (wing e517). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 54 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 16 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a39229 wing e517 estc r9453 13280657 ocm 13280657 98746 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a39229) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 98746) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 453:4) a late and further manifestation of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in nevv-england declaring their constant love and zeal to the truth : with a readiness to give accompt of their faith and hope, as of their desires in church communion to be partakers of the ordinances of christ : being a narrative of the examinations of the indians, about their knowledge in religion, by the elders of the churches / related by mr. john eliot. eliot, john, 1604-1690. walton, william, d. 1668. examination of the indians at roxbury. society for propagation of the gospel in new england. [8], 23 p. printed by m. s., london : 1655. the eighth of a series of 11 pamphlets, commonly known as the "eliot tracts", published in london from 1643 to 1671 in the interests of missionary work among the indians of new-england. "the examination of the indians at roxbury, the 13th day of the 4th month. 1654 [reported by william walton]": p. 11-20. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng indians of north america -massachusetts -missions -early works to 1800. massachuset indians -missions -early works to 1800. a39229 r9453 (wing e517). civilwar no a late and further manifestation of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in nevv-england. declaring their constant love and zeal t eliot, john 1655 10120 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 c the rate of 10 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-06 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-07 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2003-07 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a late and further manifestation of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in nevv-england . declaring their constant love and zeal to the truth : with a readinesse to give accompt of their faith and hope ; as of their desires in church communion to be partakers of the ordinances of christ . being a narrative of the examinations of the indians , about their knowledge in religion , by the elders of the churches . related by mr john eliot . published by the corporation , established by act of parliament , for propagating the gospel there . acts 3. 47. i have set thee to be a light to the gentiles , that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth . london : printed by m. s. 1655. wee having perused the ensuing narration , written by master eliot , doe conceive it fit to be printed , that thereby the servants of god in england may be further enlarged in their praises to god for his free grace wonderfully manifested in beginning and so succesfully carrying on the hoped for conversion of the indians . and also that they may be much encouraged to continue their prayers , and liberall contributions for the finishing and perfecting of this blessed and glorious undertaking , so much conducing to the glory of god , the salvation of soules , and the inlargement of the kingdome of christ upon earth . may 13. 1655. h : whitfeild . simeon ashe . edm : calamy . john arthur . aa to all that pray and wait for the prosperity of sion , and the increase of the kingdome of our lord jesus christ to the ends of the earth . grace and peace be multiplied . beloved brethren . as , the one thing which ye have desired of the lord , and which yee have sought after , is , that your selves might dwell in the house of the lord all the dayes of your lives , to behold the beauty of the lord , and to enquire in his temple : so , i am much assured that the next thing which yee have desired of the lord , and which ye have earnestly sought after , is , that they who have hitherto been strangers to , might dwell also in the house of the lord all the dayes of their lives , to behold the beauty of the lord , and to enquire in his temple ; yea , that they might be a house and a temple of the lord . this being the gratious designe of your holy breathings unto god , and of your liberall contributings unto men , ye cannot but rejoyce to hear of any thing which looketh like , much more which really is a fruit and return of such breathings and contri●●uti●gs . holy prayers and zealous endeavours are very sweet in their acts , but they are much more sweet in their effects and issues . it should mightily encourage the seed of iacob to pray , because god hath said , that he hath not said to the seed of iacob , 〈◊〉 yee me in vaine . but how should it pr●voke the s●ed of iacob to give thanks , when they find that they have not sought the lord in vaine ? and that their labours have not been in vaine in the lord ? beloved brethren , yee may now see and tast the fruit of those prophecie , which ye have been helping to the birth . the wildernesse and solitary places are glad , the desert rejoyceth and blossometh as the rose it blossometh abundantly , and rejoyceth even with joy and singing . the glory of leb●non is given to it , the excellency of carmell and sharon , these see the glory of the lord , and the excellency of our god . this little book of observations and experiences gives you a brief and faithfull narrative of the increasing glory of christ by the progresse of the gospel in new-england : it tells you ●ow christ hath there led captivity captive , and given gifts for men , yea , for the rebellious , that the l●rd god might dwell among them . where the strong man armed kept the house ( for many ages and generations , and all was in peace : ) there now ( christ ) a stronger then he , hath come upon him , and hath ( in many examples ) overcome him and taken from him all his armour wherein he trusted , and divided his spoyles : now christ keeps the house , which satan formerly kept ; yea , they who were kept by satan as his house , are now ready and earnestly desire to be built up as a house for christ . the poor , naked , ignorant indians , who lately knew no civill order , now beg to be brought into church order , to live under the government , and enjoy the holy ordinances of our lord jesus christ , in the purest way of gospel-worship . may we not now ( beloved ) make mention of rahab and babylon to them that know christ ? behold philistia , and tyre , with ethiopia , this man was borne there ; and of sion ( in new-england ) it may be said , this and that man ( of the wild , rude , and barbarous indians ) was borne there . read this short discourse , and it will tell you that the lord hath blessed the labours of the messengers of sion in new-england , with the conversion of some ( i may say , of a considerable number ) of the indians , to be a kind of first fruits of his ( new ) creatures there . o let old england rejoyce in this , that our brethren who with extream difficulties and expences have planted themselves in the indian wildernesses , have also laboured night and day with prayers and tears and exhortations to plant the indians as a spirituall garden , into which christ might come and eat his pleasant fruits . let the gaining of any of their souls to christ , and their turning to god from idols to serve the living and true god , be more pretious in our eyes then the greatest gaine or return of gold and silver . this gaine of soules is a merchandize worth the glorying in upon all the exchanges , or rather in all the churches throughout the world . this merchandize is holinesse to the lord : and of this the ensuing discourse presents you with a bill of many particulars , from your spirituall factory in new england , as the improvement of your former adventures thether , for the promoting of that heavenly trade ; as also for an encouragement not only to all those who have freely done it already , to adventure yet more , but also for the quickning of those who hitherto have not done it , now to underwrite themselves adventurers for the advancement of so holy and hopefull a designe . i shall adde only this one word , that , whosoever shall thus adventer for christ , shall have christ for his insurer . to his grace and blessing i recommend both you and this blessed work , who am dearly beloved , a hearty well-wisher to the propagation of the gospel ; and your servant for christs sake . joseph caryl . a brief narration of the indians proceedings in respect of church-estate , and how the case standeth at the present with us . after i had spent my poor labours among the indians for the space of neer four years , it pleased god to stir up in them a great desire of partaking in the ordinance of baptism , and other ecclesiasticall ordinances in way of church communion . but i declared unto them how necessary it was , that they should first be civilized , by being brought from their scattered and wild course of life , unto civill co-habitation and government , before they could , according to the will of god revealed in the scriptures , be fit to be betrusted with the sacred ordinances of jesus christ , in church-communion . and therefore i propounded unto them , that they should look out some fit place to begin a towne , unto which they might resort , and there dwell together , enjoy government , and be made ready and prepared to be a people among whom the lord might delight to dwell and rule . when they understood the mind of god in this matter , they were desirous to set upon the work : the reallity of which desires , the living have actually expressed , by their performance thereof ( in some poor measure ) and some of them dying , left their earnest affections and desires with the rest , to set upon that work ; especially wampocas , a godly man , of whose death and exhortations that way , i have made some mention in some former letters . we accordingly attended thereunto , to search for a fit place , and finally , after sundry journeyes and travells to severall places , the lord did by his speciall providence , and answer of prayers , pitch us upon the place where we are at natick . unto which place my purpose at first was to have brought all the praying indians to co-habit together : but it so fell out ( by the guidance of god , as it now appeareth ) that because the cohannet indians desired a place which they had reserved for themselves , and i finding that i could not at that time pitch there without opposition from some english , i refused that place , and pitched at natick , where i found no opposition at present . this choyce of mine did move in the cohannet indians a jealousie that i had more affection unto those other indians , then unto them . by which occasion ( together with some other providences of god , as the death of cutshamoquin , and the coming of i●sias , to succeed in the sachemship in that place ) their minds were quite alienated from the place of natick , though not from the work , for they desire to make a towne in that fore-mentioned place of their owne , named ponkipog , and are now upon the work . and indeed , it now appeareth to be of the lord , because we cannot have competent accommodations at natick , for those that be there , which are about fifty lots , more or lesse . and furthermore , by the blessing of god upon the work , there are people , partly prepared , and partly preparing for three townes more . insomuch , as that it is most evident , that had i procceded according to my first intentions , to have called them all unto that one place , we must have been forced very quickly to have scattered againe , for want of accommodations for so great a company of inhabitants , and so have discouraged them at our first onset of drawing them from their scattered way of living , unto co-habitation : seeing it would have brought them unto such wants and streights as they could not have grapled withall , but rather would have been occasioned to think there were insuperable difficulties in this enterprise : whereas in lesser companies they may find a more plentifull and better course of life then they found in that former way out of which they are called ; as through gods mercy , and the bounty of good people in england , whose love layeth the foundation-stone of the work , they doe already feele and find at natick , and begin to find at ponkipog . in prosecution of this work in the year 1650 we began by the lords assistance our first towne at natick , where we built a fort , and one dwelling-house . in the year 51 after fasting and prayer about that matter , they gave up themselves and their children to be governed by the lord , according to his word , in all wayes of civility , and chose among themselves rulers of ten , fifty , and an hundred , according to the holy patterne , so far as they could : in which way of government the lord hath not a little owned them , and blessed them . in the year 52 i perceiving the grace of god in sundry of them , and some poor measure of fitnesse ( as i was perswaded ) for the enjoyment of church-fellowship , and ordinances of jesus christ , i moved in that matter , according as i have in the narration thereof , briefly declared . in the year 53 i moved not that way , for these reasons . i having sent their confessions to be published in england , i did much desire to hear what acceptance the lord gave unto them , in the hearts of his people there , who daily labour at the throne of grace , and by other expressions of their loves , for an holy birth of this work of the lord , to the praise of christ , and the inlargement of his kingdome . as also my desire was , that by such books as might be sent hither , the knowledge of their confessions might be spread here , unto the better and fuller satisfaction of many , then the transacting thereof in the presence of some could doe . these books came by the latter ships ( as i remember ) that were bound for new-england , and were but newly out when they set saile , and therefore i had not that answer that year , which my soule desired , though something i had which gave encouragement , and was a tast of what i have more fully heard from severall this year , praised be the lord . besides , there fell a great damping and discouragement upon us , by a jealousie too deeply apprehended , though utterly groundlesse , viz. that even these praying indians were in a conspiracy with others , and with the dutch , to doe mischief to the english , in which matter , though the ruling part of the people looked otherwise upon them , yet it was no season for me to stir or move in this matter , when the waters were so troubled . this businesse needeth a calmer season , and i shall account it a savour of god when ever he shall please to cause his face to shine upon us in it . yet this i did the last year , after the books had been come a season , there being a great meeting at beston , from other colonies as well as our owne , and the commissioners being there , i thought it necessary to take that opportunity to prepare and open the way in a readinesse against this present year , by making this proposition unto them ; namely , that they having now seen their confessions , if upon further triall of them in point of knowledge , they be found to have a competent measure of understanding in the fundamentall points of religion ; and also , if there be due testimony of their conversation , that they walke in a christian manner according to their light , so that religion is to be seen in their lives ; whether then it be according to god , and acceptable to his people , that they be called up unto church-estate ? unto which i had i blesse the lord , a generall approbation . accordingly this year 54 i moved the elders , that they would give me advice and assistance in this great businesse , & that they would at a fit season examine the indians in point of their knowledge , because we found by the former triall , that a day will be too little ( if the lord please to call them on to church-fellowship ) to examine them in points of knowledge , and hear their confessions , and guide them into the holy covenant of the lord . seeing all these things are to be transacted in a strange language , and by interpreters , and with such a people as they be in these their first beginnings . but if they would spend a day on purpose to examine them in their knowledge , there would be so much the more liberty to doe it fully and throughly ( as such a work ought to be ) as also when they may be called to gather into church-communion , it may suffice that some one of them should make a doctrinall confession before the lord and his people , as the rule of faith which they build upon , the rest attesting their consent unto the same : and themselves ( the elders i mean , if the lord so far assist the indians , as to give them satisfaction ) might testifie that upon examination they have found a competency of knowledge in them to inable them unto such a work and state . and thus the work might be much shortned , and more comfortably expedited in one day . i found no unreadinesse in the elders to further this work . some dispute there was about officers in the church , if they should be found fit matter to proceed , of which i shall anon speak god-willing . they concluded to attend the work , and for severall reasons advised that the place should be at roxbury , and not at natick , and that the indians should be called thither , the time they left to me to appoint , in such a season as wherein the elders may be at best liberty from other publick occasions the time appointed was the 13 of the 4 moneth ; mean while i dispatched letters unto such as had knowledge in the tongue , requesting that they would come and help in interpretation , or attest unto the truth of my interpretations . i sent also for my brother mayhu , who accordingly came , and brought an interpreter with him . others whom i had desired , came not . i informed the indians of this appointment , and of the end it was appointed for , which they therefore called , and still doe , when they have occasion to speak of it , natootomuhteáe kesuk , a day of asking questions , or , a day of examination . i advised them to prepare for it , and to pray earnestly about it , that they might be accepted among gods people , if it were the will of god . it pleased god so to guide , that there was a publick fast of all the churches , betwixt this our appointment , and the accomplishment thereof : which day they kept , as the churches did , and this businesse of theirs was a principall matter in their prayers it hath pleased god to lay his hand in sicknesse upon monequassun our natick schoolmaster , so that we greatly wanted his help and concurrence in this businesse . yea , and such is his disease ( viz. an vlcer in his lungs ) that i fear the lord will take him away from us , to the great hindrance of our work , in respect of humane means : lord increase our faith ! there fell out a very great discouragement a little before the time , which might have been a scandall unto them , and i doubt not but satan intended it so ; but the lord improved it to stir up faith and prayer , and so turned it another way : thus it was . three of the unsound sort of such as are among them that pray unto god , who are hemmed in by relations , and other means , to doe that which their hearts love not ; and whose vices satan improveth to scandalize and reproach the better sort withall ; while many , and some good people are too ready to say they are all alike . i say three of them had gotten severall quarts of strong-water , ( which sundry out of a greedy desire of a little gaine , are too ready to sell unto them , to the offence and grief of the better sort of indians , and of the godly english too ) and with these liquors , did not onely make themselves drunk , but got a child of eleven years of age , the son of toteswamp , whom his father had sent for a little corne and fish to that place near watertowne , where they were . unto this child they first gave too spoonfulls of strong-water , which was more then his head could bear ; and another of them put a bottle , or such like vessell to his mouth , and caused him to drink till he was very drunk ; and then one of them domineered , and said , now we will see whether your father will punish us for drunkennesse ( for he is a ruler among them ) seeing you are drunk with us for company ; and in this case lay the child abroad all night . they also fought , and had been severall times punished formerly for drunkennesse . when toteswamp heard of this , it was a great shame and breaking of heart unto him , and he knew not what to doe . the rest of the rulers with him considered of the matter , they found a complication of many sins together . 1 the sin of drunkennesse , and that after many former punishments for the same . 2 a willfull making of the child drunk , and exposing him to danger also . 3 a degree of reproaching the rulers . 4 fighting . word was brought to me of it , a little before i took horse to goe to natick to keep the sabbath with them , being about ten dayes before the appointed meeting . the tidings sunk my spirit extreamly , i did judge it to be the greatest frowne of god that ever i met withall in the work , i could read nothing in it but displeasure , i began to doubt about our intended work : i knew not what to doe , the blacknesse of the sins , and the persons reflected on , made my very heart faile me : for one of the offendors ( though least in the offence ) was he that hath been my interpreter , whom i have used in translating a good part of the holy scriptures ; and in that respect i saw much of satans venome , and in god i saw displeasure . for this and some other acts of apostacy at this time , i had thoughts of casting him off from that work , yet now the lord hath found a way to humble him . but his apostacy at this time was a great tryall , and i did lay him by for that day of our examination , i used another in his room . thus satan aimed at me in this their miscarrying ; and toteswamp is a principall man in the work , as you shall have occasion to see anon god-willing . by some occasion our ruling elder and i being together , i opened the case unto him , and the lord guided him to speak some gracious words of encouragement unto me , by which the lord did relieve my spirit ; and so i committed the matter and issue unto the lord , to doe what pleased him , and in so doing my soul was quiet in the lord . i went on my journey , being the 6 day of the week ; when i came at natick , the rulers had then a court about it . soon after i came there , the rulers came to me with a question about this matter , they related the whole businesse unto me , with much trouble and grief . then toteswamp spake to this purpose , i am greatly grieved about these things , and now god tryeth me whether i love christ or my child best . they say , they will try me ; but i say , god will try me . christ saith , he that loveth father , or mother , or wife , or child , better then me , is not worthy of me . christ saith , i must correct my child , if i should refuse to doe that , i should not love christ . god bid abraham kill his son , abraham loved god , and therefore he would have done it , had not god with-held him . god saith to me , onely punish your child , and how can i love god , if i should refuse to doe that ? these things he spake in more words , and much affection , and not with dry eyes : nor could i refraine from teares to hear him . when it was said , the child was not so guilty of the sin , as those that made him drunk ; he said , that he was guilty of sin , in that he feared not sin , and in that he did not believe his counsells that he had often given him , to take heed of evill company ; but he had believed satan and sinners more then him , therefore he needed to be punished . after other such like discourse , the rulers left me , and went unto their businesse , which they were about before i came , which they did bring unto this conclusion , and judgement , they judged the three men to sit in the stocks a good space of time , and thence to be brought to the whipping-post , & have each of them twenty lashes . the boy to be put in the stocks a little while , and the next day his father was to whip him in the school , before the children there ; all which judgement was executed . when they came to be whipt , the constable fetcht them one after another to the tree ( which they make use of instead of a post ) where they all received their punishments : which done , the rulers spake thus , one of them said , the punishments for sin are the commandements of god , and the worke of god , and his end was , to doe them good , and bring them to repentance . and upon that ground he did in more words exhort them to repentance , and amendment of life . when he had done , another spake unto them to this purpose , you are taught in catechisme , that the wages of sin are all miseries and calamities in this life , and also death , and eternall damnation in hell . now you feele some smart as the fruit of your sin , and this is to bring you to repentance , that so you may escape the rest . and in more words he exhorted them to repentance . when he had done , another spake to this purpose , heare all yee people ( turning himselfe to the people who stood round about , i think not lesse then two hundred , small and great ) this is the commandement of the lord , that thus it should be done unto sinners ; and therefore let all take warning by this , that you commit not such sins , least you incur these punishments . and with more words he exhorted the people . others of the rulers spake also , but some things spoken i understood not , and some things slipt from me : but these which i have related remained with me . when i returned to roxbury , i related these things to our elder , to whom i had before related the sin , and my grief : who was much affected to hear it , and magnified god . he said also , that their sin was but a transient act , which had no rule , and would vanish : but these judgements were an ordinance of god , and would remaine , and doe more good every way , then their sin could doe hurt , telling me what cause i had to be thankfull for such an issue : which i therefore relate , because the lord did speak to my heart , in this exigent , by his words . when the assembly was met for examination of the indians , and ordered , i declared the end and reason of this meeting , and therefore declared , that any one , in due order , might have liberty to propound any questions for their satisfaction . likewise , i requested the assembly , that if any one doubted of the interpretations that should be given of their answers , that they would propound their doubt , and they should have the words scanned and tryed by the interpreters , that so all things may be done most clearly . for my desire was to be true to christ , to their soules , and to the churches : and the trying out of any of their answers by the interpreters , would tend to the satisfaction of such as doubt , as it fell out in one answer which they gave ; the question was , how they knew the scriptures to be the word of god ? the finall answer was , because they did find that it did change their hearts , and wrought in them wisedome and humility . this answer being interpreted to assembly , my brother mahu doubted , especially of the word [ hohpoóonk ] signifying humility , it was scanned by the interpreters , and proved to be right , and he rested satisfied therein . i was purposed my selfe to have written the elders questions , and the indians answers , but i was so imployed in propounding to the indians the elders questions , and in returning the indians answers , as that it was not possible for me to write , unlesse i had caused the assembly to stay upon it , which had not been fitting ; therefore seeing mr. walton writing , i did request him to write the questions and answers , and help me with a copy of them , which i thank him , he did , a copy whereof i herewith send to be inserted in this place , on which , this only i will animadvert , that the elders in wisdome thought it not fit to ask them in catechisticall method strictly , in which way children might answer : but that they might try whether they understood what they said , they traversed up and downe in questions of religion , as here you see . postscript . let the reader take notice , that these questions were not propounded all to one man , but to sundry , which is the reason that sometime the same questions are propounded againe and againe . also the number examined were about eight , namely ▪ so many as might be first called forth to enter into church-covenant , if the lord give opportunity . the examination of the indians at roxbury , the 13th day of the 4th month , 1654. quest : what is god ? answ : an ever-living spirit . q. what are the attributes of god ? a. god is eternall , infinite , wise , holy , just . q. in which of these are we like unto god ? a. in wisedome , holinesse , and righteousnesse : but in infinitenesse and eternity , god is onely like himselfe . q how many gods are there ? a. there is one onely god . q. have not some indians many gods ? a. they have many gods . q. how doe you know these gods are no gods ? a. before the english came we knew not but that they were gods , but since they came we know they are no gods q. what doe you find in the true god , that you find not in false gods ? a. i see in the english many things , that god is the true god . q. what good things see you in the english ? a. i see true love , that our great sachems have not , and that maketh me think that god is the true god . q. doe you love god ? a. a little i love god , my heart wanteth wisedome , but i doe desire to love him . q. why doe you love god ? a. because we are taught this , that when we dye , we must goe to god , and live ever with him . q. who among the indians shall goe to god , and what are the signes that they shall goe to god ? a. every man that truly believeth in jesus christ shall goe to heaven . q. whether have you not many jealousies and feares that you love not god in truth ? a. i hope i have some love to god , but i know that i have but little knowledge of him , i hope i love him . q. how doe you understand that god ruleth in your heart ? a. before i prayed to god , i knew nothing of god , but since i have been taught , i desire to believe . q. what is faith in iesus christ ? a. i confesse i deserve to be damned for ever , and i am not able to deliver my selfe , but i betrust my soule with jesus christ . q. whether doth not your soule groane within you , under the sense of unbelief , and other sins ? a. since i have been taught , i find my selfe very weak , there is a little in me , sometimes my heart mournes , sometimes i desire more . q. how doe you know the word of god is gods word ? a. i believe the word that you teach us , was spoken of god . q. why doe you believe it ? a. therefore i believe it to be the word of god , because when we learn it , it teacheth our hearts to be wise and humble . q. whether are not your sins , and the temptations of hobbomak more strong since , then before you prayed to god ? a. before i preyed to god , i knew not what satans temptations were . q. doe you know now ? a. now i have heard what satans temptations are . q. what is a temptation of the devill in your heart , doe you understand what it is ? a. within my heart there are hypocrisies , which doe not appear without . q. whether doe not you find this a principall temptation from the wickednesse of your heart , to drive you away from christ , and not to believe the gracious promises in iesus christ ? or whether when you find wickednesse in your heart , you are not tempted , that you cannot believe ? a. my heart doth strongly desire to goe on in sin , but this is a strong temptation , but faith is the work of jesus christ . q. why doe some believe in christ , and not others , what maketh the difference ? a. because satan speaks to some , and bids them not believe , and they hearken to him , and god speaks to others , and they believe god . q. why doe they believe god ? a. it is the work of the spirit of god , teaching them to believe in jesus christ . another indian being asked what he could say further to it , he answered , jesus christ sendeth his spirit into their hearts , and teacheth them . q. what moveth iesus christ to send his spirit , whether any thing in your selfe ? a. i believe , the promise of god . q. whether doe you indeed believe there is a god , christ , heaven , hell , whether have you any doubts concerning these thing , or no ? a , i doe but a little know my owne thoughts , but god throughly knoweth my heart , i desire to believe these things , i desire not to be an hypocrite . it being put to another indian for further answer , he answered , my heart desires truly to pray unto god , and i more and more desire to believe these things . when i am taught by the word preached , i desire to believe in particular , i desire to believe as long as i live . q. what is the word of god ? a. that wherein god hath written his will , and therein taught the way to heaven . q. what is sin ? a. there is the root sin , an evill heart ; and there is actuall sin , sin is a breaking of the law of god . q. wherein doe you breake the law of god ? a. every day in my heart , words , and works . q. why are you troubled for sin , that none ever knew but your selfe ? a. i fear god , and jesus christ . q. what doe you believe about the immortality of the soule , and resurrection of the body ? doth the soule dye when the body dyeth ? a. i believe , when the body of a good man dyeth , the angels carry his soule to heaven , when a wicked man dyeth , the devills carry his soule to hell . q. how long shall they be in that state ? a. untill christ cometh to judgement . q. when christ cometh to judge the world , what then shall become of them ? a. the dead bodies of all men shall rise againe , q. whether shall they ever dye any more ? a. good men shall never dye any more . q. whether doe you believe that these very bodies of ours shall rise againe ? a. this body which rots in the earth , this very body , god maketh it new . q. who is iesus christ ? a. jesus christ is the son of god , yet borne man , and so both god and man q. why was christ iesus a man ? a. that he might dye for us . q. why is christ iesus god ? a. that his death might be of great value . q. why doe you say , christ iesus was a man that he might dye , doe onely men dye ? a. he dyed for our sins . q. what reason or justice is there , that christ should dye for our sins ? a. god made all the world , and man sinned , therefore it was necessary christ should dye to carry men up to heaven . god hath given unto us his son jesus christ , because of our sins . the question being put to another for further answer , his answer was , that god so loved the word , that he gave his onely begotten son , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life . q. what is god ? a. an ever-living spirit q. what are the attributes of god ? a. as before . q. in these attributes wherein are we like god ? a. as before . q. how many gods are there ? a. one onely god , but he is three , the father , son , and holy ghost ? q. what is eternall ? a. man is not like god in eternall being . q. what is infinite ? a. all the world hath an end , but god hath no end . q. had god any beginning a. no , but he is ever . q. was there alwayes an heaven and earth , how came they to be ? a. iehovah made them , and governeth them all . q. were they euer ? a. no . q. how did god make the world ? a. onely the will of god . q. out of what matter did god make the world ? a. not of any thing at all . q. how long was god making the world ? a. six dayes . q. how cometh it to passe that the sun riseth and setteth , that there is winter and summer , day and night ? a. all are the work of god . q. now the world is made , can it keepe it selfe ? by whose strength is it kept together ? a. god preserveth it , he made it , and keeps it all . q. in what condition was man made ? a. very good , like unto god . q. what is the image of god in man ? a. holinesse , wisedome , and righteousnesse . q. was there then any sin in the soule of man ? a. no . q. what covenant did god make wth adam ? a. a covenant of works , doe this and live , thou and thy children , sin , and dye , thou and thy children . q. how many commandements are there ? a. ten q. what is the first commandement ? a. god spake these words , and said , thou shalt have no other gods but me . q. what was the sin of adam ? a. he believed the devil , and eat of the tree in the midst of the garden , of which god commanded him not to eat . q. when adam sinned , what befell him ? a. he lost the image of god . q. what is that image of god , which he lost ? a. wisedome , holinesse , and righteousnesse . q. to whom is man now like ? a. he is like unto satan . q. what is this likenesse to satan ? a. he is unholy , foolish , and unrighteous . q. how many kinds of sin are there ? a. an evill heart , and evill works . q. what doe you call it ? a. we daily break gods commandements , and there is the root sin . q. what is the wages of sin ? a. all miseries in this life , and death , and damnation . q. whose wages is death ? a. all unbelievers . q. seeing but one man adam sinned , how come all to dye ? a. adam deserved for us all , that we should dye . the question being put to another for further answer , he answered , adam was the first man , and father of all men , and in him we sinned . q. who is iesus christ ? a. christ is god , born like man , god and man in one person . q. why was christ man ? a. that he might dye . q. why was christ god ? a. that his death might be of great value . q. how many are the offices of christ ? a. three . a priest , a prophet , a king . q. what sacrifice did christ offer ? a. his owne body . q. what hath christ done for us ? a. he hath dyed for us . q. what death dyed christ for us ? who put him to death ? a. wicked men . q. what else hath christ done for us ? a. he hath kept all the commandements of god for us , and also dyed for us . q. what hath christ deserved , or merited for us ? a. pardon of sin , and eternall life . q. the same question was asked another , what hath christ merited ? a. pardon of all our sins , because he paid a ransome , the favour of god , and eternall life . q. what else hath christ done for us ? a. he rose again , and ascended into heaven q. what doth christ in heaven for us ? a. he appeareth for us before god , he prayeth for us , and giveth us the new covenant . q. what is the new covenant ? a. the covenant of grace , repent and believe in christ , and be saved . q. shall all men be saved by iesus christ ? a. all that believe in christ shall goe to heaven , and be saved . q. why doth thy heart desire iesus christ more then sin , and thy former idolls ? a. before we prayed to god , i did not desire jesus christ , i did desire my sins , but now i see my need of jesus christ . q. why doe you need christ ? a. when i dye , christ carrieth my soule to heaven . the same put to another for further answer , he answered , we need jesus christ , because we are full of sinne . q. how doth christ work grace in our hearts ? a. i beleive christ hath sent his spirit into my heart by his word . q. what is repentance for sinne ? a. i am ashamed of my selfe , and broken is my heart , i hate , and am aware of all sin . q. what most of all breaks your heart , why is your heart broken ? a. because i have sinned against god . q. what see you in sin that breaks your heart ? a. it is not my owne work , but christ sends his spirit , and breaks my heart . q. what doth he put into your heart , that causeth your heart to break ? a. the spirit . q. what wounds your heart most , because you sin , or because you must goe to hell ? a. because we must goe to hell . q. when you heare that adam by his sin deserved eternall death , and when you hear of the grace of god sending iesus to save you , which of these break your heart m●st ? a. pardon of sin goeth deepest . q. what worke of the spirit finde you in your heart ? a. the spirit of god breaketh my heart to repent of all my sin , and turneth me from sin to believe in jesus christ . q. whether have you found at any time any such worke in your selfe ? a. i am ashamed of my selfe , i doe not throughly find it in my heart to be so . q. when god sendeth his spirit , what doth it worke in us ? a. a change of the heart . q. what change hath god wrought in you of late , which was not in you in former times ? a. the spirit turneth us from our sins , to believe in jesus christ . q. doe you finde this in your heart , that your heart is turned from your sins ? a. i find my heart turned , i leave my stealing , lying , lust , and now my heart believeth in jesus christ . q. doe you believe in iesus christ ? a. i doe believe in jesus christ . q. what is it to believe in iesus christ ? a. i confesse i deserve to be damned , and am not able to deliver my selfe , and therefore i doe give up my selfe unto jesus christ , and trust in him , casting away my sins . q. why doe you cast away your sins ? a. they make me that i cannot love jesus christ . q. is there any promise set home on your heart that comforteth you , what promise doe you remember ? a. i believe the promise of god , that he will pardon believers in jesus christ . so far they proceeded in questions and answers . some or other of the elders did severall times publickly call upon the interpreters , to be attentive to all things that passed , because they must relye upon their testimony , or to that purpose , praying them to speak if they doubted of any thing . in the conclusion , the elders saw good to call upon the interpreters to give a publick testimony to the truth of mr. eliets interpretations of the indians answers , which mr. mahu , and the two interpreters by him , did , all speaking one after another , to this purpose , that the interpretations which mr. eliot gave of their answers , was for the substance the same which the indians answered , many times the very words which they spake , and alwayes the sense . william walton . when the day was well spent , in this above-written manner , some that were aged desired that an end might be put unto this work for this time , because by this tast which they had , they saw that which gave them comfortable satisfaction . then i desired that ( if it might be without prejudice to any ) they might be further tryed with questions about christ , and grace wrought in us by the spirit ; and about the ordinances of christ ( concerning which , no questions had been yet propounded ) and also about the estate of man after death , of the resurrection of the dead , and of the last judgement , wherein they were , through the grace of christ , in some measure instructed . but it was said , that they did perceive that they were instructed in points of catechisme , by what they had heard from them . when they came to a conclusion , one of the elders ( viz. mr. ezek : rogers ) having first privately conferred with such of the elders as sate near him , spake words of acceptance and encouragement both to me , and to the indians , in the name of the rest . but mr. walton did not write them , and therefore i omit the rehearsing of them . this great and solemne work of calling up these poor indians unto that gospel light and beauty of visible church-estate , having now passed through a second tryall : in the former whereof , of , they expressed what experience they had found of gods grace in their hearts , turning them from dead works , to seek after the living god , and salvation in our saviour jesus christ . in this second they have in some measure declared how far the lord hath let in the light of the good knowledge of god into their soules , and what tast they have of the principles of religion , and doctrine of salvation . now the question remaineth , what shall we further doe ? and when shall they enjoy the ordinances of iesus christ in church-estate ? the work is very solemne , and the question needeth a solemn answer . it is a great matter to betrust those with the holy priviledges of gods house , upon which the name of christ is so much called , who have so little knowledge and experience in the waye ; of christ , so newly come out of that great depth of darknesse , and wild course of life ; in such danger of polluting and defiling the name of christ among their barbarous friends and countrey-men ; and under so many doubts and jealousies of many people ; and having not yet stood in the wayes of christ so long , as to give sufficient proof and experience of their stedfastnesse in their new begun profession . being also the first church gathered among them , it is like to be a pattern and president of after proceedings , even unto following generations . hence it is very needfull that this proceeding of ours at first , be with all care and warinesse guided , for the most effectuall advancement of the holinesse and honour of jesus christ among them . upon such like grounds as these , though i and some others know more of the sincerity of some of them , then others doe , and are better satisfied with them : yet because i may be in a temptation on that hand , i am well content to make slow hast in this matter , remembring that word of god , lay hands suddenly upon no man gods works among men , doe usually goe on slowly , and he that goeth slowly , doth usually goe most surely , especially when he goeth by counsell . sat cito si sat bene , the greater proof we have of them , the better approbation they may obtain at last . besides , we having had one publick meeting about them already this summer , it will be difficult to compasse another , for we have many other great occasions , which may hinder the same , and it is an hard matter to get interpreters together to attend such a work , they living so remote . the dayes also will soon grow short , and the nights cold , which will be an hindrance in the attendance unto the accomplishment of that work , which will most fitly be done at natick . but above all other reasons this is greatest , that they l●ving in sundry towns and places remote from each other , and labourers few to take care of them , it is necessary that some of themselves should be trained up , and peculiarly instructed , unto whom the care of ruling and ordering of them in the affaires of gods house may be committed , in the absence of such as look after their instruction . so that this is now the thing we desire to attend , for the comfort of our little sister that hath no breasts , that such may be trained up , and prepared , unto whom the charge of the rest may be committed in the lord . and upon this ground we make the slower hast to accomplish this work among them . mean while i hope the commissioners will afford some encouragement for the furtherance of the instruction of some of the most godly and able among them , who may be in a speciall manner helpfull unto the rest , in due order and season . and thus have i briefly set down our present state in respect of our ecclesiasticall proceedings . i beg the prayers of the good people of the lord , to be particularly present at the throne of grace , in these matters , according as you have hereby a particular information how our condition is . and for me also , who am the most unfit in humane reason for such a work as this , but my soule desireth to depend and live upon the lord jesus , and fetch all help , grace , mercy , assistance , and supply from him . and herein i doe improve his faithfull covenant and promises , and in perticular , the lord doth cause my soule to live upon that word of his , psal. 37. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7. wherein i have food , rayment , and all necessaries for my selfe and children ( whom i have dedicated unto the lord , to serve him in this work of his , if he will please to accept of them ) and this supply i live upon in these rich words of gracious promise , vers. 3. trust in the lord , and doe good , dwell in the land , and verily thou shalt be fed . herein also i find supply of grace to believe the conversion of these poor indians , & that not only in this present season , in what i doe already see , but in the future also , further then by mine eye or reason i can see . which supply of grace , i live upon in those words of his gracious promise , which i apply and improve in this particular respect , vers. 4. delight thy selfe also in the lord , and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart . herein also i find supply of grace to believe , that they shall be in gods season , which is the fittest , brought into church-estate ; faith fetching this particular blessing out of the rich fountaine of those gracious words of promise , commit thy way unto the lord , trust also in him , and he shall bring it to passe . herein also my soule is strengthned and quieted , to stay upon the lord , and to be supported against all suspitious jealousies , hard speeches , and unkindnesses of men touching the sincerity and reallity of this work , and about my carriage of matters , and supply herein . which grace my soule receiveth by a particular improvement of that rich treasury of the promise in these words , vers. 6. and he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light , and thy judgement as the noon day . and herein likewise i find supply of grace , to wait patiently for the lords time , when year after year , and time after time , i meet with disappointments . which grace i receive from the commanding force of that gracious promise , vers. 7. rest in the lord , and wait patiently for him , fret not thy selfe , either for one cause , or for another . thus i live , and thus i labour , here i have supply , and here is my hope , i beg the help of prayers , that i may still so live and labour in the lords work , and that i may so live and dye . the corporation ( appointed by act of parliament ) for propagation of the gospel amongst the heathen natives in new-england , desire all men to take notice , that such as desire to be satisfied how the moneys collected , are disposed of , may ( if they please ) repaire to coopers-hall , london , any saturday , between the houres of nine and twelve in the forenoone , where the said corporation meet . finis . the day-breaking, if not the sun-rising of the gospell with the indians in new-england this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a59662 of text r21203 in the english short title catalog (wing s3110). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 59 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 14 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a59662 wing s3110 estc r21203 12296253 ocm 12296253 59035 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a59662) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 59035) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 193:6) the day-breaking, if not the sun-rising of the gospell with the indians in new-england wilson, john, 1588-1667. shepard, thomas, 1605-1649. eliot, john, 1604-1690. [2], 25 p. printed by rich. cotes for fulk clifton ..., london : 1647. variously attributed to john wilson, john eliot and thomas shepard. cf. halkett & laing (2nd ed.); bm.; wing. for a discussion of the question of authorship, see proceedings of the massachusetts historical society, 1890/91, v. 26 (2nd ser., v. 6) p. 392-395. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng indians of north america -massachusetts. massachuset indians -missions. a59662 r21203 (wing s3110). civilwar no the day-breaking, if not the sun-rising of the gospell with the indians in new-england. [no entry] 1647 11499 19 0 0 0 0 0 17 c the rate of 17 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-05 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2003-05 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-06 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the day-breaking , if not the sun-rising of the gospell with the indians in new-england . zach. 4. 10. who bath despised the day of small things ? matth. 13. 13. the kingdome of hea●en is like to a graine of mustard seed . ibid. verse 33. the kingdome of heaven is like unto leven . london , printed by rich. cotes , for fulk clifton , and are to bee sold at his shop under saint margarets church on new-fish-street hill , 1647. to the reader . hee that pen'd these following relations , is a minister of christ in new england , so eminently godly and faithfull , that what he here reports , as an eye or an eare witnesse , is not to be questioned ; were he willing his name should bee mentioned , it would bee an abundant , if not a redundant , testimoniall to all that know him . nathan . warde . a trve relation of our beginnings with the indians . upon october 28 , 1646. four of us ( having sought god ) went unto the indians inhabiting within our bounds , with desire to make known the things of their peace to them , a little before we came to their * wigwams , five or six of the chief of them met us with english salutations , bidding us much welcome ; who leading us into the principall wigwam of * waaubon , we found many more indians , men , women , children , gathered together from all quarters round about , according to appointment , to meet with us , and learne of us . waaubon the chief minister , of justice among them exhorting and inviting them before thereunto , being one who gives more grounded hopes of serious respect to the things of god , then any that as yet i have knowne of that forlorne generation ; and therefore since wee first began to deale seriously with him , hath voluntarily offered his eldest son to be educated and trained up in the knowledge of god , hoping , as hee told us , that he might come to know him , although hee despaired much concerning himself ; and accordingly his son was accepted , and is now at school in dedham , whom we found at this time standing by his father among the rest of his indian brethren in english clothes . they being all there assembled , we began with prayer , which now was in english , being not so farre acquainted with the indian language as to expresse our hearts herein before god or them , but wee hope it will bee done ere long , the indians desiring it that they also might know how to pray ; but thus wee began in an unknowne tongue to them , partly to let them know that this dutie in hand was serious and sacred , ( for so much some of them understand by what is undertaken at prayer ) partly also in regard of our selves , that wee might agree together in the same request and heart sorrowes for them even in that place where god was never wont to be called upon . when prayer was ended it was a glorious affecting spectacle to see a company of perishing , forlorne outcasts , diligently attending to the blessed word of salvation then delivered ; professing they understood all that which was then taught them in their owne tongue ; it much affected us that they should smell some things of the alablaster box broken up in that darke and gloomy habitation of filthinesse and uncleane spirits . for about an houre and a quarter the sermon continued , wherein one of our companyran thorough all the principall matter of religion , beginning first with a repetition of the ten commandements , and a briefe explication of them , then shewing the curse and dreadfull wrath of god against all those who brake them , or any one of them , or the least title of them , and so applyed it unto the condition of the indians present , with much sweet affection ; and then preached jesus christ to them the onely meanes of recovery from sinne and wrath and eternall death , and what christ was , and whither he was now gone , and how hee will one day come againe to judge the world in flaming fire ; and of the blessed estate of all those that by faith beleeve in christ , and know him feelingly : he spake to them also ( observing his owne method as he saw most fit to edifie them ) about the creation and fall of man , about the greatnesse and infinite being of god , the maker of all things , about the joyes of heaven , and the terrours and horrours of wicked men in hell , perswading them to repentance for severall sins which they live in , and many things of the like nature ; not medling with any matters more difficult , and which to such weake ones might at first seeme ridiculous , untill they had tasted and beleeved more plaine and familiar truths . having thus in a set speech familiarly opened the principal matters of salvation to them , the next thing wee intended was discourse with them by propounding certaine questions to see what they would say to them , that so wee might skrue by variety of meanes something or other of god into them ; but before wee did this we asked them if they understood all that which was already spoken , and whether all of them in the wigwam did understand or onely some few ? and they answered to this question with multitude of voyces , that they all of them did understand all that which was then spoken to them . we then desired to know of them , if they would propound any question to us for more cleare understanding of what was delivered ; whereupon severall of them propounded presently severall questions , ( far different from what some other indians under kit●homakia in the like meeting about six weekes before had done , viz. 1. what was the cause of thunder . 2. of the ebbing and flowing of the sea . 3. of the wind ) but the questions ( which wee thinke some speciall wisedome of god directed these unto ) ( which these propounded ) were in number six . how may wee come to know jesus christ ? our first answer was , that if they were able to read our bible , the book of god , therein they should see most cleerely what jesus christ was : but because they could not do that ; therefore , secondly , we wisht them to thinke , and meditate of so much as had been taught them , and which they now heard out of gods booke , and to thinke much and often upon it , both when they did lie downe on their mats in their wigwams , and when they rose up , and to goe alone in the fields and woods , and muse on it , and so god would teach them ; especially if they used a third helpe , which was , prayer to god to teach them and reveale jesus christ unto them ; and wee told them , that although they could not make any long prayers as the english could , yet if they did but sigh and groane , and say thus ; lord make mee know jesus christ , for i know him not , and if they did say so againe and againe with their hearts that god would teach them jesus christ , because hee is such a god as will bee found of them that seeke him with all their hearts , and hee is a god hearing the prayers of all men both . indian as well as english , and that english men by this meanes have come to the knowledge of jesus christ . the last helpe wee gave them was repentance , they must confesse their sinnes and ignorance unto god , and mourne for it , and acknowledge how just it is , for god to deny them the knowledge of jesus christ or any thing else because of their sinnes . these things were spoken by him who had preached to them in their owne language , borrowing now and then some small helpe from the interpreter whom wee brought with us , and who could oftentimes expresse our minds more distinctly then any of us could ; but this wee perceived , that a few words from the preacher were more regarded then many from the indian interpreter . one of them after this answer , replyed to us , that hee was a little while since praying in his wigwam , unto god and jesus christ , that god would give him a good heart , and that while hee was praying , one of his fellow indians interrupted him , and told him , that hee prayed in vaine , because jesus christ understood not what indians speake in prayer , he had bin used to heare english man pray and so could well enough understand them , but indian language in prayer hee thought hee was not acquainted with it , but was a stranger to it , and therefore could not understand them . his question therefore was , whether jesus christ did understand , or god did understand indian prayers . this question sounding just like themselves , wee studied to give as familiar an answer as wee could , and therefore in this as in all other our answers , we endeavoured to speake nothing without clearing of it up by some familiar similitude ; our answer summarily was therefore this , that jesus christ and god by him made all things , and makes all men , not onely english but indian men , and if hee made them both ( which wee know the light of nature would readily reach as they had been also instructed by us ) then hee knew all that was within man and came from man , all his desires , and all his thoughts , and all his speeches , and so all his prayer ; and if hee made indian men , then hee knowes all indian prayers also : and therefore wee bid them looke upon that indian basket that was before them , there was black and white strawes , and many other things they made it of , now though others did not know what those things were who made not the basket , yet hee that made it must needs tell all the things in it , so ( wee said ) it was here . another propounded this question after this answer , whether english men were ever at any time so ignorant of god and jesus christ as themselves ? when wee perceived the root and reach of this question , wee gave them this answer , that there are two sorts of english men , some are bad and naught , and live wickedly and loosely , ( describing them ) and these kind of english men wee told them were in a manner as ignorant of jesus christ as the indians now are ; but there are a second sort of english men , who though for a time they lived wickedly also like other prophane and ignorant english , yet repenting of their sinnes , and seeking after god and jesus christ , they are good men now , and now know christ , and love christ , and pray to christ , and are thankfull for all they have to christ , and shall at last when they dye , goe up to heaven to christ and we told them them all these also were once as ignorant of god and jesus christ as the indians are , but by seeking to know him by reading his booke , and hearing his word , and praying to him , &c. they now know jesus christ ▪ and just so shall the indians know him if they so seeke him also , although at the present they bee extrmely ignorant of him . how can there be an image of god , because it 's forbidden in the second commandement ▪ wee told them that image was all one picture , as the picture of an indian , bow and arrowes on a tree , with such little eyes and such faire hands , is not an indian but the picture or image of an indian , and that picture man makes , and it can doe no hurt nor good . so the image or picture of god is not god , but wicked men make it , and this image can doe no good nor hurt to any man us god can . whether , if the father bee naught , and the child good , will god bee offended with that child , because in the second commandement it 's said , that hee visits the sinnes of fathers upon the children ? wee told them the plainest answer wee could thinke of , via that if the child bee good , and the father bad , god will not bee offended with the child , if hee repents of his owne and his fathers sinnes , and followes not the steps of his wicked father ; but if the child bee also bad , then god will visit the sins of fathers upon them , and therefore wisht them to consider of the other part of the promise made to thousands of them that love god and the evangenesh iehovah , i. e. the commandments of jehovah . how all the world is become so full of people , if they were all once drowned in the flood ? wee told them the story and causes of noabs preservation in the arke at large , and so their questioning ended ; and therefore wee then saw our time of propounding some few questions to them , and so take occasion thereby to open matters of god more fully . our first question was , whether they did not desire to see god , and were not tempted to thinke that there was no god , because they cannot see him ? some of them replyed thus ; that indeed they did desire to see him if it could bee , but they had heard from us that hee could not be seene , and they did beleive that though their eies could not see him , yet that hee was to bee seene with their soule within : hereupon we sought to confirme them the more , and asked them if they saw a great wigwam , or a great-house , would they thinke that * racoones or foxes built it that had no wisedome ? or would they thinke that it made it selfe ? or that no wise workman made it , because they could not see him that made it ? no but they would beleeve some wise workman made it though they did not see him ; so should they beleeve concerning god , when they looked up to heaven , sunne , moone , and stars , and saw this great house he hath made , though they do not see him with their eyes , yet they have good cause to beleeve with their soules that a wise god , a great god made it . we knowing that a great block in their way to beleiving is that there should bee but one god , ( by the profession of the english ) and yet this god in many places ; therefore we asked them whether it did not seeme strange that there should bee but one god , and yet this god in * massachusets , at concetacut , at quimipeiock , in old england , in this wigwam , in the next every where . their answer was by one most sober among them , that indeed it was strange , as everything else they heard preached was strange also , and they were wonderfull things which they never heard of before ; but yet they thought it might bee true , and that god was so big every where : whereupon we further illustrated what wee said , by wishing them to consider of the light of the sun , which though it be but a creature made by god , yet the same light which is in this wigwam was in the next also , and the same light which was here at massachusets was at quinipeiock also and in old england also , and every where at one and the same time the same , much more was it so concerning god . whether they did not finde somewhat troubling them within after the commission of sin , as murther , adultery , theft , lying , &c. and what they thinke would comfort them against that trouble when they die and appeare before god , ( for some knowledge of the immortality of the soule almost all of them have . ) they told us they were troubled , but they could not tell what to say to it , what should comfort them ; hee therefore who spake to them at first concluded with a dolefull description ( so farre as his ability to speake in that tongue would carry him ) of the trembling and mourning condition of every soul that dies in sinne , and that shall be cast out of favour with god . thus after three houres time thus spent with them , wee asked them if they were not weary , and they answered , no . but wee resolved to leave them with an appetite ; the chiefe of them seeing us conclude with prayer , desired to know when wee would come againe , so wee appointed the time , and having given the children some apples , and the men some tobacco and what else we then had at hand , they desired some more ground to build a town together , which wee did much like of , promising to speake for them to the generall court , that they might possesse all the compasse of that hill , upon which their wigwams then stood , and so wee departed with many welcomes from them . a true relation of our coming to the indians the second time . vpon november 11. 1646. we came the second time unto the same wigwam of waawbon , where we found many more indians met together then the first time wee came to them : and having seates provided for us by themselves , and being sate downe a while , wee began againe with prayer in the english tongue ; our beginning this time was with the younger sort of indian children in catechizing of them , which being the first time of instructing them , we thought meet to aske them but only three questions in their own language , that we might not clog their mindes or memories with too much at first , the questions ( asked and answered in the indian tongue ) were these three , 1. qu who made you and all the world ? answ. god . 2. qu. who doe you looke should save you and redeeme you from sinne and hell ? answ. jesus christ . 3. qu. how many commandements hath god given you to keepe ? answ. ten. these questions being propounded to the children severally , and one by one , and the answers being short and easie , hence it came to passe that before wee went thorow all , those who were last catechized had more readily learned to answer to them , by hearing the same question so oft propounded and answered before by their fellowes ; and the other indians who were growne up to more yeares had perfectly learned them , whom wee therefore desired to teach their children againe when wee were absent , that so when wee came againe wee might see their profiting , the better to encourage them hereunto , wee therefore gave something to every childe . this catechisme being soone ended , hee that preached to them , began thus ( speaking to them in their owne language ) viz , wee are come to bring you good newes from the great god almighty maker of heaven and earth , and to tell you how evill and wicked men may come to bee good , so as while they live they may bee happy , and when they die they may goe to god and live in heaven . having made this preface , hee began first to set forth god unto them by familiar descriptions , in his glorious power , goodnesse , and greatnesse , and then set forth before them what his will was , and what hee required of all men even of the indians themselves , in the ten commandements , and then told them the dreadfull torment and punishment of all such as breake any one of those holy commandements , and how angry god was for any sinne and transgression , yet notwithstanding hee had sent jesus christ to die for their sinnes and to pacifie god by his sufferings in their stead and roome , if they did repent and beleeve the gospell , and that hee would love the poore miserable indians if now they sought god and beleeved in jesus christ : threatning the sore wrath of god upon all such as stood out and neglected such great salvation which now god offered unto them , by those who sought nothing more then their salvation : thus continuing to preach the space of an houre , we desired them to propound some questions ; which were these following . before i name them it may not be amisse to take notice of the mighty power of the word ▪ which visibly appeared especially in one of them , who in hearing these things about sinne and hell , and jesus christ , powred out many teares and shewed much affliction without affectation of being seene , desiring rather to conceale his griefe which ( as was gathered from his carriage ) the lord forced from him . the first question was suddenly propounded by an old man then present , who hearing faith and repentance preacht upon them to finde salvation by jesus christ , hee asked whether it was not too late for such an old man as hee , who was neare death to repent or seeke after god . this question affected us not a little with compassion , and we held forth to him the bible , and told him what god said in it concerning such as are hired at the eleventh houre of the day : wee told him also that if a father had a sonne that had beene disobedient many yeares , yet if at last that sonne fall downe upon his knees and weepe and desire his father to love him , his father is so mercifull that hee will readily forgive him and love him ; so wee said it was much more with god who is a more mercifull father to those whom hee hath made , then any father can bee to his rebellious childe whom he hath begot , if they fall downe and weepe , and pray , repent , and desire forgivenesse for jesus christ's sake ; and wee farther added that looke as if a father did call after his childe to returne and repent promising him favour , the childe might then bee sure that his father would forgive him ; so wee told them that now was the day of god risen upon them , and that now the lord was calling of them to repentance , and that he had sent us for that end to preach repentance for the remission of sins , and that therefore they might bee sure to finde favour though they had lived many yeares in sinne , and that therefore if now they did repent it was not too late as the old man feared , but if they did not come when they were thus called , god would bee greatly angry with them , especially considering that now they must sinne against knowledge , whereas before we came to them they knew not any thing of god at all . having spent much time in clearing up the first question , the next they propounded ( upon our answer ) was this , viz. how come the english to differ so much from the indians in the knowledge of god and jesus christ , seeing they had all at first but one father ? wee confessed that it was true that at first wee had all but one father , but after that our first father fell , hee had divers children some were bad and some good , those that were bad would not take his counsell but departed from him and from god , and those god left alone in sinne and ignorance , but others did regard him and the counsell of god by him , and those knew god , and so the difference arose at first , that some together with their posterity knew god , and others did not ; and so wee told them it was at this day , for like as if an old man an aged father amongst them have many children , if some of them bee rebellious against the counsell of the father , he shuts them out of doores , and lets them goe , and regards them not , unlesse they returne and repent , but others that will bee ruled by him , they learne by him and come to know his minde ; so wee said english men seek god , dwell in his house , heare his word , pray to god , instruct their children out of gods booke , hence they come to know god ; but indians forefathers were a stubborne and rebellious children , and would not heare the word , did not care to pray nor to teach their children , and hence indians that now are , do not know god at all : and so must continue unlesse they repent , and returne to god and pray , and teach their children what they now may learne : but withall wee told them that many english men did not know god but were like to kitchamakins drunken indians ; nor were wee willing to tell them the story of the scattering of noabs children since the flood , and thereby to shew them how the indians come to bee so ignorant , because it was too difficult , and the history of the bible is reserved for them ( if god will ) to be opened at a more convenient season in their owne tongue . their third question was , how may wee come to serve god ? wee asked him that did propound it whether he did desire indeed to serve him ? and hee said , yes . hereupon wee said , first , they must lament their blindnesse and sinfulnesse that they cannot serve him ; and their ignorance of gods booke ( which wee pointed to ) which directs how to serve him . secondly , that they could not serve god but by seeking forgivenesse of their sinnes and power against their sinnes in the bloud of jesus christ who was preached to them . thirdly , that looke as an indian childe , if he would serve his father , hee must first know his fathers will and love his father too , or else he can never serve him , but if hee did know his fathers will and love him , then he would serve him , and then if hee should not doe some things as his father commands him , and yet afterwards grieve for it upon his knees before his father , his father would pity and accept him : so wee told them it was with god , they must labour to know his will and love god , and then they will bee willing to serve him , and if they should then sin , yet grieving for it before god he would pity and accept of them . their fourth question was , how it comes to passe that the sea water was salt , and the land water fresh . 't is so from the wonderfull worke of god , as why are strawberries sweet and cranberries sowre , there is no reason but the wonderfull worke of god that made them so : our study was chiefly to make them acknowledge god in his workes , yet wee gave them also the reason of it from naturall causes which the lesse understood , yet did understand somewhat appearing by their usuall signes of approving what they understand . their fifth question was , that if the water was higher then the earth , how comes it to passe that it doth not overflow all the earth ? wee still held god before them , and shewed that this must needes bee the wonderfull worke of god , and we tooke an apple and thereby shewed them how the earth and water made one round globe like that apple ; and how the sun moved about it ; and then shewed them how god made a great hole or ditch , into which hee put the waters of the sea , so that though it was upon the earth and therefore above the earth , yet we told them that by making so deepe a hole the waters were kept within compasse that they could not overflow , just as if indians making a hole to put in much water , the water cannot overflow nor runne abroad , which they would if they had no such hole ; so it was with god , it was his mighty power that digged a hole for all sea-waters , as a deepe ditch , and thereby god kept them in from overflowing the whole earth , which otherwise would quickly drowne all . they having spent much conference amongst themselves about these questions and the night hastening , we desired them to propound some other questions , or if not , we would aske them some , hereupon one of them asked us ; if a man hath committed adultery or stolen any goods , and the sachim doth not punish him , nor by any law is hee punished , if also he restore the goods he hath stolen , what then ? whether is not all well now ? meaning that if gods law was broken and no man punished him for it , that then no punishment should come from god for it , and as if by restoring againe an amends was made to god . although man be not offended for such sinnes yet god is angry , and his anger burnes like fire against all sinners : and here wee set out the holinesse and terrour of god in respect of the least sinne ; yet if such a sinner with whom god is angry fly to jesus christ , and repent and seeke for mercy and pardon for christ's sake , that then god will forgive and pity . upon the hearing of which answer hee that propounded the question drew somewhat backe and hung downe his head as a man smitten to the very heart , with his eyes ready to drop , and within a little while after brake out into a complaint , mee little know jesus christ , otherwise he thought he should seeke him better : we therefore told him , that looke as it was in the morning at first there is but a little light , then there is more light , then there is day , then the sun is up , then the sun warmes and heates , &c. so it was true they knew but little of jesus christ now , but wee had more to tell them concerning him hereafter , and after that more and after that more , untill at last they may come to know christ as the english doe ; and wee taught them but a little at a time , because they could understand but little , and if they prayed to god to teach them , he would send his spirit and teach them more , they and their fathers had lived in ignorance untill now , it hath beene a long night wherein they have slept and have not regarded god , but now the day-light began to stirre upon them , they might hope therefore for more ere long , to bee made knowne to them . thus having spent some houres with them , wee propounded two questions . what do you remember of what was taught you since the last time wee were here ? after they had spoken one to another for some time , one of them returned this answer , that they did much thanke god for our comming , and for what they heard , they were wonderfull things unto them . doe you beleeve the things that are told you , viz , that god is musquantum , i. e. very angry for the least sinne in your thoughts , or words , or workes ? they said yes , and hereupon wee set forth the terrour of god against sinners , and mercy of god to the penitent , and to such as sought to know jesus christ , and that as sinners should bee after death , chechainuppan , i. e. tormented alive , ( for wee know no other word in the tongue to expresse extreame torture by ) so beleevers should after death wowein wicke jehovah , i. e. live in all blisse with iehovah the blessed god : and so we concluded conference . having thus spent the whole afternoone , and night being almost come upon us ; considering that the indians formerly desired to know how to pray , and did thinke that jesus christ did not understand indian language , one of us therefore prepared to pray in their owne language , and did so for above a quarter of an houre together , wherein divers of them held up eies and hands to heaven ; all of them ( as wee understood afterwards ) understanding the same ; but one of them i cast my eye upon , was hanging downe his head with his rag before his eyes weeping ; at first i feared it was some sorenesse of his eyes , but lifting up his head againe , having wiped his eyes ( as not desirous to be seene ) i easily perceived his eyes were not sore , yet somewhat red with crying ; and so held up his head for a while , yet such was the presence and mighty power of the lord jesus on his heart that hee hung downe his head againe , and covered his eyes againe and so fell wiping and wiping of them weeping abundantly , continuing thus till prayer was ended , after which hee presently turnes from us , and turnes his face to a side and corner of the wigwam , and there fals a weeping more aboundantly by himselfe , which one of us perceiving , went to him , and spake to him encouraging words ; at the hearing of which hee fell a weeping more and more ; so leaving of him , he who spake to him came unto mee ( being newly gone out of the wigwam ) and told mee of his teares , so we resolved to goe againe both of us to him , and speake to him againe , and wee met him comming out of the wigwam , and there wee spake againe to him , and he there fell into a more aboundant renewed weeping , like one deeply and inwardly affected indeed , which forced us also to such bowels of compassion that wee could not forbeare weeping over him also : and so wee parted greatly rejoycing for such sorrowing . thus i have as faithfully as i could remember given you a true account of our beginnings with the indians within our owne bounds ; which cannot but bee matter of more serious thoughts what further to doe with these poore natives the dregs of mankinde and the saddest spectacles of misery of meere men upon earth : wee did thinke to forbeare going to them this winter , but this last dayes worke wherein god set his seale from heaven of acceptance of our little , makes those of us who are able , to resolve to adventure thorow frost and snow , lest the fire goe out of their hearts for want of a little more fewell : to which wee are the more incouraged , in that the next day after our being with them , one of the indians came to his house who preacht to them to speake with him , who in private conference wept exceedingly , and said that all that night the indians could not sleepe , partly with trouble of minde , and partly with wondring at the things they heard preacht amongst them ; another indian comming also to him the next day after , told him how many of the wicked sort of indians began to oppose these beginnings . whence these indians came here to inhabit is not certaine , his reasons are most probable who thinke they are tartars passing out of asia into america by the straits of anian , who being spilt by some revenging hand of god upon this continent like water upon the ground are spread as farre as these atlanticke shores , there being but few of them in these parts in comparison of those which are more contiguous to the anian straits , if wee may credit some historians herein : what ever these conjectures and uncertainties bee , certaine it is that they are inheritors of a grievous and fearefull curse living so long without ephod or teraphim , and in nearest alliance to the wilde beasts that perish ; and as god delights to convey blessings of mercy to the posterity of some , in respect of his promise to their fathers , so are curses entailed and come by naturall descent unto others , for some great sinnes of their ancestors , as no doubt it is in respect of these . yet notwithstanding the deepest degeneracies are no stop to the overflowing grace and bloud of christ , when the time of love shall come , no not to these poore outcasts , the utmost ends of the earth being appointed to bee in time , the sonne of gods possession . wee are oft upbraided by some of our countrymen that so little good is done by our professing planters upon the hearts of natives ; such men have surely more spleene then judgement , and know not the vast distance of natives from common civility , almost humanity it selfe , and 't is as if they should reproach us for not making the windes to blow when wee list our selves , it must certainely be a spirit of life from god ( not in mans power ) which must put flesh and sinewes unto these dry bones ; if wee would force them to baptisme ( as the spaniards do about cusco , peru , and mexico , having learnt them a short answer or two to some popish questions ) or if wee would hire them to it by giving them coates and shirts , to allure them to it ( as some others have done , wee could have gathered many hundreds , yea thousands it may bee by this time , into the name of churches ; but wee have not learnt as yet that art of coyning christians , or putting christs name and image upon copper mettle . although i thinke we have much cause to bee humbled that wee have not endeavoured more then wee have done their conversion and peace with god , who enjoy the mercy and peace of god in their land . three things have made us thinke ( as they once did of building the temple ) it is not yet time for god to worke , 1. because till the jewes come in , there is a seale set upon the hearts of those people , as they thinke from some apocalypticall places . 2. that as in nature there is no progresses ab● 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 nisi per media , so in religion such as are so extreamly degenerate , must bee brought to some civility before religion can prosper , or the word take place . 3. because wee want miraculous and extraordinary gifts without which no conversion can bee expected amongst these ; but me thinkes now that it is with the indians as it was with our new english ground when we first came over , there was scarce any man that could beleeve that english graine would grow , or that the plow could doe any good in this woody and rocky soile . and thus they continued in this supine unbeliefe for some yeares , till experience taught them otherwise , and now all see it to bee scarce inferiour to old english tillage , but beares very good burdens ; so wee have thought of our indian people , and therefore have beene discouraged to put plow to such dry and rocky ground , but god having begun thus with some few it may bee they are better soile for the gospel then wee can thinke : i confesse i thinke no great good will bee done till they bee more civilized , but why may not god begin with some few , to awaken others by degrees ? nor doe i expect any great good will bee wrought by the english ( leaving secrets to god ) ( although the english shall surely begin and lay the first stones of christs kingdome and temple amongst them ) because god is wont ordinarily to convert nations and peoples by some of their owne country men who are nearest to them , and can best speake ▪ and most of all pity their brethren and countrimen , but yet if the least beginnings be made by the conversion of two or three , its worth all our time and travailes , and cause of much thankfulnesse for such seedes , although no great harvests should immediately appeare , surely this is evident , first that they never heard heart-breaking prayer and preaching before now in their owne tongue , that we know of , secondly , that there were never such hopes of a dawning of mercy toward them as now , certainely those aboundant teares which wee saw shed from their eies , argue a mighty and blessed presence of the spirit of heaven in their hearts , which when once it comes into such kinde of spirits will not easily out againe . the chiefe use that i can make of these hopefull beginnings , besides rejoycing for such shinings , is from esay 2. 5. oh house of israel , let us walke in the light of the lord ; considering that these blinde natives beginne to looke towards gods mountaine now . the observations i have gathered by conversing with them are such as these . that none of them slept sermon or derided gods messenger : woe unto those english that are growne bold to doe that , which indians will not , heathens dare not . that there is need of learning in ministers who preach to indians , much more to english men and gracious christians , for these had sundry philosophicall questions , which some knowledge of the arts must helpe to give answer to ; and without which these would not have beene satisfied : worse then indian ignorance hath blinded their eies that renounce learning as an enemy to gospell ministeries . that there is no necessity of extraordinary gifts nor miraculous signes alway to convert heathens , who being manifest and professed unbeleevers may expect them as soone as any ; ( signes being given for them that beleeve not 1 cor. 14. 22. ) much lesse is there any need of such gifts for gathering churches amongst professing christians , ( signes not being given for them which beleeve , ) for wee see the spirit of god working mightily upon the hearts of these natives in an ordinary way , and i hope will , they being but a remnant , the lord using to shew mercy to the remnant ; for there be but few that are left alive from the plague and pox , which god sent into those parts , and if one or two can understand they usually talke of it as wee doe of newes , it flies suddainely farre and neare , and truth scattered will rise in time , for ought we know . if english men begin to despise the preaching of faith and repentance , and humiliation for sinne , yet the poore heathens will bee glad of it , and it shall doe good to them ; for so they are , and so it begins to doe ; the lord grant that the foundation of our english woe , be not laid in the ruine and contempt of those fundamentall doctrines of faith , repentance , humiliation for sin , &c. but rather relishing the novelties and dreames of such men as are surfe●●ed with the ordinary food of the gospell of christ . indians shall weepe to heare faith and repentance preached , when english-men shall mourne , too late , that are weary of such truths . that the deepest estrangements of man from god is no hin●●●nce to his grace nor to the spirit of grace , for what nation or people ever so deeply degenerated since adams fall as these indians , and yet the spirit of god is working upon them ? that it is very likely if ever the lord convert any of these natives , that they will mourne for sin exceedingly , and consequently love christ dearely , for if by a little measure of light such heartbreaking● have appeared , what may wee thinke will bee , when more is let in ? they are some of them very wicked , some very ingenious , these latter are very apt and quick of understanding and naturally sad and melancholly ( a good servant to repentance , ) and therefore there is the greater hope of great heart-breakings , if evergod brings them effectually home , for which we should affectionately pray . a third meeting with the indians . november 26. i could not goe my selfe , but heard from those who went of a third meeting ; the indians having built more wigwams in the wonted place of meeting to attend upon the word the more readily . the preacher understanding how many of the indians discouraged their fellowes in this worke , and threatning death to some if they heard any more , spake therefore unto them , about temptations of the devill , how hee tempted to all manner of sinne , and how the evill heart closed with them , and how a good heart abhorred them ; the indians were this day more serious then ever before , and propounded divers questions againe ; as 〈◊〉 because some indians say that we must pray to the devill for all good , and some to god ; they would know whether they might pray to the devill or no . 2. they said they heard the word humiliation oft used in our churches , and they would know what that meant ? 3. why the english call them indians , because before they came they had another name ? 4. what a spirit is ? 5. whether they should beleeve dreames ▪ 6. how the english come to know god so much and they so little ? to all which they had fit answers ; but being not present i shall not set them downe : onely their great desire this time was to have a place for a towne and to learne to spinne . sir , i did thinke i should have writ no more to you concerning the indians ; but the ship lingers in the harbour , and the lord jesus will have you see more of his conquests and triumphes among these forlorne and degenerate people ; surely hee heares the prayers of the destitute and that have long lien downe in the dust before god for these poore prisoners of the pit : surely some of these american tongues and knees must confesse him , and bow downe before him : for the saturday night after this third meeting ( as i am informed from that man of god who then preached to them ) there came to his house one wampas a wise and sage indian , as a messenger sent to him from the rest of the company , to offer unto him his owne sonne and three more indian children to bee trained up among the english , one of the children was nine yeares old , another eight , another five , another foure : and being demanded why they would have them brought up among the english , his answer was , because they would grow rude and wicked at home , and would never come to know god , which they hoped they should doe if they were constantly among the english . this wampas came also accompanied with two more indians , young lusty men , who offered themselves voluntarily to the service of the english that by dwelling in some of their families , they might come to know jesus christ ; these are two of those three men whom wee saw weeping , and whose hearts were smitten at our second meeting above mentioned , and continue still much affected , and give great hopes ; these two are accepted of and received into two of the elders houses , but the children are not yet placed out because it is most meet to doe nothing that way too suddainly , but they have a promise of acceptance and education of them either in learning , or in some other trade of life in time convenient , to which wampas replyed that the indians desired nothing more . these two young men who are thus disposed of , being at an elders house upon the sabbath day night , upon some conference with them , one of them began to confesse how wickedly he had lived , and with how many indian women hee had committed filthinesse , and therefore professed that hee thought god would never looke upon him in love . to which hee had this answer , that indeed that sinne of whoredome was exceeding great , yet if hee sought god for christs sake to pardon him , and confesse his sinne and repented of it indeed , that the lord would shew him mercy ; and hereupon acquainted him with the story of christs conference with the samaritan woman , iohn 4. and how jesus christ forgave her although shee lived in that sinne of filthinesse , even when christ began to speake to her : whereupon he fell a weeping and lamenting bitterly , and the other young man being present and confessing the like guiltinesse with his fellow , hee burst out also into a great mourning , wherein both continued for above halfe an houre together at that time also . it is wonderfull to see what a little leven and that small mustardseed of the gospell will doe , and how truth will worke when the spirit of christ hath the setting of it on , even upon hearts and spirits most uncapable ; for the last night after they had heard the word this third time , there was an english youth of good capacitie who lodged in waaubons wigwam that night upon speciall occasion , and hee assured us that the same night waaubon instructed all his company out of the things which they had heard that day from the preacher , and prayed among them , and awaking often that night continually fell to praying and speaking to some or other of the things hee had heard , so that this man ( being a man of gravitie and chiefe prudence and counsell among them , although no * sachem ) is like to bee a meanes of great good to the rest of his company unlesse cowardise or witchery put an end ( as usually they have done ) to such hopefull beginnings . the old man who askt the first question the second time of our meeting ( viz. whether there was any hope for such old men or no ) hath six sonnes , one of his sonnes was a pawwaw , and his wife a great pawwaw , and both these god hath convinced of their wickednesse , and they resolve to heare the word and seeke to the devill no more . this , the two indians who are come to us acquaint us with , and that they now say , that chepian , i. e. the devill is naught , and that god is the author onely of all good as they have been taught . hee therefore who preacheth to the indians desired them to tell him who were pawwaws when hee went againe to preach amongst them ; and upon speciall occasion this decemb. 4. being called of god to another place where the indians use to meet , and having preacht among them , after the sermon , hee that was the pawwaw of that company was discovered to him , to whom hee addressed himselfe and propounded these questions , viz. 1. whether doe you thinke that god or or chepian is the author of all good ? he answered , god . 2. if god bee the author of all good , why doe you pray to chepian the devill ? the pawwaw perceiving him to propound the last question with a sterne countenance and unaccustomed terrour , hee gave him no answer , but spake to other indians that hee did never hurt any body by his pawwawing , and could not bee got by all the meanes and turnings of questions that might bee , to give the least word of answer againe ; but a little after the conference was ended , hee met with this pawwaw alone and spake more lovingly and curteously to him , and askt him why hee would not answer , he then told him that his last question struck a terrour into him and made him afraid , and promised that at the next meeting hee would propound some question to him as others did . and here it may not bee amisse to take notice of what these two indians have discovered to us concerning these pawwaws : for they were askt how they came to bee made pawwaws , and they answered thus , that if any of the indians fall into any strange dreame wherein chepian appeares unto them as a serpent , then the next day they tell the other indians of it , and for two dayes after the rest of the indians dance and rejoyce for what they tell them about this serpent , and so they become their pawwaws : being further askt what doe these pawwaws , and what use are they of ; and they said the principall imployment is to cure the sick by certaine odde gestures and beatings of themselves , and then they pull out the sicknesse by applying their hands to the sick person and so blow it away : so that their pawwaws are great witches having fellowship with the old serpent , to whom they pray , and by whose meanes they heale sicke persons , and ( as they said also ) will slew many strange juglings to the wonderment of the indians . they affirmed also that if they did not cure the sick party ( as they often they did not ) that then they were reviled , and sometime killed by some of the dead mans friends , especially if they could not get their mony againe out of their hands , which they receive aforehand for their cure . wee have cause to be very thankfull to god who hath moved the hearts of the generall court to purchase so much land for them to make their towne in which the indians are much taken with , * and it is somewhat observable that while the court were considering where to lay out their towne , the indians ( not knowing of any thing ) were about that time consulting about lawes for themselves , and their company who sit downe with waaubon ; there were ten of them , two of them are forgotten . their lawes were these . 1. that if any man be idle a weeke , at most a fortnight , hee shall pay five shillings . 2. if any unmarried man shall lie with a young woman unmarried , hee shall pay twenty shillings . 3. if any man shall beat his wife , his hands shall bee tied behind him and carried to the place of justice to bee severely punished . 4. every young man if not anothers servant , and if unmarried , hee shall be compelled to set up a wigwam and plant for himselfe , and not live shifting up and downe to other wigwams . 5. if any woman shall not have her haire tied up but hang loose or be cut as mens haire , she shall pay five shillings . 6. if any woman shall goe with naked breasts they shall pay two shillings fix pence . 7. all those men that weare long locks shall pay five shillings . 8. if any shall kill their lice betweene their teeth , they shall pay five shillings . this law though ridiculous to english eares yet tends to preserve cleanlinesse among indians . 't is wonderfull in our eyes to understand by these two honest indians , what prayers waaubon and the rest of them use to make , for hee that preacheth to them professeth hee never yet used any of their words in his prayers , from whom otherwise it might bee thought that they had learnt them by rote , one is this . amanaomen iehovah 〈◊〉 metagh . take away lord my stony heart . another . chechesom iehovah kekowhogkow , wash lord my soule . another . lord lead mee when i die to heaven . these are but a taste , they have many more , and these more enlarged then thus expressed , yet what are these but the sprinklings of the spirit and blood of christ jesus in their hearts ? and 't is no small matter that such dry barren and long-accursed ground should yeeld such kind of increase in so small a time . i would not readily commend a faire day before night , nor promise much of such kind of beginnings , in all persons , nor yet in all of these , for wee know the profession of very many is but a meere paint , and their best graces nothing but meere flashes and pangs , which are suddenly kindled and as so one go out and are extinct againe , yet god doth not usually send his plough & seedsman to a place but there is at least some little peece of good ground , although three to one bee naught : and mee thinkes the lord jesus would never have made so fit a key for their locks , unlesse hee had intended to open some of their doores , and so to make way for his comming in . hee that god hath raised up and enabled to preach unto them , is a man ( you know ) of a most sweet , humble , loving , gratious and enlarged spirit , whom god hath blest , and surely will still delight in , & do good by . i did think never to have opened my mouth to any , to desire those in england to further any good worke here , but now i see so many things inviting to speak in this businesse , that it were well if you did lay before those that are prudent and able these considerations . 1. that it is prettie heavy and chargeable to educate and traine up those children which are already offered us , in schooling , cloathing , diet and attendance , which they must have . 2. that in all probabilitie many indians in other places , especially under our jurisdiction , will bee provoked by this example in these , both to desire preaching , and also to send their children to us , when they see that some of their fellowes fare so well among the english , and the civill authoritie here so much favouring and countenancing of these , and if many more come in , it will bee more heavy to such as onely are fit to keepe them , and yet have their hands and knees infeebled so many wayes besides . 3. that if any shall doe any thing to incourage this worke , that it may bee given to the colledge for such an end and use , that so from the colledge may arise the yeerly revenue for their yeerly maintenance . i would not have it placed in any particular mans hand for feare of cousenage or misplacing or carelesse keeping and improving ; but at the colledge it 's under many hands and eyes the chief and best of the country who have been & will be exactly carefull of the right and comely disposing of such things ; and therefore , if any thing bee given , let it bee put in such hands as may immediatly direct it to the president of the colledge , who you know will soone acquaint the rest with it ; and for this end if any in england have thus given any thing for this end , i would have them speake to those who have received it to send it this way , which if it bee withheld i thinke 't is no lesse then sacriledge : but if god moves no hearts to such a work , i doubt not then but that more weake meanes shall have the honour of it in the day of christ . a fourth meeting with the indians . this day being decemb. 9. the children being catechised , and that place of ezekiel touching the dry bones being opened , and applyed to their condition ; the indians offered all their children to us to bee educated amongst us , and instructed by us , complaining to us that they were not able to give any thing to the english for their education : for this reason there are therefore preparations made towards the schooling of them , and setting up a schoole among them or very neare unto them . sundry questions also were propounded by them to us , and of us to them ; one of them being asks what is sinne ? hee answered a naughty heart . another old man complained to us of his feares , viz. that hee was fully purposed to keepe the sabbath , but still hee was in feare whether he should goe to hell or heaven ; and thereupon the justification of a sinner by faith in christ was opened unto him as the remedy against all feares of hell . another complayned of other indians that did revile them , and call them rogues and such like speeches for cutting off their locks , and for cutting their haire in a modest manner as the new-english generally doe ; for since the word hath begun to worke upon their hearts , they have discerned the vanitie and pride which they placed in their haire , and have therefore of their owne accord ( none speaking to them that we know of ) cut it modestly ; they were therefore encouraged by some there present of chiefe place and account with us , not to feare the reproaches of wicked indians , nor their witch-craft and pawwaws and poysonings , but let them know that if they did not dissemble but would seeke god unfaignedly , that they would stand by them , and that god also would be with them . they told us also of divers indians who would come and stay with them three or foure dayes , and one sabbath , and then they would goe from them , but as for themselves , they told us they were fully purposed to keepe the sabbath , to which wee incouraged them , and night drawing on were forced to leave them , for this time . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a59662e-310 * indian h●●ses or tents made of ba●● or matts . * the name 〈◊〉 an indian . the name of one of the chiefe indians about us . 1 quest . answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 2 quest . answ. 3 quest . answ. 4 quest . answ. 5 quest . answ. 6 quest . answ. quest . 1. answ. * a beast somewhat like a fox . quest . 2. * three indian names of places where the english sit downe . that hee was present every where . 3. quest . answ. 1 quest . answ. 2. quest . answ. 3. quest . answ. 4 quest answ. a be●ry which is r●pe in the winter and very sowre , they are called here bea●berries . 5 quest . answ. 6 quest . answ. 1 quest . answ. 2 quest . answ. 1. 2. ● . 4. 5. 6. the name o● an indian . that is king . that is sorcerers and wit●hes . * this towne the indians did desire to know what name it should have , and it was told them it should bee called noonatomen , which signifies in english rejoycing , because they hearing the word , and seeking to know god , the english did rejoyce at it , and god did rejoyce at it , which pleased them much ; & therefore that is to be the name of their towne . a letter from william penn, poprietary and governour of pennsylvania in america, to the committee of the free society of traders of that province residing in london containing a general description of the said province, its soil, air, water, seasons, and produce ... of the natives, or, aborigines, their language, customs, and manners ... of the first planters, the dutch &c. ... to which is added an account of the city of philadelphia ... penn, william, 1644-1718. 1683 approx. 94 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 10 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2006-06 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a54171 wing p1319 estc r24455 08189440 ocm 08189440 41054 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a54171) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 41054) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1236:16) a letter from william penn, poprietary and governour of pennsylvania in america, to the committee of the free society of traders of that province residing in london containing a general description of the said province, its soil, air, water, seasons, and produce ... of the natives, or, aborigines, their language, customs, and manners ... of the first planters, the dutch &c. ... to which is added an account of the city of philadelphia ... penn, william, 1644-1718. 14 p. : folded plan. printed and sold by andrew sowle, london : 1683. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng indians of north america -pennsylvania. pennsylvania -description and travel. philadelphia (pa.) -description and travel. 2005-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-11 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-02 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2006-02 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a portraiture of the city of philadelphia in the province of pennsylvania in america by thomas holme surveyor general . sold by iohn thornton in the minories and andrew sowle in shoreditch . london . map of philadelphia a letter from william penn poprietary and governour of pennsylvania in america , to the committee of the free society of traders of that province , residing in london . containing a general description of the said province , its soil , air , water , seasons and produce , both natural and artificial , and the good encrease thereof . of the natives or aborigines , their language , customs and manners , diet , houses or wigwams , liberality , easie way of living , physick , burial , religion , sacrifices and cantico , festivals , government , and their order in council upon treaties for land , &c. their justice upon evil doers . of the first planters , the dutch , &c. and the present condition and settlement of the said province , and courts of justice , &c. to which is added , an account of the city of philadelphia newly laid out . it s scituation between two navigable rivers , delaware and skulkill , with a portraiture or plat-form thereof , wherein the purchasers lots are distinguished by certain numbers inserted , directing to a catalogue of the said purchasors names and the prosperous and advantagious settlements of the society aforesaid , within the said city and country , &c. printed and sold by andrew sowle , at the crooked-billet in holloway-lane in shoreditch , and at several stationers in london , 1683. a letter from william penn , proprietary and governour of pennsylvania , &c. my kind friends ; the kindness of yours by the ship thomas and anne , doth much oblige me ; for by it i perceive the interest you take in my health and reputation , and the prosperous beginnings of this province , which you are so kind as to think may much depend upon them . in return of which , i have sent you a long letter , and yet containing as brief an account of my self , and the affairs of this province , as i have been able to make . in the first place , i take notice of the news you sent me , whereby i find some persons have had so little wit , and so much malice , as to report my death , and to mend the matter , dead a jesuit too . one might have reasonably hop'd , that this distance , like death , would have been a protection against spite and envy ; and indeed , absence being a kind of death , ought alike to secure the name of the absent as the dead ; because they are equally unable as such to defend themselves : but they that intend mischief , do not use to follow good rules to effect it . however , to the great sorrow and shame of the inventors , i am still alive , and no jesuit , and i thank god , very well : and without injustice to the authors of this , i may venture to infer , that they that wilfully and falsly report , would have been glad it had been so. but i perceive , many frivolous and idle stories have been invented since my departure from england , which perhaps at this time are no more alive , than i am dead . but if i have been vnkindly used by some i left behind me , i found love and respect enough where i came ; an universal kind welcome , every sort in their way . for here are some of several nations , as well as divers judgments : nor were the natives wanting in this , for their kings , queens and great men both visited and presented me ; to whom i made suitable returns , &c. for the province , the general condition of it take as followeth . i. the country it self in its soyl , air , water , seasons and produce both natural and artificial is not to be despised . the land containeth divers sorts of earth , as sand yellow and black , poor and rich : also gravel both loomy and dusty ; and in some places a fast fat earth , like to our best vales in england , especially by inland brooks and rivers , god in his wisdom having ordered it so , that the advantages of the country are divided , the back-lands being generally three to one richer than those that lie by navigable waters . we have much of another soyl , and that is a black hasel mould , upon a stony or rocky bottom . ii. the air is sweet and clear , the heavens serene , like the south-parts of france , rarely overcast ; and as the woods come by numbers of people to be more clear'd , that it self will refine . iii. the waters are generally good , for the rivers and brooks have mostly gravel and stony bottoms , and in number hardly credible . we have also mineral waters , that operate in the same manner with barnet and north-hall , not two miles from philadelphia . iv. for the seasons of the year , having by god's goodness now lived over the coldest and hottest , that the oldest liver in the province can remember , i can say something to an english understanding . 1 st , of the fall , for then i came in : i found it from the 24th of october , to the beginning of december , as we have it usually in england in september , or rather like an english mild spring . from december to the beginning of the moneth called march , we had sharp frosty weather ; not foul , thick , black weather , as our north-east winds bring with them in england ; but a skie as clear as in summer , and the air dry , cold , piercing and hungry ; yet i remember not , that i wore more clothes than in england . the reason of this cold is given from the great lakes that are fed by the fountains of canada . the winter before was as mild , scarce any ice at all ; while this for a few dayes froze up our great river delaware . from that moneth to the moneth called june , we enjoy'd a sweet spring , no gusts , but gentle showers , and a fine skie . yet this i observe , that the winds here as there , are more inconstant spring and fall , upon that turn of nature , than in summer or winter . from thence to this present , moneth , which endeth the summer ( commonly speaking ) we have had extraordinary heats yet mitigated sometimes by cool breezese . the wind that ruleth the summer-season , is the south-west ; but spring , fall and winter , 't is rare to want the wholesome north wester seven dayes together : and what-ever mists , fogs or vapours foul the heavens by easterly or southerly winds , in two hours time are blown away ; the one is alwayes followed by the other : a remedy that seems to have a peculiar providence in it to the inhabitants ; the multitude of trees , yet standing , being-liable to retain mists and vapours , and yet not one quarter so thick as i expected . v. the natural produce of the country , of vegetables , is trees , fruits , plants , flowers . the trees of most note are , the black walnut , cedar , cyprus , chestnut , poplar , gumwood , hickery , sassafrax , ash , beech and oak of divers sorts , as red , white and black ; spanish chestnut and swamp , the most durable of all : of all which there is plenty for the use of man ▪ the fruits that i find in the woods , are the white and black mulbery , chestnut , w●●lnut , plumbs , strawberries , cranberries , hurtleberries and grapes of divers sorts . the great red grape ( now ripe ) called by ignorance , the fox-grape ( because of the relish it hath with unskilful palates ) is in it self an extraordinary grape , and by art doubtless may be cultivated to an excellent wine , if not so sweet , yet little inferior to the frontimack , as it is not much unlike in taste , ruddiness set aside , which in such things , as well as mankind , differs the case much . there is a white kind of muskedel , and a little black grape , like the cluster-grape of england , not yet so ripe as the other ; but they tell me , when ripe , sweeter , and that they only want skilful vinerons to make good use of them : i intend to venture on it with my french man this season , who shews some knowledge in those things . here are also peaches , and very good , and in great quantities , not an indian plantation without them ; but whether naturally here at first , i know not , however one may have them by bushols for little ; they make a pleasant drink and i think not inferior to any peach you have in england , except the true newington . 't is disputable with me , whether it be best to fall to fining the fruits of the country , especially the grape , by the care and skill of art , or send for forreign stems and sets , already good and approved it seems most reasonable to believe , that not only a thing groweth best , where it naturally grows ; but will hardly be equalled by another species of the same kind , that doth not naturally grow there . but to solve the doubt , i intend , if god give me life , to try both , and hope the consequence will be as good wine as any european countries of the same latitude do yield . vi. the artificial produce of the country , is wheat , barley , oats , rye , pease , beans , squashes , pumkins , water-melons , mus-melons , and all herbs and roots that our gardens in england usually bring forth . vii . of living creatures ; fish , fowl , and the beasts of the woods , here are divers sorts , some for food and profit , and some for profit only : for food as well as profit , the elk , as big as a small ox , deer bigger than ours , beaver , racoon , rabbits , squirrels , and some eat young bear , and commend it . of fowl of the land , there is the turkey ( forty and fifty pound weight ) which is very great ; phesants , heath-birds , pidgeons and partridges in abundance . of the water , the swan , goose , white and gray , brands , ducks , teal , also the snipe and curloe , and that in great numbers ; but the duck and teal excel , nor so good have i ever eat in other countries . of fish , there is the sturgeon , herring , rock , shad , catshead , sheepshead , ele , smelt , pearch , roach ; and in inland rivers , trout , some say salmon , above the falls . of shel-fish , we have oysters , crabbs , cockles , concks and mushels ; some oysters six inches long , and one sort of cockles as big as the stewing oysters , they make a rich broth. the creatures for profit only by skin or fur , and that are natural to these parts , are the wild cat , panther , otter , wolf , fox , fisher , minx , musk-rat ; and of the water , the whale for oyl , of which we have good store , and two companies of whalers , whose boats are built , will soon begin their work , which hath the appearance of a considerable improvement . to say nothing of our reasonable hopes of good cod in the bay. viii . we have no want of horses , and some are very good and shapely enough ; two ships have been freighted to barbadoes with horses and pipe-staves , since my coming in . here is also plenty of cow-cattle , and some sheep ; the people plow mostly with oxen. ix . there are divers plants that not only the indians tell us , but we have had occasion to prove by swellings , burnings , cuts , &c. that they are of great virtue , suddenly curing the patient : and for smell , i have observed several , especially one , the wild mirtle ; the other i know not what to call , but are most fragrant . x. the woods are adorned with lovely flowers , for colour , greatness , figure and variety : i have seen the gardens of london best stored with that sort of beauty , but think they may be improved by our woods : i have sent a few to a person of quality this year for a tryal . thus much of the country , next of the natives or aborigines . xi . the natives i shall consider in their persons , language , manners , religion and government , with my sence of their original . for their persons , they are generally tall , streight , well-built , and of singular proportion ; they tread strong and clever , and mostly walk with a lofty chin : of complexion , black , but by design , as the gypsies in england : they grease themselves with bears-fat clarified , and using no defence against sun or weather , their skins must needs be swarthy : their eye is little and black , not unlike a straight-look't jew : the thick lip and flat nose , so frequent with the east-indians and blacks , are not common to them ; for i have seen as comely european-like faces among them of both , as on your side the sea ; and truly an italian complexion hath not much more of the white , and the noses of several of them have as much of the roman . xii . their language is lofty , yet narrow , but like the hebrew ; in signification full , like short-hand in writing ; one word serveth in the place of three , and the rest are supplied by the understanding of the hearer : imperfect in their tenses , wanting in their moods , participles , adverbs , conjunctions , interjections : i have made it my business to understand it , that i might not want an interpreter on any occasion : and i must say , that i know not a language spoken in europe , that hath words of more sweetness or greatness , in accent and emphasis , than theirs ; for instance octorockon , rancocas , ducton , shakan●a●on , poque●●● , all which are names of places , and have grandeur in them : or words of sweetness , anna , is mother , issimus , a brother , netap , friend , usque oret , very good ; pone , bread , metse , eat , matta , no , hatta , to have , pay● , to come ; sepassen , pass●ion , the names of places ; camane , secane , menanse , secatereus , are the names of persons . if one ask them for any thing they have not , they will answer , mattá ne hattá , which to translate is , not i have , instead of i have not . xiii . of their customs and manners there is much to be said ; i will begin with children . so soon as they are born , they wash them in water , and while very young , and in cold weather to chuse , they plunge them in the rivers to harden and embolden them . having wrapt them in a clout , they lay them on a straight thin board , a little more than the length and breadth of the child , and swadle it fast upon the board to make it straight ; wherefore all indians have flat heads ; and thus they carry them at their backs . the children will go very young , at nine moneths commonly ; they wear only a small clout round their waste , till they are big ; if boys , they go a fishing till ripe for the woods , which is about fifteen ; then they hunt , and after having given some proofs of their manhood , by a good return of skins , they may marry , else it is a shame to think of a wife . the girls stay with their mothers , and help to hoe the ground , plant corn and carry burthens ; and they do well to use them to that young , they must do when they are old ; for the wives are the true servants of their husbands : otherwise the men are very affectionate to them . xiv . when the young women are fit for marriage , they wear something upon their heads for an advertisement , but so as their faces are hardly to be seen , but when they please : the age they marry at , if women , is about thirteen and fourteen ; if men , seventeen and eighteen ; they are rarely elder . xv. their houses are mats , or barks of trees set on poles , in the fashion of an english barn , but out of the power of the winds , for they are hardly higher than a man ; they lie on reeds or grass . in travel they lodge in the woods about a great fire , with the mantle of duffills they wear by day , wrapt about them , and a few boughs stuck round them . xvi . their diet is maze , or indian corn , divers ways prepared ; sometimes roasted in the ashes , sometimes beaten and boyled with water , which they call homine ; they also make cakes , not unpleasant to eat : they have likewise several sorts of beans and pease that are good nourishment ; and the woods and rivers are their larder . xvii . if an european comes to see them , or calls for lodging at their house or wigwam they give him the best place and first cut . if they come to visit us , they salute us with an ita● which is as much as to say , good be to you , and set them down , which is mostly on the ground close to their heels , their legs upright ; may be they speak not a word more , but observe all passages : if you give them any thing to eat or drink , well , for they will not ask ; and be it little or much , if it be with kindness , they are well pleased , else they go away sullen , but say nothing . xviii . they are great concealers of their own resentments , brought to it , i believe , by the revenge that hath been practised among them ; in either of these , they are not exceeded by the italians . a tragical instance fell out since i came into the country ; a king's daughter thinking her self slighted by her husband , in suffering another woman to lie down between them , rose up , went out , pluck't a root out of the ground , and ate it , upon which she immediately dyed ; and for which , last week he made an offering to her kindred for attonement and liberty of marriage ; as two others did to the kindred of their wives , that dyed a natural death : for till widdowers have done so , they must not marry again . some of the young women are said to take undue liberty before marriage for a portion ; but when marryed , chaste ; when with child , they know their husbands no more , till delivered ; and during their moneth , they touch no meat , they eat , but with a stick , least they should defile it ; nor do their husbands frequent them , till that time be expired . xix . but in liberality they excell , nothing is too good for their friend ; give them a fine gun , coat , or other thing , it may pass twenty hands , before it sticks ; light of heart , strong affections , but soon spent ; the most merry creatures that live , feast and dance perpetually ; they never have much , nor want much : wealth circulateth like the blood , all parts partake ; and though none shall want what another hath , yet exact observers of property . some kings have sold , others presented me with several parcels of land ; the pay or presents i made them , were not hoarded by the particular owners , but the neighbouring kings and their clans being present when the goods were brought out , the parties chiefly concerned consulted , what and to whom they should give them ? to every king then , by the hands of a person for that work appointed , is a proportion sent , so sorted and folded , and with that gravity , that is admirable . then that king sub-divideth it in like manner among his dependents , they hardly leaving themselves an equal share with one of their subjects : and be it on such occasions , at festivals , or at their common meals , the kings distribute , and to themselves last . they care for little , because they want but little ; and the reason is , a little contents them : in this they are sufficiently revenged on us ; if they are ignorant of our pleasures , they are also free from our pains . they are not disquieted with bills of lading and exchange , nor perplexed with chancery-suits and exchequer-reckonings . we sweat and toil to live ; their pleasure feeds them , i mean , their hunting , fishing and fowling , and this table is spread every where ; they eat twice a day , morning and evening ; their seats and table are the ground . since the europeans came into these parts , they are grown great lovers of strong liquors , rum especially , and for it exchange the richest of their skins and furs : if they are heated with liquors , they are restless till they have enough to sleep ; that is their cry , some more , and i will go to sleep ; but when drunk , one of the most wretchedst spectacles in the world. xx. in sickness impatient to be cured , and for it give any thing , especially for their children , to whom they are extreamly natural ; they drink at those times a teran or decoction of some roots in spring water ; and if they eat any flesh , it must be of the female of any creature : if they dye , they bury them with their apparel , be they men or women , and the nearest of kin sling in something precious with them , as a token of their love : their mourning is blacking of their faces , which they continue for a year : they are choice of the graves of their dead ; for least they should be lost by time , and fall to common use , they pick off the grass that grows upon them , and heap up the fallen earth with great care and exactness . xxi . these poor people are under a dark night in things relating to religion , to be sure , the tradition of it ; yet they believe a god and immortality , without the help of metaphysicks ; for they say , there is a great king that made them , who dwells in a glorious country to the southward of them , and that the souls of the good shall go thither , where they shall live again . their worship consists of two parts , sacrifice and cantico . their sacrifice is their first fruits ; the first and fattest buck they kill , goeth to the fire , where he is all burnt with a mournful ditty of him that performeth the ceremony , but with such marvellous fervency and labour of body , that he will even sweat to a foam . the other part is their cantico , performed by round dances , sometimes words , sometimes songs , then shouts , two being in the middle that begin , and by singing and drumming on a board direct the chorus : their postures in the dance are very antick and differing , but all keep measure . this is done with equal earnestness and labour , but great appearance of joy. in the fall , when the corn cometh in , they begin to feast one another ; there have been two great festivals already , to which all come that will : i was at one my self ; their entertainment was a green seat by a spring , under some shady trees , and twenty bucks , with hot cakes of new corn , both wheat and beans , which they make up in a square form , in the leaves of the stem , and bake them in the ashes : and after that they fell to dance . but they that go , must carry a small present in their money , it may be six pence , which is made of the bone of a fish ; the black is with them as gold , the white , silver ; they call it all wampum . xxii . their government is by kings , which they call sachema , and those by succession , but always of the mothers side ; for instance , the children of him that is now king , will not succeed , but his brother by the mother , or the children of his sister , whose sons ( and after them the children of her daughters ) will reign ; for no woman inherits ; the reason they render for this way of descent , is , that their issue may not be spurious . xxiii . every king hath his council , and that consists of all the old and wise men of his nation , which perhaps is two hundred people : nothing of moment is undertaken ; be it war , peace , selling of land or traffick , without advising with them ; and which is more , with the young men too . 't is admirable to consider , how powerful the kings are , and yet how they move by the breath of their people . i have had occasion to be in council with them upon treaties for land , and to adjust the terms of trade ; their order is thus : the king sits in the middle of an half moon , and hath his council , the old and wise on each hand ; behind them , or at a little distance , sit the younger fry , in the same figure . having consulted and resolved their business , the king ordered one of them to speak to me ; he stood up , came to me , and in the name of his king saluted me , then took me by the hand , and told me , that he was ordered by his king to speak to me , and that now it was not he , but the king that spoke , because what he should say , was the king's mind . he first pray'd me , to excuse them that they had not complyed with me the last time ; he feared , there might be some fault in the interpreter , being neither indian nor english ; besides , it was the indian custom to d●liberate , and take up much time in council , before they resolve ; and that if the young people and owners of the land had been as ready as he , i had not met with so much delay . having thus introduced his matter , he fell to the bounds of the land they had agreed to dispose of , and the price , ( which now is little and dear , that which would have bought twenty miles , not buying now two . ) during the time that this person spoke , not a man of them was observed to whisper or smile ; the old grave , the young reverend in their deportment ; they do speak little , but fervently , and with elegancy : i have never seen more natural sagacity , considering them without the help , ( i was a going to say , the spoil ) of tradition ; and he will deserve the name of wise , that out-wits them in any treaty about a thing they understand . when the purchase was agreed , great promises past between us of kindness and good neighbourhood , and that the indians and english must live in love , as long as the sun gave light . which done , another made a speech to the indians , in the name of all the sachamakers or kings , first to tell them what was done ; next , to charge and command them , to love the christians , and particularly live in peace with me , and the people under my government : that many governours had been in the river , but that no governour had come himself to live and stay here before ; and having now such a one that had treated them well , they should never do him or his any wrong . at every sentence of which they shouted , and said , amen , in their way . xxiv . the justice they have is pecuniary : in case of any wrong or evil fact , be it murther it self , they attone by feasts and presents of their wampon , which is proportioned to the quality of the offence or person injured , or of the sex they are of : for in case they kill a woman , they pay double , and the reason they render , is , that she breedeth children , which men cannot do 't is rare that they fall out , if sober ; and if drunk , they forgive it , saying , it was the drink , and not the man , that abused them . xxv . we have agreed , that in all differences between us , six of each side shall end the matter : don't abuse them , but let them have justice , and you win them : the worst is , that they are the worse for the christians , who have propagated their vices , and yielded them tradition for ill , and not for good things . but as low an ebb as they are at , and as glorious as their condition looks , the christians have not out-liv'd their sight with all their pretensions to an higher manifestation : wha● good then might not a good people graft , where there is so distinct a knowledge left between good and evil ? i beseech god to incline the hearts of all that come into these parts , to out-live the knowledge of the natives , by a fixt obedience to their greater knowledge of the will of god ; for it were miserable indeed for us to fall under the just censure of the poor indian conscience , while we make profession of things so far transcending . xxvi . for their original , i am ready to believe them of the jewish race , i mean , of the stock of the ten tribes , and that for the following reasons ; first , they were to go to a land not planted or known , which to be sure asia and africa were , if not europe ; and he that intended that extraordinary judgment upon them , might make the passage not uneasie to them , as it is not impossible in it self , from the easter-most parts of asia , to the wester-most of america . in the next place , i find them of like countenance , and their children of so lively resemblance , that a man would think himself in dukes-place or berry-street in london , when he seeth them . but this is not all , they agree in rites , they reckon by moons ▪ they offer their first fruits , they have a kind of feast of tabernacles ; they are said to lay their altar upon twelve stones ; their mourning a year , customs of women , with many things that do not now occur . so much for the natives , next the old planters will be considered in this relation , before i come to our colony , and the concerns of it . xxvii . the first planters in these parts were the dutch , and soon after them the sweeds and finns . the dutch applied themselves to traffick , the sweeds and finns to husbandry . there were some disputes between them some years , the dutch looking upon them as intruders upon their purchase and possession , which was finally ended in the surrender made by john rizeing the sweeds governour , to peter styresant , governour for the states of holland , anno 1655. xxviii . the dutch inhabit mostly those parts of the province , that lie upon or near to the bay , and the sweeds the freshes of the river delaware . there is no need of giving any description of them , who are better known there then here ; but they are a plain , strong , industrious people , yet have made no great progress in culture or propagation of fruit-trees , as if they desired rather to have enough , than plenty or traffick . but i presume , the indians made them the more careless , by furnishing them with the means of profit , to wit , skins and furs , for rum , and such strong liquors . they kindly received me , as well as the english , who were few , before the people concerned with me came among them : i must needs commend their respect to authority , and kind behaviour to the english ; they do not degenerate from the old friendship between both kingdoms . as they are people proper and strong of body , so they have fine children , and almost every house full ; rare to find one of them without three or four boys , and as many girls ; some six , seven and eight sons : and i must do them that right , i see few young men more sober and laborious . xxix . the dutch have a meeting-place for religious worship at new-castle , and the sweedes , three , one at christina , one at tenecum , and one at wicoco , within half a mile of this town . xxx . there rests , that i speak of the condition we are in , and what settlement we have made , in which i will be as short as i can ; for i fear , and not without reason , that i have tryed your patience with this long story . the country lieth bounded on the east , by the river and bay of delaware , and eastern sea ; it hath the advantage of many creeks or rivers rather , that run into the main river or bay ; some navigable for great ships , some for small craft : those of most eminency are christina , brandywine , skilpot and skulkill ; any one of which have room to lay up the royal navy of england , there being from four to eight fathom water . xxxi . the lesser creeks or rivers , yet convenient for sloops and ketches of good burthen , are lewis , mespilion , cedar , dover , cranbrook , fevershan , and georges below , and chichester , chester , toacawny , pemmapecka , portquessin , neshimenck and pennberry in the freshes ; many lesser that admit boats and shallops . our people are mostly settled upon the upper rivers , which are pleasant and sweet , and generally bounded with good land. the planted part of the province and territories is cast into six counties , philadelphia , buckingham , chester , newcastle , kent and sussex , containing about four thousand souls . two general assemblies have been held , and with such concord and dispatch , that they sate but three weeks , and at least seventy laws were past without one dissent in any material thing . but of this more hereafter , being yet raw and new in our geer : however , i cannot forget their singular respect to me in this infancy of things , who by their own private expences so early consider'd mine for the publick , as to present me with an impost upon certain goods imported and exported : which after my acknowledgements of their affection , i did as freely remit to the province and the traders to it . and for the well government of the said counties , courts of justice are establisht in every county , with proper officers , as justices , sheriffs , clarks , constables , &c. which courts are held every two moneths : but to prevent law-suits , there are three peace-makers chosen by every county-court , in the nature of common arbitrators , to hear and end differences betwixt man and man ; and spring and fall there is an orphan's court in each county , to inspect and regulate the affairs of orphans and widdows . xxxii . philadelphia , the expectation of those that are concern'd in this province , is at last laid out to the great content of those here , that are any wayes interested therein : the scitu●tion is a neck of land , and lieth between two navigable rivers , delaware and skulkill , whereby it hath two fronts upon the water , each a mile , and two from river to river . delaware is a glorious river , but the skulkill being an hundred miles boatable above the falls , and its course north-east toward the fountain of susquahannah ( that tends to the heart of the province , and both sides our own ) it is like to be a great part of the settlement of this age. i say little of the town it self , because a plat-form will be shewn you by my agent , in which those who are purchasers of me , will find their names and interests : but this i will say for the good providence of god , that of all the many places i have seen in the world , i remember not one better seated ; so that it seems to me to have been appointed for a town , whether we regard the rivers , or the conveniency of the coves , docks , springs , the loftiness and soundness of the land and the air , held by the people of these parts to be very good . it is advanced within less than a year to about four score houses and cottages , such as they are , where merchants and handicrafts are following their vocations as fast as they can , while the country-men are close at their farms : some of them got a little winter-corn in the ground last season , and the generality have had a handsom summer-crop , and are preparing for their winter-corn . they reaped their barley this year in the moneth called may ; the wheat in the moneth following ; so that there is time in these parts for another crop of divers things before the winter-season . we are daily in hopes of shipping to add to our number ; for blessed be god , here is both room and accommodation for them ; the stories of our necessity being either the fear of our friends , or the scare-crows of our enemies ; for the greatest hardship we have suffered , hath been salt-meat , which by fowl in winter , and fish in summer , together with some poultery , lamb , mutton , veal , and plenty of venison the best part of the year ▪ hath been made very passable . i bless god , i am fully satisfied with the country and entertainment i can get in it ; for i find that particular content which hath alwayes attended me , where god in his providence hath made it my place and service to reside . you cannot imagin , my station can be at present free of more than ordinary business , and as such , i may say , it is a troublesom work ; but the method things are putting in , will facilitate the charge , and give an easier motion to the administration of affairs , however , as it is some mens duty to plow , some to sow , some to water , and some to reap ; so it is the wisdom as well as duty of a man , to yield to the mind of providence , and chearfully , as well as carefully imbrace and follow the guidance of it . xxxiii . for your particular concern , i might entirely refer you to the letters of the president of the society ; but this i will venture to say , your provincial settlements both within & without the town , for scituation and soil , are without exception : your city-lot is an whole street , and one side of a street , from river to river , containing near one hundred acers , not easily valued , which is besides your four hundred acres in the city liberties , part of your twenty thousand acers in the countery . your tannery hath such plenty of bark , the saw-mill for timber , the place of the glass house so conveniently posted for water-carriage , the city-lot for a dock , and the whalery for a sound and fruitful bank , and the town lewis by it to help your people , that by gods blessing the affairs of the society will naturally grow in their reputation and profit . i am sure i have not turned my back upon any offer that tended to its prosperity ; and though i am ill at projects , i have sometimes put in for a share with her officers , to countenance and advance her interest . you are already informed what is fit for you further to do , whatsoever tends to the promotion of wine , and to the manufacture of linnen in these parts , i cannot but wish you to promote it ; and the french people are most likely in both respects to answer that design : to that end , i would advise you to send for some thousands of plants out of france , with some able vinerons , and people of the other vocation : but because i believe you have been entertained with this and some other profitable subjects by your president , i shall add no more , but to assure you , that i am heartily inclined to advance your just interest , and that you will always find me philadelphia , the 16th of the 6th moneth , call'd august , 1683. your kind cordial friend , william penn. a short advertisement upon the scituation and extent of the city of philadelphia and the ensuing plat-form thereof . by the surveyor general . the city of philadelphia , now extends in length , from river to river , two miles , and in breadth near a mile ; and the governour , as a further manifestation of his kindness to the purchasers , hath freely given them their respective lots in the city , without defalcation of any their quantities of purchased lands ; and as it s now placed and modelled between two navigable rivers upon a neck of land , and that ships may ride in good anchorage , in six or eight fathom water in both rivers , close to to the city , and the land of the city level , dry and wholsom ; such a scituation is scarce to be parallel'd . the model of the city appears by a small draught now made , and may hereafter , when time permits , be augmented ; and because there is not room to express the purchasers names in the draught , i have therefore drawn directions of reference , by way of numbers , whereby may be known each mans lot and place in the city . the city is so ordered now , by the governour 's care and prudence , that it hath a front to each river , one half at delaware , the other at skulkill ; and though all this cannot make way for small purchasers to be in the fronts , yet they are placed in the next streets , contiguous to each front , viz. all purchasers of one thousand acres , and upwards , have the fronts , ( and the high-street ) and to every five thousand acres purchase , in the front about an acre , and the smaller purchasers about half an acre in the backward streets ; by which means the least hath room enough for house , garden and small orchard , to the great content and satisfaction of all here concerned . the city , ( as the model shews ) consists of a large front-street to each river , and a high-street ( near the middle ) from front ( or river ) to front , of one hundred foot broad , and a broad-street in the middle of the city , from side to side , of the like breadth . in the center of the city is a square of ten acres ; at each angle are to be houses for publick affairs , as a meeting-house , assembly or state-house , market-house , school-house , and several other buildings for publick concerns . there are also in each quarter of the city a square of eight acres , to be for the like uses , as the moore-fields in london ; and eight streets , ( besides the high-street , that run from front to front , and twenty streets , ( besides the broad-street ) that run cross the city , from side to side ; all these streets are of fifty foot breadth . in each number in the draught , in the fronts and high-street , are placed the purchasers of one thousand acres , and upwards , to make up five thousand acres lot , both in the said fronts and hightstreet ) and the numbers direct to each lot , and where in the city ; so that thereby they may know where their concerns are therein . the front lots begin at the south-ends of the fronts , by the numbers , and so reach to the north-ends , and end at number 43. the high-street lots begin towards the fronts , at number 44. and so reach to the center . the lesser purchasers begin at number 1. in the second streets , and so proceed by the numbers , as in the draught ; the biggest of them being first placed , nearest to the fronts . directions of reference in the city-draught of philadelphia , to the lots of the purchasors , &c. by way of numbers , being too small to insert their names , so that by the numbers the lots may be known . the purchasors from a 1000 acres and upwards , are placed in the fronts and high-streets , and begin on delaware-front , at the south-end , with number 1. and so proceed with the front to the north end , to number 43. names . number . william penn , jun. 1. w. lowther , 2. laurence growdon , 3. philip ford , 4. the society , 5. nicholas moor , presid . 6. john marsh , 7. james harrison , 8 thomas farmborrow , 9. james boyden , n. n. 10. francis burrough , robert knight , 11. john reynolds , nathaniel bromley , enoch flower , 12. john moor , humphry south , thomas barker , sabian cole , samuel jobson , 13. james claypoole , 14. n. n. alexander parker , robert greenway , 15. samuel carpenter , 16. christopher taylor , 17. william shardlow , 18. john love nathaniel allen , edward jefferson , 19. john sweetaple , thomas bond , richard corslet , robert taylor , thomas rowland , 20. thomas herriot , 21. charles pickering , thomas bourne , john williard , 22. edward blardman , richard webb , john boy , daniel smith , 23. letitia penn , 24. william bowman , 25. griffith jones , 26. thomas callowhill , 27.   28. william stanley , 29. joseph fisher , 30. robert turner , 31. thomas holme , 32. clement milward , richard davis , 33. abraham pask , william smith , 34. john blakelin , allen foster , 35. william wade , benjamin chambers , samuel fox , francis burrough , 36. george palmer , john barber , 37. john sharpless , henry maddock , thomas rowland , 38. john b●zer , richard crosby , josiah ellis , thomas woolrich , john alsop , john day , 39. francis plumstead william taylor , 40. thomas brassey , 41. john simcock , 42. william crispin , 43. the high-street-lots begin at number 44. and so proceed on both sides of the high-street upwards to the center-square . names . number . n. n. 1. n. n. 2. thomas bond , john sweetaple , thomas rowland , john love , margaret martindall , 3. james claypoole , 4. john barber , william wade , thomas bourne , 5. griffith jones , 6. john day , francis plumstead , abraham pask , 7. james harrison , 8. josiah ellis , samuel jobson , samuel lawson , john moon , john sharpl●ss , 9. christopher taylor , 10. george palmer , 11. clement milward , 12. samuel carpenter , 13. thomas herriot , 14. nathaniel allen , robert taylor , thomas woolrich , alexander parker , 15. john simcok , 16. john bezer , john rennolds , daniel smith , francis burrough , 17. richard davis , 18. enoch flower , nathaniel bromly , james bowden , 19. moses charas , 20. william bowman , 21. robert turner , 22. thomas holme , 23. joseph fisher , 24. william stanley , 25. william shardlow , 26. thomas farnborough , 27. edward blardman , richard webb , edward gefferson , henry maddock , 28. robert knight , thomas rowland , 92. john boy , humphry south , john blaklin , richard crosby , thomas barker , 30. william crispin , 31. thomas callowhill , 32. richard corslet , john alsop , sabian cole charles pickering , 33. john williard , william smith , robert greenway , william taylor , 34. thomas brassey , 35. thomas harley , 36. richard thomas , 37. benjamin furley , 38. john simcock , &c. 39. here follow the lots of the purchasers under [ a thousand acres , & placed in the back-streets of the front of delaware , and begin with numb . 5. at the southern-side , and so proceed by the numbers , as in the draught . names . number . thomas powel , 5. george simcock , 6. bartholomew coppock , 7. william yardly , 8.   9. william frompton , 10. francis dove , 12.   13.   14. john parsons , 15. john goodson , 16. john moon , 17. andrew grescomb , 18. john fish , 19. isaac martin , 20. william carter , 21. john southworth , 22. richard ingelo , 23. john barnes , 24. philip lehnmann , 25.   26. richard noble , 27.   28.   29. john hiccock , 30.   31.   32.   33. n. n. 34. william gibson , 35. robert lodge , 36. john bur●eat , 37. james park , 38. leonard fell , 39.   40. john harding , 41. john kinsman , 42. israel hobbs , 43. edward lamway , 44. william wiggan , 45. richard worral , 46.   47. thomas zachary , 48. john chambers , 49.   50.   51. john songhurst , 52. john barnes , 53. sarah fuller , 54.   55. thomas vernon , 56. randal vernon , 57. robert vernon , 58. thomas minshell , 59. william moor , 60. john stringfellow , 61. thomas scot , 62.   63 henry waddy , 64. thomas virgo , 65. william boswel , 66. jane batchlo , 67. thomas callowhill , 68. thomas paget , 69. james petre , 70. jone dixon , 71. thomas paskall , 72.   73. priscilla shepherd , 74. walter martin , 75. sarah hersent , 76. elizabeth simmons , 77. william lane , 78. israel brench , 79. edward erbery , 80. roger drew , 81. john jennet , 82. mary woodworth , 83. john russel , 84. thomas berry , 85. georg rendal , 86. thomas harris , 87. william harmor , 88. thomas rouse , 89. nehemia● mitchel , 90.   91. david brent , 92.   93. sarah woolman , 93. john tibby , 94. charles lee , 95. id. 96. william east , 97. thomas cross , 98.   99. arch. mickell , 100. john clark , 101. israel self , 102. edward luffe , 103. john brothers , 104. edward bezer , 105. anthony elton , 106. john gibson , 107. daniel smith , 108. edward brown , 109. john fish , 110. robert holgate , 111. john pusey , 112. caleb pusey , 113. samuel noyes , 114. thomas sagar , 115. william withers , 116. john collet , 117. william cotes , 118. humphry marry , 119. elizabeth shorter , 120. joseph knight , john guest , 121. robert key , 122. william isaac , 123. edward gefferies , 124. anne crawley , 125. robert somer , 126. thomas geri●h , 127. william clowes , 128. william ●aily , 129. james hill , 130. thomas hatt , 131. william hitchcok , 132. william bryant , 133. robert downton , 134. john buckly , 135. william ashby , 136. edward simkins , 137. henry paxton , 138. edward crew , 139. john martin , 140. henry geery , 141. john geery , 142. robert jones , 143. john kirton , 144. thomas sanders , 145. amy child , 146. richard wooler , 147. gilbert mace , 148. thomas jones , 149. thomas livesly , 150. john austin , 151. robert hodskin , 152. william tanner , 153. daniel jones , 154. joseph tanner , 155. richard townsend , 156. john beckly , 157. samuel miles , 158. daniel quare , 159. david kinsey , 160. edward blake , 161. david jones , 162. henry sleighton , 163. thomas jones , 164. john hicks , 165.   166. thomas barbury , 167. john glean , 168. amos nichols , 169. richard jordan , 170. samuel bamet , 711. thomas ●obb , 172. john barber , 173. john re●ye , 174. george andrews , 175. robert stevens , 176. william bezer , 177. thomas hayward , 178. oliver cope , 179. john bu●ce , 180. ●ilbert mace , 181. john nield , 182. nathaniel pask , 183. bartholomew coppock , 184. william neak , 185. joseph milner , 186. edward bayly , 187. peter leicester , 188. henry hemming , 189. john evans , 190. randal malin , 191. allen robinet , 192. hitherto the lots of delaware front , to the center of the city . here follow the lots of skulkill-front , to the center of the city . the purchasers from one thousand acres , and upwards , are placed in the fronts and high-streets , and begin on skulkill front , at the south-end , with number 1. and so proceed with the front to the north-end , to number 43. names . numb . william penn , junior , 1. w. lowther , 2. laurence growdon , 3. philip ford , 4. the society , 5. nicholas moor , presi . 6. john marsh , 7. thomas rudyard , andrew sowle , 8. herbert springet , george white , henry child , 9. charles bathurst , william kent , john tovey , william philips , 10 robert dimsdall , 11. william bacon , 12. james wallis , philip lehnmann , margret mar●indall , nicholas walne , 13. charles marshall , 14. george green , william jenkins , john ●evon , 15. edwa●d prichard , william pardo , william powell , 16. charles lloyd , 17. john ●art , jo●hua ha●tins , edward betrice , thomas minchin , 18. john ap john , william smith , richard collins , 19 richard snead , dugel gamel , william russel , john cole , 20 richard gunton bazeleon foster , john marsh , richard hanns , james h●nt , 21. john blunston , henry bayley , 22. john penington , william penington , edward penington , 23. mary penington , 23. vac . 24. francis rogers , &c. 25. samuel clarridge , 26. james craven , richard pearce , thomas phelps , samuel taverner , thomas pearce , 27. solomon richards ' arthur perryn , john napper , john dennison , benjamin east , 28 john west , 29. vac . 30. francis fincher , thomas roberts , robert toomer , john gee , 31. jacob & joseph fuller , 32. george shore , 33. edward stubbard , 34. john thomas , 35. hugh lamb , sarah fuller , samuel allen , 36. edmund bennet , william lloyd , richard thetcher , john mason , 37. thomas elwood , john ●ing , henry pawling , george pownal , richard baker , 38. john clowes , john brock , james delworth , edward wesh , henry killinbeck , 39. richard vickris , charles harford , william brown , william beaks , 40. charles jones , thomas crosdal , walter king , john jones , 41. francis smith , 42. richard penn ,   samuel rolls ,   isaac gellius ,   john mason ,   william markham ,   edmund warner ,   the high-street-lots begin at number 44. and so proceed on both sides of that street to the center square .   1.   2. benjamin fast , john west , william philips , william smith , 3. thomas minchin , john bevan , samuel allen , 4. john thomas , 5. andrew sowle , james delworth , john jones , john king , john mason , 6. samuel clarridge , 7. john gee , jacob & joseph fuller , 8. william markham , 9. john blunston , george wood , edward prichard , 10. john brock , robert tanner , john ambry , nicholas walne , henry killinbeck , 11. samuel rolls , 12. solomon richards , arthur peryn , john napper , john dennison , 13. john , edward , william , & mary penington , 14 richard penn , 15. samuel fox , john cole , william russel , henry bayley , 16. lewis david , joshua hastins , philip lehnmann , 17. john mason , thomas elwood , james wallis , bazeleon foster , 18. charles marshall , 19. william lloyd , thomas crosdall , george pownall , william beakes , 20. charles jones , henry child , george green , 21. charles lloyd , 22. edward stubbard , 23. george shore , 24. richard vickris , samuel barker , john hart , james hunt , 25. richard collins , john rowland , john tovey , william pardo , 26. robert dimsdal , 27. john ap john , herbert springet william brown , 28. francis smith , 29. john marsh , charles harford , john clowes , edward vvest , edmund bennet , 30. vvilliam kent , edward bettrice , charles bathurst , vvilliam powell , 31. john nort , richard hanns , henry pawling , john shires , richard thatcher , 32 hugh lamb , george vvhite , 33. isaac gellius , 34. vvilliam bawn , 35. thomas rudyard , thomas roberts , 36. richard baker , vvilliam jenkins , richard gunton , edward martindall , 37. vvalter king ,   dugdel gamel , allen foster , francis finsher , edmund vvarner , 38. james craven , richard pearce , thomas phelps , samuel taverner , thomas pearce , 39. richard snead , 40. francis rogers , george rogers , 41.   42.   43. here follow the purchasors under a 1000 acres , placed in the back of the front of skulkill , & begin on the southern-side with num. 1. and so proceed by the numbers , as in the draught . shadrech vvelsh , 1. john nixon , 2. peter bland , 3. henry green , 4. morris lenholme , 5. john bevan , 6. john clare , 7. vvilliam mordent , 8. john poyer , 9. john price , 10. alexander beardsly , 11. thomas symmons , 12. thomas cowbourne , 13. thomas dell , 14. richard few , 15. john swift , 16. vvilliam lawrence , 17. henry combe , 18. anne oliffe , 19. vac . 20. john harper , 21. robert adams , 22. john hughes , 23. sarah ceres , 24. richard noble , 25. john longworthy , 26. james clayton , 27. henry lewis , 28. lewis david , 29. william howell , 30. john burgo , 31. reece redrah , 32. vvilliam chardley , 33. vvilliam bostock , 34. joseph hall , 35. james lancaster , 36. thomas briggs , 37. peter vvorral , 38. samuel buckley , 39. cutbert hayhurst , 40. john burchal , 41. thomas morrice , 42. daniel midleco● , 43. john jones , 44. roger beck , 45. richard hunt , 46. robert sandilands , 47. george keith , 48. john snashold , 49. vvilliam bingley , 50. thomas parsons , 51. peter dalbo , 52. vvilliam east , 53. vvilliam clark , 54. george strode , 55. john summers , 56. joseph richards , 57. john bristo , 58. peter young , 59. george powell , 60. john sansom , 61. john pesson● , 62. christopher forford , 63. james hill , 64. vvilliam saloway , 65. francis harford , 66. john vvall , 67. vvilliam cecill , 68. john spencer , 69. arthur bewes , 70. thomas bayley , 71. joel johnson , 72. richard mills , 73. thomas pleas , 74. francis harrison , 75. john vvorral , 76. thomas cam , 77. joseph jones , 78. robert vvardel , 79. richard p●nder , 80. henry vvright , 81. henry liechfield , 82 francis jobson , 83. roger evan , 84. john millington , 85. mary southworth , 86. matthew marks . 87. joshua holland , 88. john elson , 89.   90. thomas langhorn , 91. john funnier , 92. joseph potter , 93. david hammon , 94. thomas vvorth , 95. edward carter , 96.   97.   98.   99. robert hart , 100.   101.   102. matthew grange , 103. jane lownes , 104. ralph kinsey , 105. ralph vvard , 106. philip alford , 107. samuel atkinson , 108. edward vvalter , 109. thomas powel , 110. joseph pownall , 111. shadrech walley , 112. edward cartridge , 113. john brown , 114. james dicks , 115. john pearce , 116.   117. john stephens , 118. elizabeth lovet , 119. john oldham , 120.   121.   12●   123.   124.   125.   126.   127.   128. bethuel longstaff , 129. richard pearce , 130. henry parker , 131. dennis lincey , 132. philip cordry , 133. john skeen , 134. id. 135. william thratle , 136. john skarborrow , 137. robert barrow , 138. randal croxton , 139. edward edwards , 140. robert frame , 141. philip runnige , 142. henry barnard , 143. thomas wolfe , 144. richard richardson , 145. richard amour , 146. john edge , 147. mark keinton , 148. thomas lawson , 149. the end . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a54171-e410 note , that edward jones , son-in-law to thomas wynn , living on the sckulkil , had with ordinary cultivation● for one grain of english barley , seventy stalks and ears of barley ; and 't is common in this country from one bushel sown , to reap forty , often fifty , and sometimes sixty and three pecks of wheat sows an acre here . a further accompt of the progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england, and of the means used effectually to advance the same set forth in certaine letters sent from thence declaring a purpose of printing the scriptures in the indian tongue into which they are already translated : with which letters are likewise sent an epitome of some exhortations delivered by the indians at a fast, as testimonies of their obedience tot he gospell : as also some helps directing the indians how to improve naturall reason unto the knowledge of the true god. 1659 approx. 75 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 24 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a39225 wing e510 estc r3341 11789827 ocm 11789827 49162 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a39225) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 49162) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 491:18) a further accompt of the progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england, and of the means used effectually to advance the same set forth in certaine letters sent from thence declaring a purpose of printing the scriptures in the indian tongue into which they are already translated : with which letters are likewise sent an epitome of some exhortations delivered by the indians at a fast, as testimonies of their obedience tot he gospell : as also some helps directing the indians how to improve naturall reason unto the knowledge of the true god. eliot, john, 1604-1690. pierson, abraham, 1608-1678. some helps for the indians shewing them how to improve their natural reason. company for propagation of the gospel in new england and the parts adjacent in america. [11], 35, [1] p. printed by m. simmons for the corporation of new england, london : 1659. this tract forms no. 9 of the series issued by the corporation. "some helps for the indians" has special t.p. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng massachuset indians -missions. indians of north america -massachusetts. 2003-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-09 john latta sampled and proofread 2003-09 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a further accompt of the progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england , and of the means used effectually to advance the same . set forth in certaine letters sent from thence declaring a purpose of printing the scriptures in the indian tongue into which they are already translated . with which letters are likewise sent an epitome of some exhortations delivered by the indians at a fast , as testimonies of their obedience to the gospell . as also some helps directing the indians how to improve naturall reason unto the knowledge of the true god. london , printed by m. simmons for the corporation of new-england , 1659. to the cristian reader . beloved brethren , as it is the ardent prayer of all that love the lord iesus in sincerity , that his kingdome may be enlarged , and the glorious l●…ght of the gospell may shine forth into all n●…ions , that all the ends of the world may see the salvation of our god , that the stone cut out without hands may become so great a mountaine as to fill the earth , that the idols may be utterly abolished , and the gods of the earth famished , and that all the isles of the heathen may worship the only true god : so the strange & scarcely to be paraleld concussions which have been in the world of late yeares , and so still continue , may seeme to be no improbable harbingers of the more glorious manifestations of christ thereunto , in answer to those desires of his servants . for the shaking of all nations maketh way for the coming of him , who is the desire of all nations . the wind , and the earthquake , and the fire did usher in the still voyce which sp●…ke unto eliah . when the spirit came down upon the apostles . there was a sound as of a rushing mighty wind , and the house was shaken , when the people therein were to be silled with the holy ghost . how much those winds and shakings which carried many good m●…n out of old into new england have made way to 〈◊〉 publishing of the name of christ in those barbarous pla●…s , 〈◊〉 the day of small things hath not been altogether despicable there , how the leaven of the gospell doth still continue to season more of the lump , as it hath by ma ny former publis●…ed specimina been demonstrated , so these papers now printed by the care of the corporation for new-england , do give us further evidence & assurance thereof . and truly it cannot but be matter both of abundant thanksgivings to god , to find poor americans speking the languag of canaan , subscribing with their hand unto the lord , and sirnaming themselves by the name of israel : & also of great comfort and encouragement unto all those whose hearts the lord hath stirred up , either here in a way of liberall 〈◊〉 , to honour him with their su●…stance , and to bring their silver and gold unto the name of the lord , that their mer●…handize may be holinesse unto him : or there , in a way of labour and service , setti●…g their heart and hand to sna●…ch poor souls as brands out of the fire , to see such a signall bl●…ssing upon their paines and prayers , and such seeds of the everlasti●…g gospel come up in so barren and desolate a soile , making way unto a plentifull harvest for those who shall after enter upon their labours . no monies , no s●…udies will make a more ample returne then those wbich are laid up in heaven , which are laid out upon building the house of god. if david and his princes did praise the lord , for that they were able to offer so willingly towards the erecting of a materiall temple , for which was gathered one of the greatest summs , as some learned judge , that we read of in any history , how much reason have we to bl●…sse god when he giveth us hearts to offer willingly towards the building of living and spirituall temples , and when he l●…teth us see so glorious a returne to our prayers , contributions , and labours in the conversion of many souls unto god. to the end that god may be glorified , good men ▪ who have already furthered this excellent work , may be comforted , and others excited and provoked to put to their hand unto the advancement thereof , are these papers published , being testimonies of the great zeale and care of our brethren there to promote the gospell , and of the blessing of god on their labours , in the professed subjection of many poor soules thereunto . two great works we find here further undertaken in order to that service . the one some helps and directions to the indians how to improve their naturall reason unto the knowledg of the true god. the reason why there is so short and imperfect a specimen given of it is , because the ships came away from new-england , before any more of the copy was wrought off from the presse . it is a work likely to be by the blessing of god of singular use to the natives there , and a very proper and necessary course for those to take who would convert and perswade pagans to beleeve the truth . the lord was pleased at the first preaching of the gospel to confirme it with signs and wonders following for the more speedy planting of it by only twelve , and those possibly aged men , in so many places of the world . and how farre he may still bear witnesse thereunto , not only by the holy lives of christians , but by eminent and remarkable providences , which may tantamount to miracles , i shall not here inquire . but certainly here may be much use made of naturall reason , to demonstrate unto pagans the falsenesse of the way they are in , and so to prepare a way for entertainment of the truth . though the doctrine of the gospel be supernaturall , and not investigable by humane disquisition , be●ng made known to men and angells onely by the revelation of the holy spirit : yet when it is revealed , the awakening of legall impressions in the naturall conscience , will provoke men to attend , & prepare them to entertain it , when it shall be preached unto them . 1. all men have in them a desire of happinesse , and an aversation from misery . 2. all men more or lesse have some indeleble impressions of a godhead , which cannot be utterly worne out , heathen philosophers have acknowledged that no nation in the world is so barbarous where the confession and adoration of a deity is not to be found . 3. there are innate praesensions of the immortality of the soul within it selfe , for a heathen philosophers have by the light of nature discover'd and acknowledg'd it . 4. there is a natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or habit of morall and practicall principles , and consequently there are naturall impressions of guilt and fear upon the conscience , and tacit evidences of judgment due unto the workers of iniquity , an b heathen poet could say , frigida mens est criminibus , tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ . 5. there being in all men a naturall desire of good , and a naturall testimony of conscience that god is the giver of it , so that when evills are upon them which they cannot remove themselves , they naturally call out for a divine helpe above them to give them deliverance ; from hence it cometh to passe , that there are innate apprehensions of some religion necessary , in order to the knowledge and service of a god , as a requisite means to the obtaining of so d●sireable an end as happinesse is . 6. since it is exactly consonant to right reason , that he to whom service is due , should direct and prescribe the way whereby he will be served ( for to serve another is to do that which he willeth to be done : ) it is therefore necessary that the way of service and religion be revealed unto us from god. 7. because these premises are indelebly written in the minds of men by nature , therefore satan not being able , as prince of this world alone , to carry men on in a quiet way of wickednesse , without some face of religion and worship amongst them , hath invaded the name of a god , and made himselfe god of this world , and as a god , hath set up various wayes of wicked worship consistent with his other principles and laws of wicked lusts , thereby to bind men the faster unto himselfe , ut fiant mise●…is delicta religiosa , as cyprian speaks , that men might be tied by their religion unto wickednesse . now the work of christ in the gospel is . 1. as he is prince of righteousnesse to destroy the lusts and works of the devill . 2. as he is god blessed for ever , to abolish the idols , to famish the gods , and to turne men from vanities unto the living god which made heaven and earth . this to doe , we may in this manner proceed with an heathen who knows not god. we may convince him by his own naturall and implanted light . 1. that there is a god who is righteous and holy , who cannot be deceived , will not be mocked . 2. that this god hath implanted in all men a light and law of nature by which they are to walk . 3. that he , with whose soul we deale , hath violated that light and law of nature , and is thereby become a sinner . 4. that sinne is attended with guilt and punishment , & bindeth the sinner over unto death and judgment . 5. that there is in him a naturall desire to be delivered from death and to be happy . 6. that he is not able by any strength or power of his own to free himselfe from death , or to make himselfe happy . 7. that that way of worship and service which he trusteth in for this deliverance , will never ●…e able to effect it for him . for the vanity of idolatrous and satanicall worship may by evidence of reason , and by the inherent characters of impurity and absurdity within it selfe , be demonstrated . by that way the lord in scripture usually doth disprove it . deut. 4. 28. psal. 115. 4 , 8. isa. 41. 24 , 28. isa. 44. 9 , 20. isa. 46. 1. 9. jer. 10. 3 , 11. habak . 2. 18 , 20. act. 14. 15 , 17. act 17. 23 , 31. rom. 1. 23 , 25. 8. being thus brought into straits and extremities , and reduced ad impossibile very self-love , awakened by the spirit of bondage , will dictate unto a man , when he is convinced of being uttterly out of the way , to inquire what he shall do to be saved , and to listen unto that , which is by credible persons reported to be the right way . 9. being thus perswaded to look into the gospel , which is represented unto him as the alone way unto salvation . he findeth inherent characters of purity , sanctity , and spiritual beauty in it . he considereth the miracles and martyrdomes whereby it hath been confirmed ( which he hath no more reason to distrust then the truth of any other history ) he considereth the prevalency of it in the world by the ministry of twelve poor men , notwithstanding all the persecutions which have been from time to time raised against it . he considereth the holy lives of the professors of it , whereby the wicked lusts which his impure religion alloweth , are shamed and rebuked . he considereth the nature of it wholly contrary to carnall and secular interests , no way complying with , or giving the least countenance unto any sinful delights : so that it is evident that it was not contrived or obtruded upon men by humane wisdome , or to gratifie any carnall designe upon these and the like considerations being set on by the finger of the holy spirit , he is perswaded to beleeve the gospel , and by beleeving comes to reape those ioyes and comforts as make him know whom he hath beleeved . the other work which is set about in order to the premoting of the gospel amongst the poor indians is the translating of the scripture into their tongue , and printing it for their use , which as it is a necessary and an excellent worke , and a work of great labour ( in consideration whereof the reverend translator deserveth great thanks and encouragement ) so will it be a worke of cost and charges to provide paper , workmen , and letters for so large a work . and therefore , as men , when the foundation of a goodly building is going about , will lay a stone with their own hands , to shew some bounty and encouragement to the workmen who are to carry it on ; so the laying of this foundation stone seemeth to call unto all those whose hearts the lord hath made willing , to give in their helping hand and chearfull assistance , unto a work tending so immediately to the salvation of souls and glory of that god , who hath promised , that they who sow bountifully shall reape bountifully , who will multiply their ●…eed sown , and increase the fruit of their righteousnesse . certainly if christ look on the supplies which are given to his poor brethren for their bodily reliefe , as given to himselfe ; much more will he accept and reward the endeavours of those , who lay out their bounty , as he did his blood , for the good of mens souls , and for the advancement of his kingdome . to his blessing i commend you , and this excellent service yours , and the churches servant in our common lord. ed : reynolds . 1 aprill 1659. this following letter is sent from the commissioners for the united colonies of new-england in new-england , and directed as followeth . for the much honoured corporation for the propagation of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england , these present . honoured and worthy gentlemen . by our last of 16 th instant , we certified you of our purpose to send m r peirsons chatichisme by the first opportunity to be printed in england ; since which time ; it is come unto our hands but upon further consideration in regard of the hazard of sending , and difficulty of true printing it ; without a fit overseer of the presse by one skilled in the language ; we have chosen rather to have it printed here ; and accordingly have taken order for the same ; and hope it will be finished within three months , we have sent you herewith the accounts of this years disbursements in reference to the indian work , & shall be ready to attend your advice in any particular therein mentioned . many charges will be dayly growing , but we hope there will be suffieient in m r ushers hands to discharge the same till the spring : and for after supply to carry on the work be pleased to take notice that we have drawn upon you three bills of exchange of one tenure and date for five hundred pounds to be payd to mr iohn harwood for the use of m r hezekiah usher , and have taken his bill to satisfie so much here , according to his former agreement with us , we pray you to take care it be duely paid at the day , without which the worke cannot be comfortably carryed on , it is our joynt and unfeigned desires with you ; that those gifts and contributions may be improved according to the pious minds of the donors ; for the promoting the knowledge of god in jesus christ amongst these poore natives ; and we hope and beleeve there is a reall good effect in severall places , which that it may dayly increase to the bringing of many poor souls to heaven , is the earnest prayer of gentlemen , your very loving friends and servants , the commissioners of the united colonies . iohn endicott president simon bradstreete thomas prence iosiah winslow iohn winthorpe iohn talcot francis newman william lerte boston 22. sept. 1658. a letter from m r iohn eliot directed unto m r richard floyd treasurer of the corporation for new-england . to his much respected and christian friend m r floyd treasurer of the corporation for promoting religion among the indians in new-england . these present . christian friend and beloved in the lord. after salutations in the lord jesus . i shall not trouble you with any thing at present save this one businesse of moment , touching the printing of the bible in the indian language , touching which businesse sundry of the elders did petition unto the commissioners , moving them to further it , as a principall means of promoting religion among them . and god so guided ( without mans contrivance ) that i was there when it came in . they moved this doubt whether the translation i had made was generally understood ? to which i answered , that upon my knowledge it was understood as farre as conecticot : for there i did read some part of my translation before many hundred english witnesses , and the indians manifested that they did understand what i read , perfectly , in respect of the language , they further questioned whether i had expressed the translation in true language ? i answered that i feared after times will find many infirmities in it , all humane works are subject to infirmity , yet those pieces that were printed , viz. genesis and matthew , i had sent to such as i thought had best skill in the language , and intreated their an●…adversions , but i heard not of any faults they found . when the commissioners ended their meeting , they did commit the further consideration of this matter to our commissioners , as i understand , of whom our governour is president . therefore at the coming away of this ship , i repaired to the governour about it . i proposed this expedient , for the more easie prosecution of this work , viz. that your selves might be moved to hire some honest young man , who hath skill to compose , ( and the more skill in other parts of the work , the better ) send him over as your servant , pay him there to his content , or ingage payment , let him serve you here in new-england at the presse in harvard colledge , and work under the colledg printer , in impressing the bible in the indian language , and with him send a convenient stock of paper to begin withall . the governour was pleased to send for m r norton to advise in it , who came and did heartily further it , whereupon the governour promised to write unto your selves , and propose the matter , which also i doe , and doe earnestly intreat your assistance herein . and i beseech the lord to bow your hearts , and incourage you in promoting so good a work , so profitable for the furtherance of religion , which to further in the best manner , i know is already the bent of your hearts , and your constant prayer and indeavour , and thus committing you , and all your weighty affaires unto the lord , i rest yours to serve you in the service of christ. john elliot . roxbury this 28 of the 10 th 1658. a letter from iohn endicott esq president of the commissioners for the united colonies in new-england to the corporation here in england . for m r richard floyd treasurer and the rest of the gentlemen of the corporation for the affaires of new-england . these . honourable gentlemen . i have been moved by divers able and godly men here with us to propound unto your pious consideration , whether it be not needful for the better instruction of the indians amongst us in the true knowledge of god , to get the whole bible of the old and new testament , which is already translated into the indian tongue , to be printed ; many here with us divines and others judge it a thing that will be acceptable to god , and very profitable for the poor heathens . if your selves doe so esteeme of it too , it will be necessary to provide paper and letters and such things as may further the work , as also a journey man printer to be helpefull under m r greene our printer to expedite the work . this is only propounded to your serious consideration , which if god please to put into your hearts to further , being so good a work ; it will rejoyce the hearts of many godly ones here , and i doubt not of many there also . the rest of the commissioners being gone home to their own dwellings , and none left here at boston of the commissioners but my selfe : and the ship being ready to set sayle i have made bold to write these few lines unto you , and leave the issue of all to god , and your godly wisdomes : m r eliot will be ready at all times to correct the sheets as fast as they are printed , and desireth nothing for his paines . i shall not trouble you further at this time , but shall desire the lord so to guide you in all your affaires , as god may have the glory of all , and your selves comfort and peace . so prayeth your unworthy servant . iohn endicott . boston the 28 of decem. 1658. here followes another letter from m r iohn eliot of new-england , directed to the corporation , viz. to the honourable corporation for spreading the gospell among the poor indians in new england . these present . christian gentlemen , and much honoured in the lord. your constant prayers and paines for the promoting of the kingdome of christ jesus in these ends of the earth , among these our poor indians , is a work of sweet favour unto the lord : and your labour of love bestowed therein ; shall be assuredly rewarded , when the lord shall say unto you ( out of the riches of his free grace ) come ye blessed of my father , &c. and , what you did unto them , you did it unto me , and in that day , blessed is the man who hath his hands full of such free will offerings . the lord hath given us this amazing blow to take away my brother mayhew . * his aged father doth his endeavour to uphold the worke among the poor indians , whom by letters i have incouraged what i can , and moved in his behalfe , our commissioners , and they have given him some incouragement , so that the work in that place is not fallen to the ground , i blesse the lord for it . as for the work among us , i shall for the present be silent , for severall reasons , only let the work it selfe speake . i am bold to present you here inclosed , with a few notes which my sonne and i gathered up , which were delivered by the persons here named , in a day of fasting and prayer ; out of which short notes you may see what life is in the work . the very reason of my gathering up these notes ; was because my sonne ( who had not been at a fast among us before ) was very much affected with what they delivered , so far as he understood them , and when i had communicated these notes to some , they were very well relished , & thereby i was imboldened to present them to your selves , not knowing , but ( if the lord please ) thereby you may have more reall information of their state and progresse , then by any thing which were meet for me to say . for my selfe i feele my strength to decay , and i am not able to doe and bear what i have done , and although temptation may sometime breed waverings , yet my soul doth desire & beleeve , that i shall live and dye in the work . and as i have dedicated my sons to serve the lord in this work ( if he please to accept them ) so i doe it as they come up ; and this yeare my second son having taken his first degree in the colledge , i presented him also unto our commissioners , and he is accepted unto the work : which mercy my soul doth greatly rejoyce in , and i humbly beg your prayers for them , that the lord would bow their green spirits unto the worke , and inable them to overlooke the difficultyes and discouragements which lye in the way , and thus committing you unto the lord , and to the guidance of his holy word , i rest yours to serve you in the service of our dear saviour . john eliot . roxbury this 10 th of the 10 th , 1658. here followeth a briefe epitomy of such exhortations as these indians hereafter named , did deliver upon a late day of fasting and prayer at natick , much more largely , 15 th of the 9 th month , 1658. the causes of this fast were partly in preparation for gathering a church , and because of much rain , and sicknesse and other tryalls . an exhortation from waban , an indian , the text of scripture he spake of was , matth. 9. 12 , 13. 12. but when iesus heard that , he said unto them , they that be whole need not a physitian , but they that are sick . 13. but goe ye and learne what that meaneth ; i will have mercy and not sacrifice ; for i came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . i am a poor weak man , and know but little , and therefore i shall say but little . these words are a similitude , that as some be sick , and some well ; and we see in experience that when we be sick , we need a phisitian & goe to him , and make use of his phisick ; but they that be well doe not so , they need it not and care not forit : so it is with soul-sicknesse ; and we are all sick of that sicknesse in our souls , but we know it not : we have many at this time sick in body , for which cause we do 〈◊〉 and pray this day , and cry to god ; but more are sick in their souls : we have a great many diseases and sicknesses in our souls ●…he instan●…d , as idlenesse , neglect of the sabboth , passion , &c. ] therefore what should we doe this day ? goe to christ the phisitian ; for christ is a physitian of souls ; he healed mens bodies , but he can heale souls also : he is a great physitian , therefore let all sinners goe to him . therefore this day know what need we have of christ , and let us goe to christ to heale us of our sins , and he can heale us both soul and body . again , what is that lesson , which christ would have us learne , that he came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . what! doth not god love them that be righteous ? doth he not call them to him ? doth not god love righteousnesse ? is not god righteous ? answ. the righteous here are not meant those that are truly righteous , but those that are hypocrites ; that seem righteous , and are not ; that think themselves righteous , but are not so indeed ; such god calleth not , neither doth he care for them : but such as see their sins , and are sick of sin , th●… christ calleth to repentance , and to believe in christ , therefore let us see our need of christ , to heale all our diseases of soul and body . delivered at the same time by nishohkou , another indian . the text he spake of was , gen. 8. 20 , 21. 20. and noah built an altar unto iehovah , and took of every clean beast , and of every clean fowle , and offered burnt offerings on the altar . 21. and the lord smelled a sweet savour ; and the lord said in his heart , i will not againe curse the ground any more for mans sake ; for the imaginations of mans heart is evill from his youth , neither will i again smi●…e any more every thing living as i have done . a little i shall say , according to that little i know . in that noah sacrificed to god he shewed himself thankfull ; in that he worshiped god , he shewed himselfe godly ; in that he sacrificed clean beasts , he shewed that god is an holy god , pure and clean , and all that come to god , and worship him , must be pure and clean : and know that we must by repentance purge our selves , and cleanse our hearts from all sin ; which is a work we are to doe this day . in that he sacrificed , it was the manner of worshiping god in old time : but what sacrifices must we offer now ? answ. by that psal. 4. 5. offer to god the sacrifices of righteousnesse , and trust in the lord. these are true and spirituall sacrifices which god requireth at our hands . sacrifices of righteousnesse , that is , we must look to our hearts , and conversation , that they be righteous , and then we shall be acceptable to god , when we worship him ▪ but if we be unrighteous and unholy , and wicked , we shall not be accepted , our sacrifices are nought . againe , we must trust in the lord : for who else should we trust in , we must believe in the word of god ; for if we doubt of god , and doubt of his word , then our sacrifices are little worth ; but if we trust stedfastly in the lord then our sacrifices are good . again , what kind of sacrifices must we offer ? answ. we must offer such as abraham offered ; and what sacrifice did he offer . answ. see gen. 22. 12. now i know that thou fearest me , seeing thou hast not withheld thy son , thy only son from me ; he had but one dearly beloved son , and he offered him to god ; & th●…n god saith , i know thou fearest me , because thou hast not withheld thy son : this was to sacrifice indeed and in truth ; so we must sacrifice indeed , and in truth , but god doth not require us to sacrifice our sons , but our beloved sins , our dearest sins : god calleth us this day to part with all our sins , though never so beloved , and we must not withhold any of them from him : if we will not part with all , it is not a right sacrifice : we must part with those sins we love best , and then we offer a good sacrifice . again , god smelt a sweet savour in noahs sacrifice , & so when we offer such worship to god as is cleane , and pure , and sacrifice as abraham did , then god accepts our sacrifice . again , god manifested his acceptance of noahs sacrifice , by promising to drown the world no more , but gave him fruitfull times and seasons . god hath chastized us of late with such raines , as if he would drown us , and he hath drowned and spoiled a great deale of hay , and threatens to kill our cattel , and for this we fast and pray this day ; now if we offer a spirituall sacrifice , clean and pure as noah did , then god will smell a savour of rest in us , as he did in noah , and then he will withhold the rain , and give us fruitfull seasons . these two before mentioned did exercise the fore part of the day ( besides what we did ) the four next exercised in the afternoon . the first of which was antony . the scripture w ch he grounded his exercise upon was matth. 6. 16 , 17 , 18. 16. moreover , when ye fast , be not as the hypocrites , of a sad countenance , for they disfigure their face , that they may appeare unto m●…n to fast : verily , i say unto you , they have their reward . 17. but thou when thou fastest , anoint thine head , and wash thy face . 18. that thou appear not unto men to fast , but unto thy father that is in secret , and thy father that seeth in secret , shall reward thee openly . a little i 'le speak , according to that poor little i know the doctrine that christ teacheth us in these words , is the doctrine of fasting and prayer ; and the duty we doe this day , is to practice this doctrine , for god calleth us this day to fasting and prayer . there be many causes of prayer to god this day ; as to prepare our hearts for church , covenant , and ordinances , and to pray for the taking away our sicknesse , and these great rains [ here he did enumerate sundry causes of seeking god ] but why must we fast ? answ. that we might the more effectually mourn for sin . if any of you bury a child or a friend , then you will mourn , and fast too , for if we offer you meat , you will refuse it , yea you cannot eat , because your heart is so full of sorrow : no matter for meat then , your tears , and sighs , and sorrows fill you so , that you cannot eat ; so that fasting is an help to mourning . now this day is a day of mourning , and what doe we mourn for ? not for a child or a friend , but a greater matter ; we must mourn for our sins , and we should be so filled , and possessed with mourning for our si●…s , that we should forget hunger , ye so afflicted in our hearts , that we cannot eat though it should be offfered to us : our hearts should be so full of sorrow , that we cannot be an hungry nor eat . againe we fast that we might repent of our sins , and amend our lives , according to that matth. 3. 8. bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance . this is a day of repentance , we must therefore fast this day , so as becometh repentance , therefore we must confesse our sins , and we must mourn for our sins , and we must forsake our sins , for these are works meet for repentance . again , we must not be like hypocrites in our fasting , for they disfigure their faces , and seem to men as if they mourned and fasted , and repented , but in their hearts they doe not so , and therefore god who knoweth what is in the heart , and seeth in secret , he doth know their hypocrisie , and so he knoweth our hypocrisie , if we come here , and appear to man as if we fasted , and yet in our hearts we fast not , if we do not mourn and repent for sin , we do not fast , god doth not account that to be a fast . again , such as fast an hypocritical fast , they shall be sure to be rewarded , and what reward will god give to such as fast like hypocrites ? i answer , that you may see what the wages of hypocrites is , mat. 24 , 51. shall cut him asunder , & appoynt him his portion with the hypocrites , there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth , and this is evill wages : and therefore let us be moved , to keep a right fast this day , by repenting of our sins , and amending of our lives , and then the lord will reward us openly , if he see that our hearts are right before him . the next that followed was iohn sp●…ene . the scripture he spake of was . matth. 9. 14 , 15. 14. then came to him the disciples of john , saying , why doe we and the pharisees fast oft , but thy disciples fast not . 15. and iesus said unto them , can the children of the bride-chamber mourn , as long as the bridegroom is with them , but the dayes will come , when the bridegroom shall be taken from them , and then they shall fast . a little i will say , for i can say but little , for i am weak and know but little . this is a parable , as when young people are at a wedding , there is feasting , and joy , and mirth , but no sorrow , nor mourning , nor weeping : so when christ is with his people , he brings joy and comfort with him , and fills their hearts with comfort : but if he be angry , and depart from his people , and leave them to afflictions , then there is sorrow , and mourning , and weeping , and fasting , as it is this day with us ; for we are called to fasting this day , because of the great raine , and great floods , and unseasonable weather , whereby the lord spoileth our labours : our corne is much spoiled with the wet : so that the lord doth threaten us with want of food ; also our hay is much spoiled , so that god threatneth to starve and kill our cattel : also we have great sicknesse among us ; so that many are dead : the burying place of this town hath many graves , and so it is in all our towns among the praying indians . also in our houses are many sick , and a great many are crazy , and weak , and not well ; god threatneth to kill us , and therefore surely he is angry , and what maketh him angry ? we may be sure it is our sins , for we are great sinners . this day is therefore a day of repentance , of fasting , and of mourning . and what are we to doe in this day of fasting ? answ. we must search out all our sins , and with hearty repentance forsake them . and when we goe about to search out our fins , we must remember that there be three places where we must search for sin : first , in our hearts ; secondly , in our words ; 3ly , in our works and doings , and in all these places we find too many , but especially in our hearts ; for there be evill thoughts , and the root sin [ that is to say originall sin , for so we call it in their language ] and therefore it is a great work to search our hearts , & find out the roots of sin : and if any doe say it is an hard work , and i know not how to doe it : i answer , it is true , it is hard work , but therefore we must take so much the more paines , and care to doe it , as we doe about hard works . if any say i cannot tell how to find out my sins : i answer , we must this day pray unto the lord to help us to find them out , and to forsake them , for he knoweth them all . againe , another cause of our fasting this day , is to prepare us to make a church of christ among us : and if you say what must we doe to prepare for church-estate . i answer we must repent of our sin , and make our selves clean , we must get cleannesse of heart , when we come neer unto god , according to that mat. 3. 2. repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand . againe , to prepare us for church estate , we must pray unto god , to send his spirit into our hearts , because the spirit of god will convert us , and purge our hearts , and sanctifie us , and teach us to pray , and comfort us , and will never leave us , till he have brought us to the kingdome of heaven ( as you know we are taught in our catechisme ) and it is the gift of god to send his spirit into our hearts , and christ hath promised to doe it for us , as the word of god speaketh , mat. 3. 11. i indeed baptize you with water unto repentance , but he that cometh after me is mightier then i , whose shooes i am not worthy to bear : he shall baptize you with the holy ghost , and with fire . where we see that iohn did baptize them with water , but christ doth baptize them with the holy ghost & fire ; we desire to be baptized by man , and man baptizeth with water , and that is a sign of repentance ; but we must look for the baptisme of christ , & he giveth us his spirit , that is his baptizing . and when christ baptizeth with his spirit that doth more then water can doe , for the spirit doth purge our soules , and maketh our hearts pure and clean . again , he baptizeth with fire , what i●… that ? i ans. not outward fire , but spirituall , and it is a similitude , thus : what will fire doe ? i answer , you all know what fire will do ; for when your tobacco-pipes are filthy , foule , stinking , unfit for your use , you cast them into the fire , and that doth not burn them up , but burneth up all their filth , and maketh them clean and sweet , & fit for your use . so our hearts are filthy , and unfit for gods use , but cast our hearts into the word , for there the spirit is , and then the spirit of god will burn out all our filth and sin , and make us sweet , and fit for the lords use . another that preacht , piumbuhhon . the scripture which he did insist upon was . matth. 5. 1. ad 10. 1. and seeing the multitude , he went up into a mountain and when he was set his disciples came unto him , and , he opened his mouth , and taught them saying , 2. blessed are the poore in spirit , &c. i will speak but a little , because i am a poor creature . here we see that when christ saw the multitude come together , he taught them ; in like manner you all being come together , this day christ teacheth you , for it is christ , that teacheth us all by his word , and these are christ his words , which i speak unto you , and therefore heare ye christ this day , for all these words of blessing christ doth speak this day unto this multitude . 1. for poverty of spirit , we are the most poor , feeble , despicable people in the world , but let us look in what case our spirits be , for if our hearts be answerably poor , and low , as our outward condition is , then we are in the way to be made truly rich , for the kingdome of heaven is promised to such as are poor in spirit . 2. for mourning this is a day of mourning , and not so much for afflictions , as for our sins , now if we doe truly and heartily mourn for our sins , then the blessing is promised to us and god will find a time and way to comfort us . 3. again , they that be meek and patient are blessed , therefore those that be froward and passionate and make strife , they are not blessed , and therefore we have cause to mourn this day , for our often passions and fallings out , and learn to be meek and patient . 4. again , they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse are blessed : this is a day of hunger and thirst , and fasting for our bodyes , that we might mourn for our sins , but it is a day of feasting for our soules , and christ doth here offer a great many blessings for our soules to feast withall , if therefore our souls be hungry after righteousnesse and godlinesse , then we are blessed . 5. again , god is mercifull and commandeth us to be so too , and will therefore blesse those that are like unto himselfe . 6. they that are pure in heart are blessed , and this purity of heart the spirit of god worketh in us , when he cometh and dwelleth in us ( as we are taught in our catechisme ) and therefore christ doth blesse them . 7. blessed are the peace-makers , and who be peace-makers ? i answer , that the devil is the maker of strife , and he is alwayes so doing , sometimes in one place , sometimes in another , and so he is labouring to do in all the towns of the praying indians ; but such as be wise and godly will not suffer the strife to continue , but will use such means as shall reconcile them , and make them friends againe , and this is a blessed worke so to doe . the last that exercised was wutasakompavin , whom i formerly wrote of by the name poliquanum . the text he spake of was , matth. 8. 2 , 3. 2. and loe there came a leper and worshiped him , saying , master , if thou wilt thou canst make me clean . 3. and iesus putting forth his hand touched him saying , i will be thou clean , and immediately his leprosie was cleansed . a very little am i able to say , and besides it is late ( for it was very neer night ) this day is a day of fasting and prayer for many causes , and one is for the many sicknesses , and deaths among us , and this text doth shew us the best physitian in the world , and the best way of curing all diseases . christ is the great physitian , he healed many when he was on earth , and he healed this leper . this sick man came to christ and worshipped him and confessed his power to heal him if he would , which confession of his was so pleasing to christ , as that he presently touched him and healed him . so let us this day cry to christ , and worship him , and if we do it in faith then he will heal us . again , god doth chastise us with raine , and spoyleth our corn , and hay , but let us take he●…d that in our hearts we be not angry at god , for god is righteous , and we are sinners , let us be angry at our sins , and repent this day , and goe to christ as this man did , and then he will blesse us . postscript . upon these exercises i will animadvert a little . these things argue a good favor of spirituall things in the speaker , and here is spirituall food for the hearer . i doe know assuredly that many godly and savory matters , and passages have slipped from me , and these expressions are but a little of a great deale . i know not that i have added any matter , which they spake not , but have let slip , much which they spake . i have cloathed it with our english idiom which is the greatest difference which i have knowingly made , but their idiom to them is , as ours is to us . they have none of the scriptures printed in their own language , save genesis , and matthew , and a few psalmes in meeter , and i blesse the lord they have so much , and such as see these notes may easily observe that they read them , and improve them , which putteth my soule into an earnest longing that they might have more zeal . i blesse the lord , that the whole book of god is translated into their own language , it wanteth but revising , transcribing , and printing . oh that the lord would so move , that by some means or other it may be printed . some helps for the indians shewing them how to improve their natural reason , to know the true god , and the true christian religion . 1. by leading them to see the divine authority of the scriptures . 2. by the scriptures the divine truths necessary to eternall salvation . undertaken at the motion , and published by the order of the commissioners of the united colonies . by abraham peirson . examined and approved by thomas stanton interpreter-generall to the united colonies for the indian language , and by some others of the most able interpreters amongst us . london , printed by m. simmons , 1659. to the reader . who have occasion to make use of this book , may please to observe , that the accute or long accent thus noted ( á ) signifies that the syllable over which it is placed is to be pronounced long , the rest of the words be short , till the like , or a circumflex do regulate the sillables following . words of two sillables most frequently be not accented at all , being commonly of equal measure , and hardly mispronounced . also , sundry times the prepositions in , with , for from by , &c. be set after the substantives in the indian and before them in the english , that so no harshnesse ( this caution remembred ) may sound in either . likewise sometime a phrase is used in the indian , which word for word can hardly be rendred in the english ; but then , and ever , care is had that in every sentence , and within the limits of every stop , the indian doth truly answer the english. the lord pardon , accept , and give successe , that this may be an help towards the spiritual good of indiansouls . so prayes a. p. some helps for the indians , shewing them how to improve their natural reason to know the only true god , and the true christian religion . first by leading them to see the divine authority of the scriptures secondly by the scriptures the divine truths necessary to eternall salvation . question how prove you that there is a god ? answer . from the universal and constant agreement of all nations , and persons in the world , who are not void of right reason and humanity . for the things which are grounded upon particular mens fancies and opinions are not acknowledged of all men , and are often changed but this notion that there is a god is common to all men , nor is it changed by the changes of times ; therefore it must ar●…e from some light , which is common to all men , and that light must be either from tradition which hath flowed from the first parents of mankind to all their p●…sterity from age to age who would notlye to the●…rchildren in a matter of so great importance ; or from an inward light implanted in the minds of all men by himself . and that such a light is in every man naturally appeareth by the feares that are in all men when they have done that which they know to be evill , though no man knoweth and upon extraordinary accidents , as thunder , earthquakes , sights in the aire , blazing stars , &c. which shewes that they know there is a power above the creatures , though they see him not , who will punish sin , and can do it when he will , and this is secondly , from the beginning of all things . that have a dependant being . for the things which had a beginning could not be cause of their own being , for that wh●…ch is not cannot act , nor could any thing be before it was therefore it must have its beginning from some other cause which is without beginning and therefore the first being and efficient cause of all other being . there was a first man , and a fi●…st woman and a first in every kind of living creatures , but that fi●…st man and woman those first of all kinds living creatures could not make themselves therefore there was a fi●…st being , which absolute and independent and rests upon nothing that was before them all , and made them all , and upon whom all other beings depend . and this is how can you know that there is a god , seeing you never saw him , nor can see him ? i know i have a reasonable soul , though i never saw it , nor can see it . the soul were not a spirituall substance if it could be seen with bodily eyes , and so no soul in like manner were not a spirit if he could be seen with bodily eyes and so no god. but no man can fully know gods nature , therefore no god ? it followeth not for an 〈◊〉 nature cannot fully understand the things of an higher and more excellent nature , then it self . beasts cannot understand what man is , much lesse how to plant and ●…overn common-weales or to become learned or sayl over the seas , &c. for these things exceed their capacities in like manner man seeing himselfe to be made of a more noble nature then beasts , and that not of him selfe , must ●…eeds inferre that he who made him superiour to beasts , he no lesse above man , th●…n man is above beasts ; and therefore that the full knowledge of his nature exceeds mans capacity . are there many gods ? or is there but one true god ? there are not many gods , there is only one true god. how do you prove that there is but one true god ? because the reason why singular things of the same kind are multiplyed is not to be sound in the nature of for the reason why such like things are multiplyed is from the fruitfulnesse of their causes : but hath no cause of his being , but is of himself therefore he is one . 2. because singular things of the same kind when they are multiplyed , are differenced among them selves by their singular properties ; but there cannot be found another god differenced from this by any such like propertyes . 3. because its proper to god to do whatsoever he willeth ; if there were many gods they might will contrary things , and one might be hindred by another , so that he could not do what he would , which can not stand with the omnipotency and nature of god. but may there not be many gods : yet so that one o●… the chiefest and greatest of all ? no , because the first being must be absolutely supreame because he dependeth upon nothing , he rests not upon any person but is alsufficient to him selfe and to all things ; and all things depend upon him that which is not absolutely chiefest and above all cannot be god. 2. because the essentiall properties of god are such as cannot be given to any more then one . what are those properties which are peculiar to god alone ? there are many i shall instance in three which include the rest . 1. that all perfections are in him originally , and eminently as in the first cause , from which heaven and earth and all things in them receive what soever good they have that all perfection are in infinitely the reason why the being and goodnesse of all creatures is limmitted is because the cause whereby they exist hath communicated so much to them and no more , and hath made them capable of so much and no more , but receiveth not any thing from another , but is a spirit living in him selfe , or of himself therefore god is not limmitted his strength is infinite whatsoever he willeth he doeth in heaven and earth his knowledge is infinite he knoweth all things ; he heareth all the words , and he seeth all the works of all men in all the world his goodnesse is infinite he is exceedingly good , he goes beyond all in goodnesse he doth good towards all creatures , the presence of god is infinite , he is every where in all the world filling all places , and goes not from place to place , as doth the creatures his life is infinite , he is eternal , without beginning , and without end . 3. that the true god is perfectly blessed in himselfe , alsufficient of himself , he needs not supply from an other , for , 1. he knowes all things at once and together in all the world , without discourse by the infinitenesse of his essence . 2. he willeth most freely whatsoever is good , and so perfectly that whatsoever he willeth is good so farre as he willeth it , and because he willeth it , for is simply and infinitely good . how do you prove that heaven and earth , and all things in them have the originall of their being from this followeth from what was said before , for we have proved that god hath his being of himselfe , and is but one : therefore all postcirpt . there might have been much more printed , concerning the progresse of this work amongst the indians , certified in other letters sent from new-england , which would be too tedious to insert , only the corporation established here think fit , that the following certificate lately received ( which gives an account what proficiency two of the indians now at the university in new-england have made in their learning ) be printed , which is as followeth ( viz. ) august 18. 1658. these are to testifie to all men to whom these presents may come , that two of the indians that are trained up at the grammer-schoole in cambridge of new-england , whose names were caleb and ioel , were called forth upon tryall at the publick commencement before the magistrates and elders , and in the face of the country , and thereupon very little warning gave good contentment ( for their time ) to them that were present , being examined by the praesident of the colledge in turning a part of a chapter in isaiah into latine , and shewing the construction of it so that they gave great hope for the future of their perfecting . witnesse charles chauncy , praesident of harvard colledge , in cambridge . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a39225-e160 psal. 67. 3. 5. psal. 22 , 27. 98. 3. dan. 2. 35. isa. 2. 18. zeph 2. 11. hag. 2. 7. 1 king. 19. 11 , 12 , 13. act. 2. 2. isa. 19 18. isa. 44. 5. prov. 3 9. numb 15 19. isa ●…0 . 9. isa. 23. ●…8 . 1 tim. 6. 17 , 18 , 19. 1 chron. 29. 14. nehem. 4. 6. exod. 35. 5. brierwood de ●…ummis indaeorum cap. 6 mark 16. 20. act. 14. 3. heb. 2. 4. 1 cor. 2. 9 , 10 gal. 1. 12. matth. 16. 17. aristot. ethic. l. 1 c. 1. nulla gens est neque tam immantueta , neque tam fera , q●ae non , etiamsi ignoret qu●lem habe re deum deceat , tamen habendum sciat . cicero de legibus , lib. 1. deum agnoscis ex operibus ejus tuscul . qu. q 1. nulla gens iā fera , nemo omnium tam immanis , cujus me●em non imbuerit dei opinio . ibid. senec ep. 118. a pluto in phaedro , e● apud plutarch consolat ad apollon cicero de senectute . senec. epist. 118. consolat ad ●●●b c. 28. b iuvenal . tertull. lib. de testimonio animae . ioh. 12. 31. 16 11. 2 cor. 4. 4. heb 7. 2. 1 j●…h 3 8. rom. 9 5. act. 14. 15. rom. 2. 14 , 15 rom. 1. 29 , 30. 3. 9. rom. 1. 32. 〈◊〉 acts 16. 30. 1 pet. 1. 8. rom. 15. 13. 2 tim. 1. 12. notes for div a39225-e2210 conecticot is about 100 miles up in the country . notes for div a39225-e2830 * mr mayhew was cast away ceming over from new-england , with an indian who was a preacher amongst the indians . notes for div a39225-e4930 poshshe airenamàwetouwúngash wutche eànsketámbawg , okkekôod : múnganâuwaus ten auwórchan nêjek ▪ arumbàuwe penauwuawunk wauhéan webe waugh wauwérhummat mando jehovah , quah wérramâuwe christianâuwe routàsowank . negónne spe pummóoawariánau nejekkenâwmen màndowe tóuhkretássowunk wutche god wuskwhégansh . néeseetetâuwe spe god wuskwhégansh màndowâious wérramauwúngansh queraûhikkamuks re michéme kejâhiitawunk . notes for div a39225-e5050 náttoohtemâuwetoowunk . toohgôdje korâmen neh átta mandouh anasquetâuweten . wutche wéwinnakommuk quah yeiache wérrawâwunk wutche wame arkèes , quah skeetambâwg mittâuhkuk terre , owwànnak matta sâuwai●…óguk wutche sompâio penauwáwuk quah renôowunk . wutche ai akqusiks chawgwunsh wekakontamooawk skeje nanseêawk rénwawk róytammoúngansh quah wàtramawóytammoungansh matta wérramattaućomunks wutche wame rènawawk , quah wegonje àssowunnamanôosh : webe ( youheôy●…ámmoouk ) neh mandoo nànnarwee re wâme rènawawk matta àssowúnu●… ôoanas spe assowunnàmoúngansh quompaious ; règouche youh paughke môuche songème wutche chawgun nowèta weq●…-ai , teou nannarwe re wame ●…ènnawnwk , quah youh wequa-ai pahke mouche nukqúddee wutche af-hittewunk wutche pommochawàshst âuwus wutche negon●…k oushwâwog 〈◊〉 wamenej●…k wúttansewú●…gannooawk wutche àntseunganak , re àntsúnganak , ouwànnak matta pèpetruwâgup re n úkkrasloowúnganòas ●…ame ischâuwúnganak terre wu●…chio rio shaiô shàramanw●…ganak ; ux wutche ramiô●…k w●…quàai ramekèzekekózzo ramee útteoitúmmooúnganoo wutche wame rènnawawk spe jehovah nagum . quah neh nenar wequàai útteamopètànguanau wáme nènnawawk renámpatiwe ; mouskème spe wèz-sassawungansh teous útteampè ánguanau wame rénnawawk pókkatche rehit chawgun waughtassoowawk matchr●…éwunk , mukko renna matta waughtamn●…óin , quah skeje chechége móncharawanùnguotush a hárrêmuks , arra páddaquáhhum , quequansh , n ázzenúnguottush késesuk terre , squárrug arráksak , &c. youh kakkoodumchàmo neh nejek wautânnau mouche milkissoowunk ausin keizhittishànnuk , mukko matta naûwah , ouwun bitch arroutaûtak matcheréwunk , quah óm uttrên hanrúkkeque roytak . quali youh mutche god jehovah . nézetataûwe , waske noujàiitch wame aiakquiiks , teous uttahhênau rambatsen pummaiawunk . wutche aiak quiiks teous noujaiiggishhansh , matta hom wâje pummaiawúnganoo , wutche ne matta pummaynook matta hom rémanoo chaugun , matta hom chaugun pummâio , askam pummây nóshan , newutche paughke [ môuchh ] outàhhèamo noujaiewunk wutche chaugun nowéta perrewawhjaioohittit teou matta outchinoh , [ mehchu noujaiewunk ] quah nè-wutche negonne pummayawunk quah kezhúwan waje wutche wame unkatagganakpum mayawúngansh . moh negônne ren , quah negônne kèrequabus , quah negónn rame wame achabwehittawunk wutche púmpamantajek kezhittshaunak , webe youh negônne ren quah kerequâbus , quah yôujek negonnijek wutche wame attchabrehittewúngansh púmpamantejek kezhittishanák matta hom kezhúwáwk hogg●…ûwâwwo : negáuche moh negonne pummâyhuad , youh sunkaio [ sambió ] quah webe negamo t●…e wutchaiô . quah matta chetamssennómanah chaugun , nôh moh a kam wâme nejek , quah kezhûw ushan wanne wame , quah skeje youh wame kat●…ággansh pummáyawúgansh korchetámsenak . quah youh atta god jehovah . notes for div a39225-e5730 ob : ten hôn kuttawáuhtaun ne atta mando maetax kekenâuwah , matta hôm nauwo ? an. nouwáuhtâun no wadjânaman penaunâuwe mittachonkq , mukko matta ne nauwah matta hôm nauwo . mittachonkq matta hom rasha wrándowe pummâyawunk hôm naü wit spe hoggâuwe skesuks , quáh riò matta oútachonq . rio god matta rashauwandoo , om naû wit spe hoggâuwe skesuks ; quah rio matta mando . notes for div a39225-e5870 ob : webe ma●…a howan nowêta hom tabâre wauhtawn iehovah rièwunk [ arándvit ] nègouche matta mando ? an. youh matta nôskommôena●… , wutche wómarremúgge●…ee arrumâuit hommattátabaie wâuhtawn aiakquiiks wutche sháramúggesee quah arwenúngesc●… arrumbaûit , aûse nágamo hoggunk . oppishshamok hommatta wauhtàuóunau chawgun ren atta share okkóssisse ten réokkechan , quah soudamotâuôan kortasoôdomoúngansh ; ux koodamanchan wnskwhaganakre , ux seboghómman akkómmuk kathans , &c. wutche yous aiakquiiks [ remuks ] árrookawáuwáunk nejek waúhtamma wúnganoo rio ren nauwun ewo hoggakezhean wutche arwenúguot arrumbâuwunk aûsinre oppishimmok , quah youh matta wutche nagum hogga , pauhke moushe pakadoowun ne hôwan kezhuwus uwâio arrôokawah oppishim , ewo ausinre arrôokawah renôok arra ren arrôokawant oppishshim ; quah nègouche ne tabâio wauhtawunk wutche uwio arrándoit [ árrumàuwunk ] âusin errôokawah renna kitchshantàmmoowunk . notes for div a39225-e6120 q. shâraog mandóak ? ux webe àtta papâsaguun wah wèrramat iehovah ? an. matta sharáou mandoak , atta webe pâsuk wah wérremat mando jehovah . notes for div a39225-e6210 q. to gouje korámen n●… webe pâsuk wah werremat iehovah ? an. wutche waiâiewunk tohódje nansâiewok aiakquiiks wútche anséjekmuche nenar kokkôodishah●…awk matta misskommauwaûoân râme àrumbâuwunk arándoit ] wutche god ; wuche wajâiewunk tohodje arsôauk aiakquiiks kokkôodishhéauk atta wutche hokkissègowunk wutche wajaiwunganooas : webe god matta ou●…āhe wajâiewunk wutche uwâio pummaîewunk , webe wutche nagum hogga negôuche papasaqun . newutche nansâioaks aiàkquiiks wutche nenar ârak nantséjek kokkoodrishshahettit , àchabissohèawawk yarâu we nàgamáuwo hoggâuwo weêche nejek nanseas artumbauhittaw úngansh webe muche hom matta skôwah , unkatak mando achabizhéan wutche yôuh spe chawgunsh arrâious àchabissewûngansh [ arrambâmuks . nèwutche webe mohtantammim re jehovah u●…èein hanharroytaks , hom sharehit mandoak hom ópperrewórrantammock , quah nejek hom wowotamhittawawk rêan chawgun rio matta hom re kaddauwe●…èatteou hom matta toukranah weeche wame keiztauwunganuk quah arrandoit jehovah . notes for div a39225-e6510 ob. webe hom matta sháraog màndoak : narraio ne pasuk negónquassik quah oussewe kerik wutche wame ? an. matta , wutshe negōnne pummáyhuad pauke mutche nagamo utse oúsewe quonûnguoso [ sqonguoso wutche matta rambátsênno chawgun , muche matta howán●… kachetamsenno webe wame tabbaio re nagamo hogga quah wame r●… aiakquiiks ; quah wame aiak quiiks rambats'nnétankq ' chawgun nowéta matta nagámo uts●… negónquasik quah árroukásso wame matta hom jehovah . wutche mándowâious pummáyaûwous árwe , nunquesoûngansh jehovah nearrious ar matta hom me●…ittonoush unkatágganak re ause pasuk . notes for div a39225-e6700 qu. chaugunsh yous arwenunguesonngansh teous moutantamminoush iehovah webe i se ? an. pha●…itchch ' nen swanch mishom teous minnamok unka●…ággansh . neh wame arwénunquesoúngansh uttámous rame ewo negónne , quah wuna shi auwe a●…h ' rame negónne wajáiewunk , ten wutche kesukq ' quah ôhke quah wáme ajak quiiks rame nejek uttúmmonúmmok nauweta châwgun warréguk uttáhéhit neh wame àrwejanúnguesoúngansh uttámous rame jehovah wame árroukawáwe wajàiewunk to hodi●… pummáyawunk quah wurrégowunk wutche wame kei higwushánnak sachwhúngankâuwo , atta wutche waiiewund spe teou poummàiomúauk maugamous youche re neiek quah matta wunk , quah kei-heous neiek tabe àttumminúmmin youche quah matta wunk , webe jehovah matta attumminúmmo chawgun w●…tche 〈◊〉 , webe rashshâuunk pómpemantammin nagamo ewo terre , ux nagamo utse negauche jehovah matta sachwhúngankâuwo ewo milkissewunk wame arrôukassómo hanharróytaks útteréen kesukuk quah okkêak-ter●…e ewo wéwaughtâuwunk wame arrôukassomo waugltaun wame aiakquiiks ; padak wame ruwâuwungansh , quah wonaumen wame reúngansh wutche wame renouh warne mittâukuk terre , ouraiéwunk wame arrókassó no oussewe werrego , arrôukan wame wahwó●…regewúnganak terre wauhwérrerêat rak'que wame keisheaus-h●…nnak , taûterêit jehovah wame arrôukâssómo wampsin wame mittauk remássen wame ahapúmmuks , quah matta ahàntse aú , arra rehit keizhittishánnak uppomantammewunk wame arroùk assòmo , ewo muche micheme , m●…tta nenóuj aious , quah matta éakquino . neh wauh wérramat mand●…uh muche ●…onks waûwerrehea nâgamo utse , wame tabaio nâgamo utse , matta querâuhik quo áirananamàmauetounk paiu wutche , wutche , waughtunk wame aiakquiiks , passukutte quah nàppe wawa mittâukuk terre , matta keketokaúanak terre , spe wame arroukawaúwunk wutche ●…wo pummayawuk . wórrantámmo oùssewe narraûwe chawgun nowêta warréguk , quah asonkkaioùwe neh chawgun werrantámmo muche warreguk , rikqueque arróytak , quah wutche warrantámmen , wutche jehovah saioo quah wame-arrôukowauwe werrego . notes for div a39225-e7260 q. ten hom wutche korámen neh kesuk quàh ôhk●… , quah wame aiakquiiks rame nejek out âhhenau noujiewunk wutche nejek pummayawungano wutche iehovah ? an. yowh nôskonsómo wutche chawgun arwamacup negónne , wutche nôrramananas neh jehovah uttahe ewo pummâyawunk nagamo utse , quah webe pasuk : negauche wame the glorious progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new england manifested by three letters under the hand of that famous instrument of the lord, mr. john eliot, and another from mr. thomas mayhew, jun., both preachers of the word, as well to the english as indians in new england ... : together with an appendix to the foregoing letters, holding forth conjectures, observations, and applications, by i.d. ... / published by edward winslow. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a66681 of text r12394 in the english short title catalog (wing w3036). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 73 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 19 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a66681 wing w3036 estc r12394 12646794 ocm 12646794 65159 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a66681) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 65159) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 338:19) the glorious progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new england manifested by three letters under the hand of that famous instrument of the lord, mr. john eliot, and another from mr. thomas mayhew, jun., both preachers of the word, as well to the english as indians in new england ... : together with an appendix to the foregoing letters, holding forth conjectures, observations, and applications, by i.d. ... / published by edward winslow. winslow, edward, 1595-1655. i. d., minister of the gospell. mayhew, thomas, 1621-1657. eliot, john, 1604-1690. [36] p. printed for hannah allen ..., london : 1649. the fourth of a series of 11 pamphlets, commonly known as the "eliot tracts," published in london from 1643 to 1671. reproduction of original in yale university library. marginal notes. eng indians of north america -history -colonial period, ca. 1600-1775. massachuset indians -missions. a66681 r12394 (wing w3036). civilwar no the glorious progress of the gospel, amongst the indians in new england. manifested by three letters, under the hand of that famous instrume [no entry] 1649 13874 29 0 0 0 0 0 21 c the rate of 21 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-05 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2003-05 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-06 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the glorious progress of the gospel , amongst the indians in new england . manifested by three letters , under the hand of that famous instrument of the lord mr. john eliot , and another from mr. thomas mayhew jun : both preachers of the word , as well to the english as indians in new england . wherein the riches of gods grace in the effectuall calling of many of them is cleared up : as also a manifestation of the hungring desires of many people in sundry parts of that country after the more full revelation of the gospel of iesus christ , to the exceeding consolation of every christian reader . together , with an appendix to the foregoing letters , holding forth conjectures , observations , and applications . by i. d. minister of the gospell . published by edward winslow mal. i. ii. from the rising of the sun , even unto the going down of the same , my name shall be great among the gentiles , and in every place incence shall be offered unto my name , and a pure offering ; for my name shall be great among the heathen , saith the lord of hosts . london . printed for hannah allen in popes-head-alley . 1649. to the right honourable the parliament of england and the councell of state . right honourable , that former narative called , the clear sunshine of the gospel , breaking forth upon the indians in new england ; dedicated to your honours by divers reverend and eminent ministers of the gospell in and about the city of london , found such acceptance in your house , as it begat a debate amongst your selves , how the parliament of england might be serviceable to the lord jesus , to help forward such a work begun ; which conduced so abundantly to the glory of god , and good of men in the salvation of their soules . and in order thereunto your honours were pleased to refer it to the committee of forraign plantations , to prepare and bring in an ordinance for the encouragement and advancement of learning and piety in new england , as appeareth by your order march 17. 1647. this honourable committee with great readiness and chearfulness took it into their serious consideration , and presented the result of their mature debates to this honourable house : but so many and weighty have been the occasions and businesses of the house , that however the nature of the work and my duty ( being appointed agent though unworthy ) on the behalf of new-england to this parliament : yet durst not presse too hard to interrupt the great affaires your honours have been in hand withall . nevertheles , i do now crave leave , humbly to acquaint you , that what was then judged deficient in the power granted to the feoffees in that ordinance , is since corrected and amended , and attendeth your honours leisure for compleating and finishing the same . undoubtedly the common enemy of mans salvation hath rejoyced that this work so happily begun , hath not as yet received that countenance and encouragement from hence , which your honours intended and resolved many months since . nevertheles , i trust the most wise god hath turned this appearing losse into gaine , by affording your honours and the nation a more clear account of the reall and glorious progres of the gospel among those poor indians in america , by such intelligence i very lately received from thence , under the hands of those reverend & learned ministers , which are principally employed in preaching the gospel to them in their own language . and as i am daily and earnestly called upon to publish the same , that the whole nation may be acquainted therewith : so i took it to be my duty to present it in the first place to this honourable house , and the councel of state ; that your honours might perceive how these poor creatures cry out for help ; oh come unto us , teach us the knowledge of god , tarry longer with us , come and dwell amongst us , at least depart not so soon from us . and others of them whose dwellings are near the habitations of the english , ( whose hearts god hath touched ) calling for and demanding a free and full participation of all the ordinances of jesus christ all which , and much more is evidently held forth in the following narrative , which i have with all faithfulnes collected and transcribed , according as i received the same from persons that were actors therein , and are of known integrity . there are two great questions right honourable , which have much troubled ancient and modern writers , and men of greatest depth and ability to resolve : the first , what became of the ten tribes of israel , that were carried into captivity by the king of siria , when their own countrey and cities were planted and filled with strangers ? the second is , what family , tribe , kindred , or people it was that first planted , and afterwards filled that vast and long unknown countrey of america ? now however i confesse questions are sooner asked then resolved ; yet let me ac●…uaint your honors , that a godly minister of this city writing to rabbi-ben-israel , a great dr. of the jewes , now living at amsterdam , to know whether after all their labor , travells , and most diligent enquiry , they did yet know what was become of the ten tribes of israel ? his answer was to this effect , if not in these words , that they were certainly transported into america , and that they had infallible tokens of their being there . unto which if i may take the boldnesse to adde what my self , with many others in new england have observed in the practice of the indians there , in relation to some things enjoyned in the ceremoniall law of moses , about the purification of weomen , which no men at this day do observe , no●… beside the jewes were ever known in that strictness to observe , as these indians there daily do : as also if the principles of the most grave and sober amongst them , not only in reference to a deity , the soule of man , the immortality of the soule , and an eternity after death in happines or misery ; but also their manifold daily expressions , bewailing the losse of that knowledge their ancestors had about god , and the way of his worship ; the general deluge , and of one man only that ever saw god , which they hold forth to be a long time since , ( even with the greatest expression of length of time that may be ) which certainly i believe to be moses . as also if many other circumstances well known to many , ( but not fit to be at large expressed in any epistle ) be duly considered , it is not lesse probable that these indians should come from the stock of abraham , then any other nation this day known in the world : especially considering the juncture of time wherein god hath opened their hearts to enter tain the gospel , being so nigh the very years , in which many eminent and learned divines , have from scripture grounds , according to their apprehensions foretold the conversion of the iewes . however right honourable , the work of communicating and encreasing the light of the gospel is glorious in reference to iewes & gentiles . and as god hath set a signall marke of his presence upon your assembly , in strengthning your hands to redeem and preserve the civill rights of the common-weale : so doubtlesse may it be a comfortable support to your honours in any future difficulties , to contemplate , that as the lord offered you ( in this designe ) an happy opportunity to enlarge and advance the territories of his sonnes kingdom : so he hath not denyed you ( as i am confident he will not ) an heart to improve the same ; and in as much as lies in you to make all the nations of the earth , the kingdoms of the lord , and of his christ ; that so your honours may still preserve your interest in his favour , which is and shall be the prayers of your honours most humble servant , edward winslow . the glorious progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england , in the year of our lord , 1646. it seemed good to the most high god , to stirre up some reverend ministers of the gospel in new-england , to consider how they might be serviceable to the lord jesus , as well towards the natives of that countrey , ( as to their owne congregations and churches , over which the lord had set them ) in bringing them to a right understanding of god and hemselves ; and so by degrees to hold forth unto them that salvation by jesus christ to all that should beleeve and obey his commands ; perswading themselves , that god might have a select people amongst these heathens , and that for that end amongst many others he had planted so many christian congregations so neer them . and however the english were not wholly negligent this way , but had in sundry parts of the countrey long before brought divers to a pretty competency of right understanding in the mystery of salvation , who lived orderly , and dyed hopefully ; yet till such time as they were more generally acquainted with our conversation amongst our selves , and with our demeanor towards them , as well in peace , as in such warres they had unavoidably drawn upon themselves ; whereby they had such experience of the justice , prudence , valour , temperance , and righteousnesse of the english , as did not onely remove their former jealousies and feares concerning us , and convict them of their owne uneven walking ; but begat a good opinion of our persons , and caused them to affect our laws and government . till now ( together with the want of language ) we had but some few that were wrought upon ; but in this acceptable year of the lord , ( being it seems the appointed season for their visitation ) god having stirred up these ministers to seek a blessing upon their endeavours , and direct them in a right way ; they found the answer of their prayers by the good acceptation they had amongst the poore indians where they first went , &c. who soon became in love also with our religion , and mightily hungred and thirsted after the knowledge of god in christ , as was published and made apparant to this nation by a short treatise , called , the day-breaking , if not the sun-rising of the gospel with the indians in new-england . in the year 1647. being here upon some speciall service for the countrey , letters came to my hands with some papers from mr. tho. shepard , pastor of the church at cambridge there , which held forth a greater warmth of heavenly heat upon their ( former frozen ) spirits ; which i communicated to some eminent ministers of and neere the city of london ; viz. mr. marshall , mr. downham , mr. thomas goodwin , mr. whitaker , mr. nye , mr. case , mr. galamy , mr. sydrack simpson , mr. ash , mr. greenhill , mr. carter , and mr. bolton : and such was the esteem these reverend men had of it , as by two severall epistles under their hands they recommended it to the parliament of england , as a thing worthy their notice , care , and furtherance : and secondly , to the godly and well-affected of this nation , who pray for , and rejoyce in the thrivings of the gospel of our lord jesus . this narrative was also published , and called , the clear sun-shine of the gospel breaking forth upon the indians in new-england . in the year 1648. our letters miscarried many of them , in that the ship that brought them was taken by the prince of wales , to the countries great prejudice , as well as many other vessels and their lading formerly ; by which miscarriage i was wholly hindred from giving any further account till this instant , 1649. and now having received some letters , and others brought to me by divers of quality here residing at present , that appertaine to new-england ; and being exceedingly pressed to publish them by many godly and well-affected of the city and parts adjacent , i shall by gods help publish them all , or so many of them as concernes the indian work ; and if any doubt my faithfulnesse herein , ( as i hope none will that know me ) i shall most willingly shew them the originalls themselves . and before i come to this years letters , i received from mr. eliot , shall begin with one came to my hands , ( dated nov. 1647. ) after the last treatise was put out . and i the rather take this course , lest the young man should be discouraged in his labours so hopefully begun ; his name is mr. mayhew , who teacheth the word both to english and indians upon an ' island called formerly capawack , by us morthas vineyard , by which you may see 't is not one minister alone that laboureth in this great work : his letter followeth : sir , the encouragements i met withall touching the indians conversion , next unto gods glory , and his gracious promises was , the notable reason , judgement , and capacitie that god hath given unto many of them ; as also their zealous enquiring after true happinesse , together with the knowledge i had of their tongue , besides severall providences which hath advantaged my progresse therein ; as for instance : 1. there was one ieogiscat about 60. years of age , who was sick of a consuming disease , insomuch as the indian pawwawes gave him over for a dead man : upon which resolution of all the * pawwawes in the island , the sick distressed heathen upon a lords day came unto mee ( the rest of the english being then present ) to desire me to pray unto god for him : and so when i had by reasoning with him convinced him of the weaknesse and wickednesse of the pawwaws power ; and that if health were to be found , it must be had from him that gave life , and breath , and all things ; i commended this case unto the lord , whereof he rejoyced , gave me thanks , and he speedily recovered unto his former strength . 2. in this present year 1647. the eldest sonne of one vakapenessue , a great sagamore of the island , being very sick , took occasion to send for me to come unto him ; and when i came unto him , i found him not more weak in body , then strong in earnest desires , that i should pray unto god for him ; so i instructed him , and prayed for him : and when i had ended , of his own accord he spake these words , taubot mannit nu●… quam cowin . viz. i thank thee god , i am heavy to sleep ; and so i left him holding forth good affections : but shortly after he was changed altogether , and contrary to the perswasion of other indians of severall townes , sought againe unto witches . the heathen seeing this , they forsook the * wigwam , saying , we leave the house for the devill and them that would tarry . this newes being brought me , i much mervailed thereat , yet sent him this message , viz. tell saul : ( for the sick man was by the english so called ) that when i was with him , i thought as then i told him , that he would live , because he sought for life unto the living god , where if anywhere it was to be found : but tell him now , that i think he will dye . i also added the example of ahaziah , who because he had the knowledge of the great god , and sought unto an inferiour god ; god was angry with him , and killed him : and so for that this saul was informed of the true god , and is fallen from him to the earthen gods here below ; that god will kill him also ; and so it shortly came to passe . 3. not long after a * sagamore , called , towanquattick ; had his eldest sonne , whose name is sachachanimo , very sick of a feaver ; this young man sent for me to come unto him ; and when i came , his father and himself desired me to pray for him , the which i did in their owne language , and promised to come againe unto him very shortly , if he mended not , and use some other meanes also for his recovery : when i came againe unto him , i found him very ill , asked him ( together with his friends ) whether they were willing i should let him blood ? acquainting them that we used so to do in such cases . after some consideration , they consented thereunto , notwithstanding the pawwaws had told them before , that he should dye , because he sought not unto them : so i bound his arme , and with my pen-knife let him blood ; he bled freely , but was exceeding faint , which made the heathen very sad ; but in a short time , he begun to be very cheerfull , whereat they much rejoyced , &c. so i left them , and it pleased the lord the man was in a short time after very well . in these providences the lord hath manifested both mercy and judgement , and it is , that he may raise up the tabernacle of david that is fallen , and close up the breaches thereof , and raise up its ruines , and build it as in the dayes of old , that they may possesse the covenant of edom , and of all the heathen which are called by my name , saith the lord that doth this . but i pray you take notice of a speech of towanquatticks ( beingthe father of the young man recovered ) who lamenting the losse of their knowledge said unto me , * that a long time agon , they had wise men , which in a grave manner taught the people knowlege , but they are dead , and their wisedome is buried with them : and now men live a giddy life in ignorance till they are white headed , and though ripe in yeares , yet then they go without wisedom unto their graves . he also told me ; that he wondred the english should be almost thirty yeers in the country , and the indians fools still ; but he hoped that the time of knowledge was now come ; wherefore himself with others desired me to give them an indian meeting , to make known the word of god unto them in their own tongue . and when he came to me to accomplish his desire thereabout , he told me , that * i should be to them , as one that stands by a running river , filling many vessels : even so should i fill them with everlasting knowledge . so i undertook to give them a meeting once a moneth ; but as soon as the first exercise was ended , they desired it oftner then i could well attend : but once a fortnight is our setled course . this i present to your consideration ; entreating you to present us unto the lord for wisedom , to preach unto the heathen the unsearchable riches of christ , that so the root of iesse standing for an ensigne of the people , the gentiles may seek unto it , and his rest shall be glorious , amen . great harbour in the vineyard 18. of the 9. 1647. yours in the best bonds tho. mahew , junior . in the next place , i shall present you with some letters of that painfull yet unwearied minister of the gospel , mr. john eliot , who notwithstanding his faithfull labours in teaching that church or congregation of the english , over which the lord hath set him at roxbury in the government of the massachusets , yet taketh all occasions , ( neglecting no opportunity , whether more remote , or neere at hand ) to advance the glory of god , in calling those poor heathen to the saving knowledge of iesus christ , and satisfying those hungry soules by administring the bread of life unto them : and however i cannot give you his first large letter ( as he tearmes it ) being sent by way of spaine , and by that meanes not yet come to my hands , yet take his second in his own words , which will minister abundance of sweet consolation to every christian reader , that god should in these latter times so magnifie his glorious grace in extending his everlasting mercies to those poor naked indians . his letter followeth . worthy sir , your cordiall and faithfull endeavours , &c. i am bold now by the way of virginia , to trouble you with a few lines , to expresse the thankfulnesse of my heart unto you , for that one part of your care , love , and labour in furthering this work of preaching christ to these poor indians , and declaring to them the way of eternall life and salvation ; which work i blesse the lord goeth on not without successe , beyond the ability of the instruments : it is the lord , the lord only who doth speak to the hearts of men , and he can speak to theirs , and doth , ( blessed be his name ) so effectually , that one of them i beleeve verilyis gone to the lord ; a * woman , who though she was not the first that came into the knowledge of christ and the gospel , yet she was the first of ripe yeares that hath dyed since i taught them the way of salvation by jesus christ , and the onely one . and though of the living i will not say much , yet of the dead i may freely speak ; after i began to preach unto them , her husband and she did quickly come in ; and after she came , she was a diligent hearer ; and out of desire to live where the word of god was taught , they fetched all the corne they spent , sixteen miles upon their backs from the place of their planting : she was industrious , and did not goe about to english houses a begging , as sundry doe , ( though it is well reformed now with many of them ) but kept home , kept her children to labour , making baskets to sell , &c. she quickly learned to spin well ( for i got some wheels , but want meanes to supply them and order them . ) her life was blamelesse after she submitted to the gospel , and was exemplary : she was the first woman that asked a question ( by another man propounded for her ) which was this ; when my husband prayeth in his house , my heart think●…th what he prayeth ; whether is this praying to god a right or no ? i thought it a sit question for a woman . she dyed of a sicknesse she took in childbed : i severall times visited her , prayed with her , asked her about her spirituall estate ? she told me she still loved god , though he made her sick , and was resolved to pray unto him so long as she lived , and to refuse powwawing . she said also , that she beleeved god would pardon all her sins , because she beleeved that iesus christ dyed for her ; and that god was well pleased in him , and that she was willing to dye , and beleeved to goe to heaven , and live happy with god and christ there . it may be you may mervell at , and scarce credit such expressions : but they are the points of catechisme which i constantly teach the children ; and the children can very readily answer me in them ; and they be truths now familiarly known by the attentive hearers , whereof she was one . and moreover of her own accord , she called her children to her , especially two up-grown daughters , which she had before she married this man , and said to them , i shall now dye , and when i am dead , your grand-father and grand-mother , and unckles , &c. will send for you to come live amongst them , and promise you great matters , and tell you what pleasant living it is among them ; but doe not beleeve them , and i charge you never hearken unto them , nor live amongst them ; for they pray not to god , keep not the sabbath , commit all manner of sinnes and are not punished for it : but i charge you live here , for here they pray unto god , the word of god is taught , sins are suppressed , and punished by lawes ; and therefore i charge you live here all your dayes . and soon after this she dyed , and it fell out indeed as she had said , for there was earnest sending and soliciting for the maids to live with them : so that the case was propounded to me on a lecture day ; and their father in law opposed it , not only as adjudging it evill , but because of their mothers charge ; and by this meanes i came to know the story . and though they doe , as you know , abhor the remembrance of their dead friends ; yet when i take occasion to speak of her , and my reasons of hope that she is gone to heaven , they entertian it with joy , and sometimes with teares : i have been too tedious in this story , yet i doubt not but it will be acceptable unto you . for the further progresse of the work amongst them , i doe perceive a great impediment ; sundry in the country in divers places would gladly be taught the knowledge of god and iesus christ , and would pray unto god , if i could goe unto them , and teach them where they dwell : but to come to live here among or neer to the english , they are not willing , because they have neither tooles , nor skill , nor heart to fence their grounds ; and if it be not well fenced , their corne is so fpoyled by the english cattell , and the english so loath to restore when they want fence , that its a very great discouragement to them and me ; so that few come to dwell at the neer places where i ordinarily teach , onely some strangers do come to hear , and away again : so that i plainly see , the way to do them good must be this . a place must be found ( both for this and sundry other reasons i can give ) some what remote from the english , where they must have the word constantly caught , and government constantly exercised , meanes of good subsistance provided , incouragements for the industrious , meanes of instructing them in letters , trades , and labours , as building , fishing , flax and hemp dressing , planting orchards , &c. such a project in a fit place , would draw many that are well minded together : but i feare it will be too chargeable , though i see that god delighteth in small beginnings , that his great name may be magnified . few of our southern indians incline this way , onely some of tihtacuit . young ousamequin is an enemy to praying to god , and the old man too wise to look after it . our cutshamoquin hath some subjects in marthas vineyard , and they hearing of his praying to god , some of them doe the like there , with some other ingenious indians , and i have intreated mr. mahew ( the young scholler , son to old mr. mayhew ) who preacheth to the english , to teach them ; and he doth take pains in their language , and teacheth them not without successe , blessed be the lord . and truly i think all the ministers that live neer them should do well to do the like . i have earnestly solicited many so to do , and i hope god will in his time bow their hearts thereunto . but i perceive our western indians up into the inland do more earnestly embrace the gospel . shawanon the great sachym of nashawog doth embrace the gospel , and pray unto god . i have been foure times there this summer , and there be more people by far , then be amongst us ; and sundry of them do gladly hear the word of god , but it is neer 40. miles off , and i can but seldom goe to them ; wherat they are troubled , and desire i should come oftner , and stay longer when i come . there is a great fishing place upon one of the falls of merimack river called pautucket , where is a great confluence of indians every spring , and thither i have gone these two yeares in that season , and intend so to doe the next spring ( if god will . ) such confluences are like faires in england , and a sit season it is to come then unto them , to teach them to know god , and iesus christ , and call upon his name . for whereas there did use to be gaming and much evill at those great meetings , now there is praying to god , and good conference , and observation of the sabbath , by such as are well minded ; and no open prophanesse suffered as i heare of , and my comming amongst them is very acceptable in outward appearance . this last spring i did there meet old papassaconnaway , who is a great sogamore , and hath been a great witch in all mens esteem ( as i suppose your self have often heard ) and a very politick wise man . the last yeare he and all his sonnes fled when i came , pretending feare that we would kill him : but this yeare it pleased god to bow his heart to heare the word ; i preached out of malachi i. 11. which i thus render to them ; from the rising of the sun , to the going down of the same thy name shall be great among the indians , and in every place prayers shall be made to thy name , pure prayers , for thy name shall be great among the indians . whence i shewed them , what mercy god had promised to them ; and that the time was now come wherein the lord did begin to call them to repentance , and to beleeve in christ for the remission of their sins , and to give them an heart to call upon his name , forsaking their former wayes of pawwawing , and praying to the devill , &c. and when i had done preaching , they began to propound questions , and one of them propounded this ; if it be thus as you teach , then all the world of indians are gone to hell to be tormented for ever , untill now a few may goe to heaven and be saved ; is it so ? these principles of a twofold estate after this life , for good and bad people , heaven and hell , i put amongst the first questions that i instruct them in , and catechise the children in ; and they doe readily embrace it for a truth , themselves by their own traditions having some principles of a life after this life , and that good or evill , according to their demeanour in this life . after a good space , this old papassaconnoway speak to this purpose , that indeed he had never prayed unto god as yet , for he had never heard of god before , as now he doth . and he said further , that he did beleeve what i taught them to be true . and for his owne part , he was purposed in his heart from thenceforth to pray unto god , and that hee would perswade all his sonnes to doe the same , pointing at two of them who were there present , and naming such as were absent . his sonnes present , especially his eldest sonne ( who is a * sachim at wadchuset ) gave his willing consent to what his father had promised , and so did the other who was but a youth . and this act of his was not onely a present motion that soon vanished , but a good while after he spake to capt. willard , who tradeth with them in those parts for bever and otter skins , &c. that he would be glad if i would come and live in some place thereabouts to teach them , and that capt. willard would live there also : and that if any good ground or place that hee had would be acceptable to me , he would willingly let me have it . i doe endeavour to engage the sachims of greatest note to accept the gospel , because that doth greatly animate and encourage such as are well-affected , and is a damping to those that are scoffers and opposers ; for many such there be , though they dare not appeare so before me . thus you see by this short intimation , that the sound of the word is spread a great way ; yea , farther then i will speake of ; and it appeareth to me , that the fields begin to look white unto the harvest . oh that the lord would be pleased to raise up many labourers into this harvest ! but it is difficult , not only in respect of the language , but also in respect of their barbarous course of life and poverty ; there is not so much as meat , drink , or lodging for them that go unto them to preach among them , but we must carry all things with us , and somewhat to give unto them : so that the comming of jesus christ into these parts of the world , is not as he formerly came amongst the gentiles , a poore underling , and his servants poore , living upon the gospel where it was accepted among the rich gentiles : but christ will come unto these , rich , potent , above them in learning , riches , and power ; and they shall flock unto the gospel , thereby to receive externall benificence and advancement , as well as spirituall grace and blessings . and thus i bend my selfe to doe to my poor ability : i never go unto them empty , but carry somewhat to distribute among them ; and so likewise when they come unto my house , i am not willing they should go away without some refreshing , neither do i take any gratuity from them unrewarded ; and indeed they doe account , that they have nothing worth the giving unto me ; onely once when i was up in the countrey , a poore creature came to me as i was about to take horse , shaking me by the hand , and with his other hand thrust somthing into my hand , i looked what it was , and it was a penny-worth of * wampom , upon a strawes end ; i seeing so much hearty affection in so small a thing , i kindly accepted , onely inviting him to my house , that i might there shew my love to him . there is another great fishing place about threescore miles from us , whether i intend ( god willing ) to go next spring , which belongeth to the forenamed papassaconnaway ; which journey , though it be like to be both difficult and chargeable for horse and men , in fitting provisions , yet i have sundry reasons which bow and draw my heart therennto . i desire your prayers to the lord for me and for them , that the lord would open my mouth to speak in his name to their understandings , that with their hearts they may embrace that message which from the lord i shall bring unto them . they have no meanes of physick at all , onely make use of pawwawes when they be sick , which makes them loath to give it over : but i finde , by gods blessing , in some meanes used in physick and chyrurgery , they are already convinced of the folly of pawwawing , and easily perswaded to give it over utterly as a sinfull and diabolicall practise : but i much want some wholsome cordialls , and such other medicines as i have here mentioned in the in closed . the indians about us which i constantly teach , do still diligently and desirously attend , and in a good measure practise ( for the outward part of religion , both in their families and sabbaths ) according to their knowledge ; and by degrees come on to labour . i should be over-tedious and troublesome to you to runne into particulars , onely let me give you a taste of their knowledge by their questions , a few whereof i did sometimes set downe , though i have slipped many , and very materiall ones ; these questions being asked at sundry times , and at sundry meetings of the indians . quest . how many good people were in sodome when it was burnt ? i know not how to pray to christ and the spirit , i know a little how to pray to god ? doth the devill dwell in us as we dwell in an house ? when god saith , honour thy father , doth he mean three fathers ? our father , and our sachim , and god . when the soule goes to heaven , what doth it say when it comes there ? and what doth a wicked soule say when it commeth into hell ? if one sleep on the sabbath at meeting , and another awaketh him , and he be angry at it , and say , it s because he is angry with him that he so doth , is not this a sinne ? if any talk of another mans faults , and tell others of it when hee is present to answer , is not that a sinne ? why did christ dy●… in our stead ? seeing eve was first in sinne , whether did she dye first ? why must we love our enemies , and how shall we doe it ? how doth christ redeem and deliver us from sinne ? when every day my heart thinks i must dye , and goe to hell for my sins , what shall i doe in this case ? may a good man sin sometimes ? or may he be a good man , and yet sin sometimes ? if a man think a prayer , doth god know it , and will he blesse him ? who killed christ ? if a man be almost a good man , and dyeth ; whither goeth his soule ? how long was adam good before he sinned ? seeing we see not god with our eyes , if a man dream that he seeth god , doth his soule then see him ? did adam see god before he sinned ? shall we see god in heaven ? if a wicked man pray , whether doth he make a good prayer ? or when doth a wicked man pray a good prayer ? if a man repent , doth god take away his sinnes , and forgive him ? whether did god make hell before adam sinned ? if two families dwell in one house , and one prayeth , and the o●…her not , what shall they that pray do to them that do not ? did abimeleck ▪ know , sarah was abrahams wife ? did not abraham sin in saying she is my sister ? seeing god promised abraham so many children , like the starres for multitude , why did he give him so few ? and was it true ? if god made hell in one of the six dayes , why did god make hell before adam had sinned ? now the indians desire to goe to heaven , what shall we do that we may go thither when we dye ? how shall i bring mine heart to love prayer ? if one man repent , and pray once in a day , another man often in a day ; whether doth one of them go to heaven , the other not ? or what difference is there ? i finde i want wisdome , what shall i do to be wise ? why did abraham buy a place to bury in ? why doth god make good men sick ? how shall the resurrection be , and when ? doe not enlishmen spoile their soules , to say a thing cost them more then it did ? and is it not all one as to steale ? you say our body is made of clay , what is the sunne or moone made of ? if one be loved of all indians good and bad , another is hated of all saving a few that be good , doth god love both these ? i see why i must feare hell , and do so every day . but why must i feare god ? how is the tongue like fire , and like poyson ? what if false witnesses accuse me of murther or some soul sin ? what punishment is due to lyars ? if i reprove a man for sinne , and he answer , why doe you speak thus angerly to me : mr. eliot teacheth us to love one another , is this well ? why is god so angry with murtherers ? if a wise put away her husband because he will pray to god , and she will not , what must be done in this case ? if there be young women pray to god , may such as pray to god marry one that will not pray to god ? or what is to bee done in this case ? whether doth god make bad men dream good dreames ? vvhat is salvation ? vvhat is the kingdome of heaven ? if my wife doe some work in the house on the night before the sabbath , and some work on the sabbath night , whether is this a sin ? if i doe that which is a sinne , and do not know it is a sin , what will god say to that ? vvhether is faith set in my heart , or in my minde ? vvhy did christ dye for us , and who did kill him ? by these questions you may see they somewhat savour the things of god and christ , and that their soules be in a searching condition after the great points of religion and salvation . and i will say this solemnly , not suddenly , nor lightly , but before the lord , as i apprehend in my conscience , were they but in a setled way of civility and government cohabiting together , and i called ( according to god ) to live among them , i durst freely joyne into church-fellowship amongst them , and could finde out at least twenty men and women in some measure fitted of the lord for it , and soone would be capable thereof : and we doe admit in charity some into our churches , of our owne , of whose spirituall estate i have more cause of feare , then of some of them : but that day of grace is not yet come unto them . when gods time is come , he will make way for it & enable us to accomplish it . in the meane time , i desire to wait , pray , and beleeve . but i will proceed no further at this time to trouble you with these things , though i doubt not but they will be acceptable tidings to your heart , and will be an occasion of quickning your prayers for them , and for me also , that utterance may be given mee , and further knowledge of their language , wherein for want of converse , i can make but slow progresse . thus commending you to the grace , guidance and protection of god in christ , i rest , yours to be commanded in iesus christ , io. eliot . roxbury this 12. of nov. 1648. in the next place i shall offer a second letter of his , written to a gentleman of new-england , here residing at present , upon his urgent occasions ; wherein the reader may have further light concerning this great work now begun . take his letter as it followeth . sir , your faithfull and true love to iesus christ is expressed evidently to my heart , among other waies very much in your solicitous thoughts and care about the good of these poor indians , and the furtherance of their conversion . god guided your discretion very seasonably in the letters and tokens you were pleased to send to those leading men , which reallity of love was very thankfully accepted by them , and they desire thanks to be returned for it , &c. your project for their apparell which you first mention , is very fitting , but all the difficulty will be to get so much cloath as you speak of : yet this they doe ; some old things i have gotten and given them , and some they buy ; and they carefully keep them till meeting times , and many of them at such times are pretty handsome , both men , women , and children also : and whereas some good people may think fitting to send some gifts that way for them , you shall find directions here inclosed , what will best sute with their condition . your next project for imployment of them in planting orchards and gardens , it suiteth very well with my apprehensions , and i have encouraged them that way , and have promised them many hundred trees , which i reserve in nurseries for them , & hope they shall set them out , or some of them the next spring . the onely remora the fensing in of an orchard , we yet being upon the fencing in of a great corne field , where they have made ( i think ) 200. rod of ditching already , setting two rayles in the top , and are to stone up the banks as they raise stones in planting : and when the field is fenced , then they shall fence orchards , but they are hindred for want of tooles , and by bad tooles discouraged ; their skill also being weak though the tooles were good , but of 30. or 40. i have scarce any left . but we must endeavour to get a magazine for them of all manner of tooles , &c. they had sawyers at work last winter , and will have more this winter ( i hope ) for they saw very good board and planke , and could i be amongst them oftner , they would both attend it better , and doe things more orderly . they are willing to follow my advice in any reasonable thing ▪ onely i am confident of what you write , they must not be bent too hard at first , and i find not many that do so duly consider that point as your self ; but because they be not in all points of labour as the english be , think all is too little or no purpose . it s hard to look upon the day of small things with patience enough . i finde it absolutely necessary to carry on civility with religion : and that maketh me have many thoughts that the way to doe it to the purpose , is to live among them in a place distant from the english , for many reasons ; and bring them to co-habitation , government , arts , and trades : but this is yet too costly an enterprize for new-england , that hath expended it self so far in laying the foundation of a common-weale in this wildernesse . for their schooling , a gentleman in london ( whose name i could never learn ) did give ten pounds towards it the last yeare , which i thus disposed of ; five pounds i gave to a grave woman in cambridge , who taught the indian children last yeare ; and god so blessed her labours , that they came on very prettily . the other five pounds i gave to the shcool-master of dorcester , and thither the children of those indians that lived thereabout went , with a like good successe , it not better , because the children were bigger and more capable . this 10. l. bill captain harding paid here , and was to take it at london : but i heare nothing from him , no do i know whether the gentleman will continue his gift : i feare for want of meanes both these schooles will fall ; and the children like to lose all that they have gotten the first yeare , which is a work had need be closely followed : because they are to learn our language as well as to read ; onely i take my constant course of catechising them every lecture day , and i thank the lord , they are ( many of them ) very ready in their answers in the principles of religion . and in that exercise i endeavour also to use them to good manners . some of s●…dbury indians , some of concord indians , some of m●…sti●…k indians , and some of dedham indians are ingenious , and pray unto god , and sometimes come to the place where i teach to heare the word . linn indians are all naught save one , who sometimes commeth to heare the word , and telleth me that hee prayeth to god : and the reason why they are bad is , partly and principally because their * sachim is naught , and careth not to pray unto god : but i am overwearisome unto you , and therefore will go no further at this time ; onely this one thing more , whereas it hath pleased you to allow 40. s. to the payment of a man who should direct the indians about their labour , and in planting of orchards ; i shall be so bold as to appoint such as have deserved it to call for it , and it shall be employed god willing to their best furtherance as neer as i can . and thus desiring god , &c. i remaine . yours to be commanded any thing in christ iesus john eliot . roxbury this 13. of the 9. 1649. another letter courteous reader dated in february last , i received also from this our indian evangelist ( if i may so terme him ) and because it is replenished with many pithy questions of the indians , which imply a further progresse in knowledge ; and sundry other considerable passages worthy observation , and very delightfull to a christian spirit , i thought it my duty to publish it to the world , that so it might be a meanes to stir up all that are faithfull in christ iesus by prayer and otherwise to help forward this precious work begun , so much conducing to the glory of god , and the good of men . his letter followeth . much respected and longed for in the lord , were you not about the lords businesse , an instrument in his hand to manage some special affaires wherein his glory is much concerned , your long absence could not but be imbittered with manifold troubles to your own spirit , as it is like to be with losses and inconveniencies to your outward estate ; but i trust the lord will have a speciall regard to all , &c. i perceive others to be silent in giving you information about the progresse of the lords work amongst the poor indians , and therefore i thought it necessary to do it , knowing it will add to your comfort to heare that the lord is still at worke , but i have done it more largely already in letters by mr. usher , by way of * maligo , as also by mr. bracket of braintree , by the way of virginia , in letters both to your self , and also to mr. pel●…am , &c. i only write now by this ship , lest it coming in before the other ships , you should receive some discouragement concerning the work , as if it were sunk in the beginning ; but blessed be the lord it is not so , although the progresse is yet small : it is a day of small things , an embrio which the lord expecteth should be furthered by the prayers of the saints and churches : and therefore i earnestly begg your prayers , that the lord would thrust forth more laborers into this harvest ; and because the meanes is exceeding small and inconsiderable for so vast an enterprize as this is : there is the more eminent need of faith and prayer , that the lord himself , by his speciall grace , favour , and providence , would appear in this matter : for the lord must raigne in these latter dayes , and more eminently & observably , overtop all instruments and meanes : and i trust he will mightily appear in this businesse , as in other parts of the world . i have intimated in my other letters , what good hopes i have of sundry of them , and that they begin to enquire after baptisme and church ordiuances , and the way of worshipping god as the churches here do ; but i shewing them how uncapable they be to be trusted therewith , whilst they live so unfixed , confused , and ungoverned a life , uncivilized and unsubdued to labor and order ; they begin now to enquire after such things . and to that end , i have propounded to them that a sit place be found out for cohabitation , wherewith they may subsist by labor , and settle themselves in such a way : and then they may have a church , and all the ordinances of christ amongst them . these and other things tending that way , i have propounded to them , and they seeme to me to accept them gladly , and the longer they consider , and the more they confer together of them , the more acceptable they are unto them : and i wayting to see how the lord would carry on this work by the wise and gracious eye & hands of his providence , i took this to be one speciall and eminent smile of god , upon the work that he had stirred up , the parliament of england to take it into consideration , and to order the committee of lords and commons for forraign plantations to think of some meet way how they might best advance it : and indeed the way you mention in your letter which they have taken , ( whcih i trust is perfected long before this time , ) i conceive to be a way of god , and not only very acceptable to me , but honourable to themselves , and the nation , to be engaged in so pious and charitable a work , if meanes may hereby be procured to a thorow carrying on the same . i have also intimated in my other letters , and sent word again in this , what manner of * provisions of all sorts wil be necessary to be sent over , and that special care be had that the tooles for labour of all sorts may be of a good temper and well made ; otherwise they will be discouraged ; &c. the particulars as well for phisick and surgery , as for cloathing and instruments for labour of all sorts is inclosed therein : but i will trouble you no further at this time with what i have written in my other letters , hoping the lord will bring them to your hands : onely i shall intimate such things as have occurred since the writing of my former letters . there is an indian living with mr. richard calicott of dorchester , who was taken in the pequott warres , though belonging to loug island ; this indian is ingenious , can read ; and i taught him to write , which he quickly learnt , though i know not what use he now maketh of it : he was the first that i made use of to teach me words , and to be my interpreter . now of late , the lord hath stirred up his heart to joyn unto the church at dorchester , and this day i am going to the elders , meeting , to the examination and tryall of this young man , in preparation for his admission into the church . likewise since i purposed to write to you of these matters , i have taken care to note such questions as they propound , and i shall here set down such as have been propounded by them since my last letters : for by them you may guesse at the progresse they make in knowledge . questions . vvhy have not beasts a soul as man hath , seeing they have love , anger , &c. as man hath ? how is the spirit of god in us ? and where is it principally present ? why doth god punish in hell for ever ? man doth not so , but after a time lets them out of prison again . and if they repent in hell , why will not god let them out again ? what is faith ? whether do you think i have faith ? a how shall i know when god accepts my prayers ? how doth christ make peace betwixt god and man ? and what is the meaning of that point ? why did the iewes give the watchmen money to tell a lye ? if i heare gods word when i am young , and do not believe , but when i am old i believe : what will god say ? in wicked dreames doth the soule sin ? b doth the soule in heaven know things done here on earth ? doth the soule in heaven remember what it did here on earth before he dyed ? who first gave lawes to men ? what is law ? if my heart be full of evil thoughts , c and i repent and pray , and a few houres after it is full again , and i repent and pray again ; and if after this it be full of evill thoughts again , what will god say ? why did the earth shake at christs resurrection ? what meaneth this , that god will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine ? what force of wicked men is lawfull , and what is not ? what if a minister weare long hayre , as some other men do , what will god say ? if a man will make his daughter marry a man whom she doth not love , what will god say ? d why doth christ compare the kingdom of heaven to a net ? why doth god so hate them that teach others to commit sin ? sir , j am now streightned in time , and must hasten away my letters : i can proceed no further at present , and therefore with earnest desires of your prayers , i commit you to the gracious protection of the lord , who hath hitherto helped , and will never faile those that trust in him . yours in any service i can in jesus christ iohn eliott . roxbury this 2. of the 12. 1648. an appendix to the foregoing letters , holding forth conjectures , observations , and applycatious of them . the works of the lord are great , sought out of all them that love them , saith the psalmist , psal. 111. 3. the word which we render , sought out , hath a mighty emphasis in it . t is a word used sometimes to denote the elaborate care of digging and searching into mines . and sometimes it s made use of to expresse the accurate labors of those who comment upon writings . indeed there is a golden mine in every work of god ; and the foregoing letters to a gracious eye , are as a discovery of a farmore precious mine in america , then those gold and silver ones of india : for they bring tidings of the unsearchable ri●…hes of christ revealed unto poor soules in those parts . or if thou wilt ( reader ) thou mayest eye this work of god as a full text : affording matter , both for theoretick , and practick conclusions . i must professe for my self , i could not passe over so rich a mine without diging nor let passe so full a text ( as this work of god in america ) without some short comment : which the request of the worthy publisher of these precious papers , hath prevailed with me to affix , and publish as an appendix . the palpable and present acts of providence , doe more then hint the approach of jesus christ : and the generall consent of many judicious , and godly divines , doth induce considering minds to beleeve , that the conversion of the jewes is at hand . it s the expectation of some of the wisest jewes now living , that about the year 1650. either we christians shall be mosaick , or else that themselves iewes shall be christians . the serious consideration of the preceding letters , induceth me to think , that there may be at least a remnant of the generation of iacob in america , ( peradventure some of the 10. tribes dispersions . ) and that those sometimes poor , now precious indians ( mentioned in those letters ) may be as the first fruits of the glorious harvest , of israels redemption . the observation is not to be sleighted ( though the observer * modestly said it was more cheerfull then deep ) that the first text out of which mr. eliot preached , was about the dry bones , ezek. 37. 9. 10. that by prophesying to the wind , the wind came and the dry bones lived : it may be there is not much weight in the observation , that the word which the indians use for wind , is waubon : and that an indian of that name is , and hath been very sedulous for their conversion : yet to me there is ground for a very weighty thought ; that , that portion of scripture should be first of all openned to them , which clearly foretold the conversion of israel , i. e. the 10. tribes universally understood , and peculiarly meant by the name or notion of israel , when distinct from iudah , as in that prophesy it is ) why may we not at least conjecture , that god by a special finger pointed out that text to be first openned , which immediately concerned the persons to whom it was preached : especially , if ( as some credibly affirme ) that the iewes of the netherlands ( being intreated thereunto ) informe that after much inquiry they found some of the ten tribes to be in america . when our lord came to nazaret , and standing up to read : it s said there was delivered unto him the book of isaias , and he openned the book , and found it written , the spirit of the lord is upon me , &c. the bringing of that scripture to our lords hands so providentially , was a hint ( at least ) that the present hearers were in an eminent manner concerned in that prophesie . what ever may be in this observation ( which i humbly offer to the searching thoughts of judicious persons ) i am much inclined to conjecture , that there is a sprinkling at least of abrahams seed in these parts , the reasons of my inclination hereunto are these . 1. they have ( at least ) a traditionall knowledge of god , as the maker of heaven and earth . it s true , they talk of other gods ; but yet they hold that the chief god is he , who made all things . which agnition of god , was peculiar to the iewes , in opposition to the gentiles : hence it was , that when they were captives in babylon : this was that character , by which they were taught to distinguish the true god ( which the gentiles knew not ) that he was the maker of all things , jer. 10. 16. 2. what ever they attribute unto others , this they peculiarly attribute unto this god , viz. that all things both good and evill , are managed by his providence , and if they doe but hurt themselves , they say 't is a note of gods displeasure : hence 3. before ever any of them received any instruction from our english , by tradition they were taught , and did upon observation of a bad year , or other ill successe , meet and weep as unto god ; acknowledging it to be his h●…nd of displeasure upon them : and on the other side , upon a good year , or good successe in any businesse , as of war , &c. they used to meet and make a kind of acknowledgement of thanks to god for it . 4. it is very observable ; that they are carefull to preserve the memory of their families , mentioning unckles , grand-fathers , and grand-mothers , &c. and much studying the advancing of their houses and kindred . a thing which hath a great tang of , and affinitie to the iewes care of preserving the memoriall of their tribes . 5. those of them who have been wrought upon , tell of some face of religion , wisedom , and manners which long agoe their ancestors had , but that it was lost . 6. ( to omit other grounds of this conjecture . ) the better and more sober sort of them , delight much to expresse themselves in parables . * a thing peculiar to the jewes , as those who read their writings , or consider christs manner of expressing himself , will easily see . these and the like considerations prevaile with me to entertain ( at least ) a conjecture , that these indians in america , may be iewes ( especially of the ten tribes . ) and therefore to hope that the work of christ among them , may be as a preparatory to his own appearing . if these reasons prevaile not with thee ( reader ) to give quarter to my conjecture●… yet i cannot but perswade my self , that the former letters soberly & duly weighed , will cause thee to subscribe with me to this conclusion , that , the work of god among the indians in america , is glorious , and to be admired by all those , who look after and rejoyce in the appearance of our lord iesus , surely the sun of righteousnesse is risen , with healirg vertue under his wings , upon those poor hearts , who sate in darknesse , and the shadow of death . and these godly persons who fled into america for shelter from prelaticall persecution , doe now appeare to be carried there by a sacred and sweet providence of christ , to make known his name to those poor soules , who have been captives to satan these many ages . the christians when scattered abroad , went to and fro preaching the word . and i wish from my soul , that all these ministers of the dispertion ( as i may call them ) in new-england ; would stirre up themselves to this work of the lord , which ( now it seems ) he intended in his carrying of them thither . surely these tydings as they are grounds of rejoycing to others a far off ; so they should be much more incouragements of putting to the hand of such as are there unto this harvest of the lord . and so much the rather , because the gospel in its advancement amongst these western indians , appeares to be not in word only ( as it was by the spaniards among their indians ) but also in power , and in the holy ghost , and in much assurance : doe not these true reports shew what manner of entrance the gospel hath among them : and how they turn unto god from idels ( from their pawwawes ) to serve the living and true god , and to look for his sonne from heaven , * &c. ( reader ) i intreat thee to beare with me , if in commenting upon this work of god , i offer a few notes to declare that in truth this work of god is not only in the letter , but in the spirit and power of the gospel . these things i note ( and pray doe thou ) to this purpose . 1. the questions which are moved by the indians comming and come in , are such as are of great and weighty concernment ; and such as indeed evince a more then common working of the spirit by the word on them . such are those that concerne spirituall joyning in prayer , and a knowledge of gods acceptation thereof . those questions also that relate to the marrying of the godly with the wicked : ( much like that of the corinthians to paul . 1 cor. 7. and 2 cor. 8. ) and those that concern the evill of thoughts and dreames , &c. see and consider the questions . 2. the full casting off their pawwaws ; and not seeking to them : although they much idolized them , and albeit they know not as yet , any meanes of help when sick , but them . 3. their sweet and affectionate melting under the word of grace : and their exceeding hungring and thirsting after the enjoyment thereof . together with enquiry after syon , and their great joy they declare in their hopes thereof . 4. lastly , and especially the reall and undenyable evidences of the work of grace in power upon some particular persons mentioned : and particular that of the woman in whom i cannot but note these things 1. her desire to live by the ordinance of the word , although with great trouble . 2. her exemplarines of life , after the lord did work upon her . 3. her resolutions to love god , though he made her sick . oh! could she love god , except he loved her first ? 4. her belief that god was well pleased with her in christ , and hereupon her willingnesse to dye , in assurance of going to heaven . 5. her care of her children upon her first knowing of god : and her charging them not to live with their kindred , pressing it chiefly with this , that they prayed not , and that they committed sin , and were not punished : oh holy and high attainment ! to see an evlil in sinning and not being punished . this was the great evill threatned . hosea 9. 14. what doe all these things declare ? but this : that christ hath made the day of his power to arise upon those poor soules : in making them a willing people : and what improvement should we make of this comment upon the work of the lord , if not this or the like ; first , to study and search into the works of the lord , to see how he counterplots the enemy in his designes : in making the late bishops persecuting of the godly tend to the promoting of the gospel . secondly , to take heed of dispising the day of small things . it being gods way to lay most glorious workes upon little and despicable foundations : and to advance the treasury of the gospel in earthen vessels , even to the ends of the earth , thirdly , to be ashamed of , and bewaile our want of affection to , and estimation of that glorious gospel , and those great things of christ : which these poor heathens upon the little glymmerings and tasts so exceedingly value and improve . fourthly : doth not the observation of the preceeding reports , clearly confirme the doctrine of the sabboth , and the practise of prayer : oh tremble ye sabboth-slighters , and duty-dispisers , christ hath witnesses against you in america ! be ashamed ye pretended-men and fathers in christ for comming short of babes and children ! in truth the very light of nature will condemne you . prayer in all ages ( and that not mentall , but verball , and expresse ) hath been that by which the deity hath been agnized and worshipped . the converted heathens in new-eng and , goe beyond you , o ye apostate christians in england ! lastly , be incouraged to put to your helping hand unto the work of the lord . and to that end , 1. arise ye heads of our tribes in old england , and extend your help to further christs labourers in n. -england . rather ste●…l from your sleep an houre , then suffer that good ordinance to lye asleep so long ; which if drawn into an act , will exceedingly further this blessed work . surely if you were petitioned to in the name of christ , and his gospel , to give money out of your own purse to exalt him in furthering it . durst you deny it ? how much lesse can you deny the passing of an act to enable some to receive and dispose what others would gladly give . the work is so clear , that you need not many houres to debate it : and i hope you are so willing that i shall not need more words to presse it , only let me add this that as ministers , so statists do finde personall examples , the most powerfull motives to practick doctrines . 2. rouze up your selves my brethren ; ye preachers of the gospel , this work concernes you . contrive and plot , preach for , and presse the advancement hereof . it s cleare you may do much : let not this be your condemnation , that you did nothing . 3. come forth ye masters of money , part with your gold to promote the gospel ; let the gift of god in temporal things make way , for the indians receipt of spiritualls . if you give any thing yearly , remember christ will be yout pensioner . if you give any thing into banke , christ will keep account thereof , and reward it . you hear of what things are necessary in order to the advancement of that one thing necessary . rest assured of this , what ever you give will be well and wisely improved . and as far as the gospel is mediately advanced by your money , be sure you will be remembred . but to winde up all , fal down o all ye who love the lord iesus : & bow your knees t●… his father & yours in his name , to prosper the progresse made of the gospel among the indians in n-england . pray that an effectuall door may be openned there . remember mr. eliot . forget not mr. mayhew , and all other that labour in the work . pray for them that christs work may prosper in their hands . christ calls upon you by these letters , and saith . the harvest is great , but the labourers are few , pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his vineyard . if you thus heare christ , and obey his voice , you shall accomplish the end of this appendix , and exceedingly rejoyce the heart of the author thereof , who is an unworthy labourer in christs work here , and an ardent desirer of further progresse thereof in new-england . j. d. fjnjs . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a66681e-390 mr. mayhews letter from capawack , novemb 18 , 1647. * such as cure by devil'i●…h sorcery , and to whom the devil appeares sometimes . * the indians so call their houses . * a prince or ruler amongst them . an indian speech worthy our consideration . the better sort of them are full of such like expressions , affecting to speak in parables . mr. eliots 2. letter in 48. concerning the progresse of the gospel among the indians . a precious testimony of an indian woman conceived to dye a christian . a precious dying speech of an indian woman to her children . note what hinders the progresse of the gospel amongst them . examples in superio●… very prevalent . the same signignification with sagamore viz one b●…aring ●…le among them . a beade they make , and is highly esteemed among the indians , equal to money with u●… . bad governour have an evill infl●…nce upon the p●…pl , * these letters and passengers are not yet come n●… england they shal ask the way 〈…〉 ☞ * it would be neither pleasing n●…r 〈…〉 , and ther●…o●…e are l●…t out . the indwelling of the spirit in us is mysterious . a a choice spirit looks after his prayers . b see eccles. 6. 7. c a soft and serious spirited christian eyes his thoughts . d forced marriages scrupled by indians . notes for div a66681e-4250 conjectures . mr. shepherd in the clear sun-shine , & pag. 33. see pag. 5. 1 thes. 1. see the womans speech pag. 7. observation . vide pag. 27. pag. 6 , 7. application . of the conversion of five thousand and nine hundred east-indians, in the isle formosa, neere china to the profession of the true god, in jesus christ : by meanes of m. ro, junius, a minister lately in delph in holland / related by ... m. c. sibellius ... in a latine letter ; translated ... by h. jessei ... ; with a post-script of the gospels good sucesse also amongst the vvest-indians, in new england. sibelius, caspar, 1590-1658. 1650 approx. 84 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 24 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-07 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a46842 wing j697 estc r14902 13341465 ocm 13341465 99142 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a46842) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 99142) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 459:19) of the conversion of five thousand and nine hundred east-indians, in the isle formosa, neere china to the profession of the true god, in jesus christ : by meanes of m. ro, junius, a minister lately in delph in holland / related by ... m. c. sibellius ... in a latine letter ; translated ... by h. jessei ... ; with a post-script of the gospels good sucesse also amongst the vvest-indians, in new england. sibelius, caspar, 1590-1658. jessey, henry, 1603-1663. shepard, thomas, 1605-1649. clear sunshine. wilson, john, 1588-1667. day-breaking. winslow, edward, 1595-1655. glorious progress of the gospel. [8], 38, [1] p. printed by iohn hammond, and are to be sold ... by h. allen, london : 1650. "the post-script" (p. 13-37) consists of extracts from three of the eliot tracts: the day-breaking ... john wilson, supposed author; the clear sunshine ... by thomas shephard; the glorious progress of the gospel ... by edward winslow. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng junius, robert, 1606-1655. indians of north america -massachusetts -missions -early works to 1800. missions -formosa. 2003-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-03 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-05 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2003-05 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-06 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion of the conversion of five thousand and nine hundred east-indians , in the isle formosa , neere china , to the profession of the true god , in jesus christ ▪ by meanes of 〈…〉 a minister 〈…〉 pastor on d●●en●rie there , in a latine letter . translated to further the faith and joy of many here , by h. jessei , a servant of jesus christ . with a post-script of the gospels good successe also amongst the vvest-indians , in new-england . isai . 49 , 12. behold , these shall come from farre ; and loe , these from the north , and these from the west ; and these from the land of ‖ sinim . ‖ china is called sinarum regio ; ptolom . lib. 7. cap. 3. vide f. iunii , annot. isai. 49.12 . imprimatur , joseph caryl . london , printed by iohn hammond , and are to be sold at his house voer-against s. andrewes church in holborne ; and in popes-head-alley , by h. allen. 1650. to his christian friends , in england , new-england , or elsewhere , that pray for the comming in of the fullnesse of the gentiles , that so all israel may be saved ; h. jessei wisheth from his soule , encrease of joy , and peace in beleeving . dearely beloved , there are three things , that ( with many of you ) i have greatly longed for ; yea , foure that i am in travell with , and must not cease , till they be brought forth : namely , first , that on earth , where the lords name hath beene greatly dishonoured , there his name may be greatly glorified , psal. 113.3 . psal. 67.2 . mal. 1.11 . secondly , that here , where his people have beene generally reproached , and their soules exceedingly filled with the scorning of those which are at ease , and with the contempt of the proud , psal. 123.4 . that their reproach may be turn'd into honour , and their mourning into the garment of prayse , isai. 61.3 , 7. isai. 35.10 . thirdly , that the earth may be so fill'd with the knowledge of iehovah , that all his people may be one visibly , and serve iehovah with one shoulder ; and all differences and envies amongst them may be removed farre away , isai. 11.9 . zeph. 3.9 . iohn 17.21 , 23. and fourthly , for all the ends before-said , that the fullnesse of the gentiles might come in , and that so all israel ( the remainder of naturall israel being thereby provoked to emulation ) might be saved , rom. 11.1 , 11 , 25 , 26. luke 21.24 . for which glorious time on earth , the very creature ( which hath no hope of heaven ) groaning and being in travell , earnestly expecting , waits for , being subject to vanitie , untill that glorious libertie of the sonnes of god : how much more may wee , whose soules are alreadie freed , wait for that appointment for his sonnes , the freedome of our bodies also from all thraldome ? as rom. 8.19 , 23. therefore , what great matter of refreshing was administred to my spirit , when it was credibly reported by m. edw : cresset , ( then of chelsey , now of london ) that some thousands of indians had of late beene converted , by meanes of a dutch minister conversing amongst them ! what hopes were hereby raysed , that the fulnesse of the gentiles was readie to come in , and thereby of enjoying my soules longings shortly ! i delayed not therefore to goe to chelsey , to heare of this more fully from himselfe ; a man well reported of , and well knowne to m. lawrence , of the house of commons ; and to m. nye , m. thomas goodwin , and m. simson , and m. bridge , lately of the assembly : i found , that he and his household lived there , but himselfe by a providence , was then abroad : enquiring therefore of mistris cresset , she certified me as followeth ; which i writ downe : that her husband and she ( with their family ) came lately from delft in holland , where m. junius was then living , and of good repute among the ministers and best people there . he told , of above foure thousand indians that were brought to confesse christ , and were baptized : that himselfe ( being a dutch minister ) was sent over many yeares agoe by the dutch agents to their dutch plantation amongst the indians : where , in some yeares space , having learn'd their language , he preached to the indians , and thereby many were brought to the professing of christ , and by himselfe were baptized . and his wife dying there , some reasons moved him to returne for holland . at his departure , the indians shewed great affection to him , being greatly desirous of his stay : but not prevailing with him , they desired him to promise , either that himselfe would returne to them , or else that he would instruct one in their language , and send him over to them ▪ to teach them further : this he undertooke . and at his departing from them , they brought him many presents ; so that hee returned worth the value of about ten thousand pounds . m. junius , since his returne to holland , married againe ; and he hath endeavoured to instruct a young man in their language , to send to them ; and hath printed some catechismes in that tongue , to send over unto them : the substance hereof , m. cresset had from his owne mouth , when they were at delft . this was testified by mistris cresset to me , in the fifth moneth , call'd iuly , about the seventh day , 1646. i return'd to london , much fill'd with joy , upon this relation by mistris cresset ; which was confirm'd by m. cressets letter to me , of the same weeke : for your better satisfaction , take his owne words . sir , i was on thursday at tower-hill , with a desire to have seene you , but providence hath otherwise ordered it for the present . i was very sorry i was not at home when you came hither : i am desirous to give you the best satisfaction i can , about the worke you heard of . there is ( or at least was very lately ) living in delft in holland , ( and one of the pastors of the church there ) one sirnamed junius ( borne of scotish parents ) in rotterdam . the man i beleeve to be godly , and he is very well reputed of by the better part there . the man lived divers yeares in the east-indies ; during which time , he gained so much knowledge in the language there used , as that he was able to preach to the natives . of whom , by his owne report to my selfe , he baptized about foure thousand . how strong his call was to leave them , i know not : but at his departure from them , they bountifully laded him . he hath laboured to teach their language to some young men ; and according to his promise , to send one over to them . and he hath gotten a catechisme , and some other things , printed in their language , to send to them . thus much i heard from him my selfe . whilest i was writing to you , there came one to me , whose name is m. halhead , who now lives at kensington : he lived neere two yeares in my house at delft , and being a scholar , had convers'd with m. iunius ; and he mentions all the same things that i have written , and thus much more : that about seventeene thousand of those indians were turn'd from their paganisme so farre , as that in severall places they came to heare him willingly , and that he baptized above foure thousand of them . if it may be to your further satisfaction , i shall , god willing , by the first ship write to him , and desire to know all , mo●e particularly : which , i assure my selfe , he will satisfie me in ; and then i shall willingly doe the like for you . edw. cresset . saturday , jul. 11. 1646. having read this letter with joy in the lord , i entreated his performance of what he had kindly offered ; viz. that he would write to m. iunius himselfe , that i might be the more fully satisfied in severall particulars which i mentioned in my letter to m. cresset : which accordingly he performed , in sending the same to m. junius in delft . for more full answer to which particulars , m. junius sent back to m. cresset a booke in latine , in whose dedicatorie epis●le to m. junius , the same things are mentioned : of the truth whereof , by his owne sending it back for such an end , he thus certified his approbation . m. cresset having received this booke , he left it for me with the honoured , the lady mayerne , ( wife to sir theodore maye●●e , baron of albo●t : ) of whom having received it , i was so affected with it , that i delayed not to translate it , out of ●atine into our english tongue , whatsoever in it was materiall to the purpose beforesaid ; some other things , for brevitie — being passed over : adding in the margent some of the latine , in some nomeniall passages , or expression● , which might be the more satisfactorie , and desirable , to some that understand the latine tongue . touching this m. iunius , and also the author of that latine epistle , i have further enquired of m. ed : richardson , now a preacher in yorkshire , formerly in d●lft for some time together : who gives a very good commendation of them both , as good as of any dutch ministers he was there acquainted with , judging them very credible persons ; and said , that those two dutch ministers were familiarly acquainted each with other . and it seemes this m. junius was willing , that this so glorious a worke , tha● the lord had done by him among these east-indians , should rather be published by his good friend , ( to avoid vain-glory and the appearance thereof ) then by himselfe : as a glorious worke begun amongst the west-indians , by meanes of m● eliot ▪ was published rather by his ( and my ) most deare friend m. shepheard , then by himselfe . part of which west-indian relation , i intend to adde as a post-script to the end of this following epistle , concerning the conversion of those foure thousand and more of the east-indians . from which epistle it selfe , i will no longer detaine you ; but onely to intreat you , that whilest you reade , or heare this relation following , you would oft lift up your hearts to the god and father of our lord jesus , with joyfull thanks and prayse , and with earnest prayers to the god of mercie , who is the god of the harvest . that he would send forth his messengers , to be his labourers , to the foure corners of the earth ; and that you , who are the lords remembrancers , would give him no nest , untill he establish , and till he shall make jerusalem ( that long hath lyen in the dust ) to be a prayse in the earth , isa. 62.6 . and untill he performe the other three things beforesaid ; that so our joy may be full . in the beleeving whereof , ( in the midst of outward distractions ) exceedingly refreshed hath often beene the heart of your compani●n in tribulation , and in witnessing , of iesus christ , and in the assured hope of glory with him , h. jesshi . the isle formosa ( alias penmosa , according to iod. hon●●us ) is in the ocean of china , bordering within three degrees on the south-east of foquiem china , being as farre north-west from the philippine islands , neere the isle lequeo , almost under the tropick of cancer about the 24 degree of latitude , and 155 of longitude . the letter of m r c. sibellius , relating that east-indian conversion before-mentioned , here followeth . reverendo , pietate tque doctrina clarissimo dei viro , domino roberto iunio , nuper de ecclesia dei apud gentes optimè merito ; nunc gregis dominici apud delphos , pastori vigilantissimo . [ mutatâ consultò in tralatione personâ . ] qvum superiori anno , nomine & jussu reverenda synodi ecclesiarum trans-isalanae , venerandae synodo ecclesiarum hollandiae borealis harlemi , sancti firmiquè consensus testandi & servandi causâ , interessem ; magno omnium applausu , & summa admiratione ea excipiebantur , quae de faelici ecclesiarum dei in orientali statu atque increm● toque commemorabantur . tua imprimis doctissime juni , indefessa praedicabatur diligentia , & singularis , deique benedictione socrata de r●eritas , in plantandis , rigandis , & gubernandis ecclesiis apud formosanos . ego mox apud animum meum statu●bam , dignum esse praeclarum illud dei in caecas gentes per te collatum benefictum , quod toti mundo innotesent , & cujus immemor non sit omnium saeculorum posterita . quùm verò id hactenus à nullo quod sciam t●ntatum , nedum factun● sit ; egò primò , ingressum ●●um in sanctam istam vocationem ; secundò , progressumque in illa ; & tertiò , egressum ex eâdem , ad dei glorium , perpetuamquè rerum gestarum memoriam , ●●u●is sideliter exponam . a monument , to the glory of god , and the blessed memoriall of the reverend man of god , very eminent in pietie , and in learning , m. robert junius , lately of the church of god , among the heathen , in the isle formosa best deserving ; now of the lords flock in delph , a most vigilant pastour . when in the former yeare , [ viz. 1645 ] in the name , and by the assignement of the reverend synod of the churches of overisle , i was present at the honoured synod of the north-holland churches at harleim ( for the testifying and conserving our holy and firme agreement : ) there , with great applause of all , and with highest admiration , were those ( glad tidings ) received , which made mention of the happie state , and the encrease of the churches of god ( among the heathen ) in the easterne coast : where , the unwearied diligence of the most learned iunius , and his singular dexteritie , accompanied with the blessing of god , both in planting , watering , and governing of churches amongst the indians , in the formosa island , publiquely was spoken of , and commended . i presently concluded in my selfe , that this singular favour of god , by meanes of him conferred upon those blinde heathen , was fit to be made knowne to the whole world , and that the posteritie of all ages should never be forgetfull of the same . and because , that hitherto this is not enterprised , much lesse performed , by any that i know of ; i shall briefely and faithfully set forth , to the glory of god , and the perpetuall memoriall of the things done ; first , his ingresse , or entrance into that holy vocation ; then , secondly , his progresse in the same ; and thirdly , and lastly , his egresse from the same . i. of his ingresse . touching his ingresse , 1 or his call thither : this m. iunius , being ordained of god thereunto , was nominated by the honoured and pious senate of the famous expedition of the united provinces of the low-countries , for the conversion of easterne-indians , for the bringing them to the knowledge and faith of christ , and so for the furthering the * conversion of those indians in particular , in the island called formosa , who were blinde and miserable worshippers of the devill , and slaves unto him . this great taske , and charge , he readily and willingly yeelded unto ; and seriously considered of the diligent and faithfull administration thereof . and certainely , nothing is more honourable to god , nothing more acceptable to all good men , nothing more conducible to the appeasing of consciences , nothing more salutiferous to the heathen , that sit in the darknesse of idolatrie , and errors , and wofull shadow of death ; then the sending forth of faithfull ▪ able , and painfull labourers into the harvest ; for opening the eyes of the blinde , and turning them from darknesse to light , and from the power of satan unto god ; that they may receive remission of sinnes , and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith that is in christ. to be an instrument of saving one soule ( snatch'd out of the jawes of that infernall wolfe ) farre exceeds all other gaines . the faithfull servant of the most high rejoyceth more in this , if he may gaine to christ a poore wretch , that is most contemptible in the eyes of the world ; then if all the treasures of the world were offered unto him . he that shall convert one sinner from the error of his way , shall save a soule from death , and shall cover a multitude of sinnes , as the apostle iames saith , ( iames 5.20 . ) to proceed : m. iunius being carryed by the good hand of god to the formosan island , in the east-indies , preached in dutch , his mother tongue , amongst them † for above two yeares together , laying open the mysteries of salvation . but the natives there not understanding dutch , he being moved with an exceeding desire of their conversion and salvation , and of freeing and discharging his owne conscience , with great paines and speedie diligence , in a short time , even now in his adult age , he happily learned the barbarous language and rude idiome of those heathen , who were of differing speech and manners ; and wisely framed himselfe to speake to their capacitie and edification . and there they heard him speaking to them plainely in their owne tongue , wherein they were borne , the wonderfull mysteries of the gospel of christ , for twelve yeares together ; [ viz. from the yeare 1631 , to the yeare 1643. ] ii. of his progresse . now touching his progresse , or proceeding on , and successe amongst them ; he was unwearied in his constant dayly p●ines with them , for their soules health , both publikely and privately : and the lord assisted him with speciall dexteritie , and gave a wonderfull blessing upon his paines amongst them . * for ( to say nothing of dork and tirose ) in six of the most famous townes in the northern parts of the formosan isl●nd , viz. tavacan , sincklan , bacluan , matthauw , soulang , and terurang , the lords worke had such wonderfull successe ; that it hath moved , and still doth m●ve the greatest admiration to all godly people , that have notice thereof . as touching the fruit and efficacie of the preaching of the word : by the light of heavenly truth , ‖ idolatrie , not to be named , brutish ignorance , horrible blindnesse , and most filthie worship of devils being discovered ▪ and expelled ; very many of the inhabitants were brought to the saving knowledge of , and true faith in god , and the redeemer , jesus christ. and so great and laudable progresse both of men and women , young and old , * chiefe ones , middle sort , and meane ones made therein ; that every one of them could not only rehearse without haesitating acurately the chiefe heads or principles of true religion , but also were able to answer wisely and solidely to most questions about religion , that one would propound or put forth to them . and this their knowledge and profession of faith , many of them did so adorne , by their pietie towards god , and righteousnesse and love to their neighbour , and sobrietie and temperance in themselves ; that may cause shame and blushing to many amongst us , that are borne of orthodox parents , and from the child-hood have beene trayned up in the christian religion . moreover , many of them are so able , in such fervencie of spirit , to poure out their prayers before god , morning and evening , and before and after taking of meat , and in other necessities ; and that with such comelinesse and fitnesse of speech , and with such moderation and decencie of gesture ; that may provoke teares to such as hea●e and behold them . and there are some of them , that being called to pray about any matter or businesse , are able to performe it in conceived prayer , ex tempore , so readily , in such fit expressions , and with such arguments and pithinesse , as if they had been spending some houres for the contriving and so framing of them . and when the prince of darknesse , being molested by this glorious light , so kindled and set up there , would extinguish , or suppresse it ; he stirred up some , especially impudent wretched women , inchanters , whoorish , deceitfull ones , covetous of filthy gaine ; that went about and endeavoured to turne these back to the worship of devils and idols , as their fore-fathers had done , and to abandon the truth ( as a noveltie , or new upstart doctrine : ) some of these themselves , by the paines taken with them , were through the lords goodnesse converted , and brought from the power of darknesse unto god ; and others of them were so convinced , or otherwise by the pious magistrate restrayned , that they could no longer hinder the course and progresse of the gospel among them . and whereas the gentiles or heathen are first to be instructed and preached unto , ☜ that they may beleeve , before they should be baptized ; this reverend m. iunius tooke great paines dayly , in first instructing them in the grounds of religion , catechizing them , to bring them to beleeve : so * that of persons grown up in that isle of formosa , five thovsand and nine hvndred , of both sexes , gave up their names to christ ; and professing their faith , and giving fit answers to questions propounded out of the word of god , were baptized by him ▪ ( ‖ of which number of persons , so dipt in-water , the infants of persons in covenant , are not reckoned ; ) and to such persons in soulangh , and sinekan , and elsewhere , being instructed well in the doctrine of the lords supper , was that ordinance of christ also administred with much reverence , joy , and edification . and because the instructing of persons to reade and to write , tends much to further , not onely civill and politicall good , but also spirituall ; herein also m. iunius tooke much paines , in furthering of both ; instructing some to teach others , and in visiting and ordering the schollers . † and besides a few dutch men , that were teachers of others ; in the six townes before said , of the heathenish natives that he gained to christ , ab●ut fiftie of them he so instructed and fitted for this worke , that excelled in godlinesse , knowledge , industrie , dexteritie , and sedulitie ; that before his departure thence , they had taught * six hundred schollers to reade and to write ; and that instructed , as well the elder as younger persons , in the rudiments of christian faith. and it is not easie to judge , whether the schollers , for their dociblenesse and obedience , or their masters , or teachers , for their paines and diligence , were more to be commended . m iunius in the meane time collected the chiefe heads of religion , and some for dayly prayers , and translated certaine psalmes into the formosan islanders language . also his care and paines was not onely in behalfe of those six northerne townes there , beforesaid : but for the southerne parts thereof also : where , in three and twentie townes , he planted churches , and furthered the worship of the true god. and the lord vouchsafed such abundant blessings upon his labours and endeavours amongst them , whom he both planted and watered , ( feeding them with sound doctrine , good example , and love unfained ; not counting his life too deare to venture in this worke , for their gaining and building up : ) that he hath left such a report and memoriall behind him at his departure , as will be precious and blessed so long as this world endureth . iii. of his regresse . and now lastly , touching his regresse , or departure from thence ; the occasions and causes were these : the churches there being so happily planted and watered , and they having divers pastors , teachers , and overseers set over them ; his owne body was growne very weake , and more unserivceable by diseases that were renewed , with which he was long and painfully afflicted . first , he was moved with a great desire of seeing his aged and most deare mother , before her , or his death , whom hee had left in the netherlands . and secondly , of seeing againe his owne deare countrie , that by the joyfull tydings of the lords blessing his paines among those heathenish indians , hee might refresh the hearts of the churches , ministers , brethren , and friends . and thirdly , that he might the more promote and further , ( by meanes of those here , that had the chiefe managing and governing of those indian affaires , ) the proceeding on for the conversion of the lords vineyard , that is alreadie planted and watered in the formosan iland , and for further helpe in propagation of the gospell amongst them : hee having declared to the ilanders there , these and the like grounds for his returne ; [ they being put into so good a posture for their good proceeding on , in their churches , schollers , and every way : not without being greatly desired by them , at last they yeelded to dismisse him . ] this so joyfull a narration of the conversion of so many of the east-indians in the iland formosa , is recorded and published in latine by master caspar sibellius , pastor of the church in daventrie in the netherlands . being * writ by him there , iuly 25. 1646. ( himself being dearly beloved of , and acquainted with this blessed instrument , mr. robert ivnivs : ) and is perfixed to his booke , called antidotum ambitionis , beforesaid : [ printed at the charge of i. iansonius amsterd : ] who so desireth , and such as would see more about this historie , and the certaintie thereof , they may search and see these * letters , acts , and publicke testimonies extant , ( which confirme the same ; out of which mr. sibellius gathered much of the relation before said : ) viz. the acts of the synod of the northren parts of holland , held at harlem , anno 1645. the twentieth article . the acts of the visitation of the churches and schollers of the northern formosan ilanders : which three faithfull pastors of those east-indian churches , accompanying the elder of tayovan , two of the states senators being present , ordered and performed in the yeare 1643. in the moneths of september and october . also letters from the eldership in tayovan , and from otbers , to the classes in amsterdam , and in walachria , written specially about this busines● to which may bee added the excellent and most ample testimonall , wherewith the ecclesiasticall assembly at soulang the eight of october 1643 , dismissed the said mr. robert ivnivs . all these were seen , and read , and examined diligently by me , ( so affirmeth , ) c. sibellivs . and upon my desire and request , to have the clearest evidence herein , with the particulars thereof most fully ; the relation beforesaid , ( writ by mr. junius 's familiar friend ) was sent by mr. junius himselfe , to mr. cresset , as is before mentioned , for me , h. i. later news of formosan-indians . before the eight month october 1649. the relator hereof h. i. had entreated of the said mr. cresset , that he would write againe to delph , to be informed of the further proceeds about those indians in the isle formosa . who having written thither accordingly to m. e. h. his friend in delph ; he received back this account following . sir ; i have conversed with mr. junius about your desire , how it goes with the formosan indians : and he certifies me , that as he was there , alone ; so now there are there foure ministers alreadie : ( blessed bee god for it ; ) to the great encrease of his church and people ; for his superabundant glorie , and our great rejoycing and comfort . for the conversion of the heathen , is according to his promise in his sacred word . — the companie have concluded and agreed , to send three ministers more , whom they , with mr. junius , thinke most fit , to performe that great worke. and mr. junius doth instruct them that are to goe , in the language ; that they may ( with gods mercie ) bee the better enabled to performe that great worke , which they are sent for , &c. your loving friend , e. h. delph 25. of octob. 1649. the post-script . i. good newes of the day-breaking . ii. of the cleare sun-shine . iii. of the glorious progresse of the gospel breaking forth upon many west-indians in new-england . precious is that promise in isaiah 59.19 . from the west they shall feare the name of iehovah , and from the rising of the sun his glory . some first-fruits from the east , we have heard alreadie ; from the west , here follows a briefe : of the harvest from them both , we much long to heare , and earnestly pray for it to the lord of the harvest . in the yeare 1630. before the birth of christ , ( according to h. broughtons concent , ) to enjoy temporall food , israel with 70 souls went downe into egypt . and in the yeare 1630 † from the birth of christ , ‖ to enjoy spirituall food , the liberties of the gospell , a great number of our english brethren were forced hence [ to new-england ] by the contrivers and promoters of destructive designes , for introduction of great evills , both in church and state. — the adversaries end was to suppresso , but gods to proprogate the gospell . a long time it was , [ about twice seven yeares , ] before god let them see any further ●nd , then to preserve their consciences , and provide for their sustenance . but when providence invited their returne , he let them know , it was for some further errand , that he brought them thither : giving them some bunches of grapes , some clusters of figs , in earnest of the prosperous successe of their endeavours upon those poore out-casts , those west-indian-natives . whose language mr. i. eliot of roxburie , ( who had lived in essex nigh chelmsford , ) and mr. thomas mahew junior had endeavoured to attaine . * in the yeare 1646 , it seemed good to the most high god , to stir up some reverend ministers of the gospell in new-england , to consider , how they might be serviceable to the lord jesus , in furthering the native-indians ▪ — hence they sought the lord , to direct them in a right way , and for a blessing upon their endeavours . upon ‖ october 28. 1646. foure of us , ( saith the honoured relator , ) ( having sought god ) went according to appointment , to the wigwam ( or tent made of boughs , and mats , ) of waaubon , an indian-governour : where he found many indians gathered together from all quarters to learne of us the knowledge of god. ( waaubon having yeelded up his eldest son to be educated by the english in the knowledge of god. ) the summe of christian religion was declared in their owne tongue ; the indians attending diligently ; and professing they understood all that was taught them : of sinne , and mercie , of christ , of faith , and repentance , &c. ( the sermon was above an houre . ) then we propounded questions . 1. whether they all understood ? they answered with multitude of voices , they all understood , all that was spoken . then we desired them , if they would , to propound questions to us . which they readily did . the first question , how may we come to know iesus christ ? ( some words in the answers , needed the helpe of our indian interpreter : but a few words from the preacher , were more regarded , then many from him . ) the second question was , whether god , or iesus christ , did understand indian prayers ? the occasion was this . the partie said , hee was lately praying in his wigwam , that , god and iesus christ , would give him a good heart . — and his fellow indian interrupted him , and told him , iesus christ had been used to hear english-men pray , and understood them : but understood not indians . the third question by another ; whether english men were at any time so ignorant of god , and iesus christ , as they ? and three questions more , and we propounded three to them . and thus having spent three houres with them , we asking , if they were not wearie ? they answered , no. when we concluded , the chiefe of them asked , when we would come againe ? so we appointed the time. the second time , was novemb. 11. 1646. at waaubons wigwam againe ; where we found many more indians met , then the formertime : and they had prepared seats for us . after prayer we asked three questions of the younger indians , and gave them answers in the indian tongue . 1 quest. who made you , and all the world ? ans. god. 2 quest. who doe you looke should save you from sinne , and hell ? ans. jesus christ. 3 quest. how many commands hath god given you ? ans. ten. in these three , we made them all perfect ; encouraging them to learne , by giving somewhat to each child , and desiring their parents to teach them perfectly afterwards . then we preached to them , as formerly ; of god , of christ , of sin , of its punishment , of gods now offering salvation to them . — hereby some were greatly affected : one wept much . after sermon , wee would have them aske questions of us . an old man asked , is it not too late for one so old as i , to repent , or seeke after god ? 2. another asked , seeing we all come from one father ; how came the english to know god , more then we ? 3. quest. how may we come to serve god ? these we answered . one asked , if a man have stollen , and restored again , and was not punished by the sachim , ( or indian governour : ) what then ? is all well ? ans. gods anger burnes like fire against all such sinnes ; but if he fly to gods mercie in christ , and repent , god will forgive , and pittie him . upon this answer , the man drew back , hung down his head , as smit at the heart , his eyes readie to drop , he said , me little know jesus christ , else i should seek him better . we encouraged him . one said , we much thank god for your comming . we told them , god is musquantum ( that is , very angry ) for the least sin , in their thoughts , words , or actions . they assenting . such as dye in sinne , after death should be chechainuppan , that is , tormented alive . ( the neerest of their words we knew . ) beleevers , after death , wowein wicke jehovah , live in all blisse with iehovah . the third time , november 26. 1646. was our third meeting with indians , where they had built more wigwams there . the preacher had heard , that other indians , had threatned , and discouraged these ; therefore hee encouraged them : they put to him six questions . the same weeke one wimpas a sage indian , with two stout young-men that had been deeply affected in hearing , came to that preacher , bringing his son and three other indian children , desiring they might be brought up with the english , to know true god , and not to grow rude , as at home they would . the two young-men offered their service to the english , for the like end ; all were accepted . these two certifie us , that the old man [ who had asked if such an one could be saved , ] his wife and one of his six sons , which were pawaws [ that is , charming witches , ] god hath convinced of that sinne : and they resolve to heare the word , and seek to the devill no more . the fourth time , was decemb. 4. where another pawaw had some terrour struck into him , upon a question propounded . the said two young indians , related , how some become pawaws ; and that their imployment is , to cure the sick , by certaine odd gestures , and beatings of themselves : and blowing , &c. the lord hath moved the english in their generall court to purchase so much land for the indians , as to build them a town neer the english , for their help , calling it noonatomen , that is , rejocying . this pleased the indians greatly : who about that time , made these lawes . 1. if any be idle a weeke , he shall pay 5 s. 2. a man that that commits whordome , shall pay 20 s. 3. if any beat his wife , his hands shall be tied behind him , and punished . 4. young men without service , shall set up wigwans , and plant . 5. women that cut their haire , or let it hang loose , shall pay , 5 s. 6. if women goe with naked breasts , they shall pay 2 s. 6 d. 7. men that weare long haire , shall pay 5 s. 8. if any now kill their lice between their teeth , to pay 5 s. [ that by it , they might not offend the english. ] the fifth meeting was , decemb. 9. 1646. after catechizing and preaching , the indians offered to us all their children to be brought up by us . of their complaints against their naughtie hearts ; resolution to keepe the sabbath , their words in prayer , &c. you may see more at large in the book called , the day-breake . from which , this collection is the more full , because that book is very scarcely to be had ; it was sold on fish-street-hill , by mr. clifton . the next book , called , the clear sun-shine , &c. commended by the epistles of mr. marshall , mr. calamy , mr. nye , &c. as before said , is sold by mr. bellamy , in cornhill , london . to which i referre you for your further satisfaction in the things that here are but briefly hinted . the sachim ( or indian governor ) about concord , hearing of those things before said ▪ came to noonanetums-indian lecture : where the lord so met with him , that he cast of his old indian wild and sinfull courses . hence divers of his men , secretly opposed him ; which he perceiving , said , to this effect : whilst you lived after the indian fashion , did not the higher indian sachems take away your skins , kettles , wampan , ( that is their monie ) at their pleasure ? but you may see , the english seeke not your goods , but your good ; they oppresse not , but give to you &c. then he made laws for their more religious and civill govrnement , and is verie active for good . hence they desired m. eliot might come to them to p●each to them . the sachim desired , they might have ground amongst the english to dwell there . being asked his reason ; he answered , else the indians would not care to come far to hear gods word , nor would they praie , &c. conclusions and orders agreed upon by divers sachims about concord , in the end of the 11 moneth ( called januarie ) 1646. 1. that for everie time that one is drunke , he shall paie 20 s. 2. there shal be no pawawing . else the party and procurer , to paie 20 s. 29. laws in all ; see in the ‖ svn-shine . the thief to restore foure fold . he that greazeth himselfe , is to paie 5 s. for fornication , the man 20 s. the woman 10 s. adulterie death . no indian to come into english-mans house , except he first knock : and this they expect from the english , &c. march 3. 1647. ( current , ) i went to noonanetums lecture , mr. wilson , mr. allen , mr. dunster , &c. being present . their womens scruples , or quere's are to be propounded by their men . 1. question was , whether doe i praie , when i speak nothing , if my heart goes with that which my husband praieth ? 2. whether a husband should praie , if he still continue in passion against his wife , though not so much as he was ? mr. eliot preached once to the indians about cape cod , neer new-plimouth , where an aged indian , said openly , these things that mr. eliot taught us of the worlds , making by one god , & of his commands , &c. we have heard from some of our old men , that now are dead , and after they fell into a great sleep ; when we awoke , we forgot all . iune 9. 1647. being the first day of the synod , then at cambridge , there was in the afternoone the indian lecture by mr. eliot : where was a great confluance of indians , whose questions after the sermon wete these . where was christ borne ? where is he now ? how may we lay hold on him , and where ; he being absent ? &c. these questions , and their gracious attending the word , much affected the godly magistrates , ministers , and people there met . an old indian man , much wondering at gods goodnesse to them , that were in such grosse ignorance and darknesse ; hee spake with such strong actings of his eyes and hands , as the more affected them , his words being interpreted . another time in the cold winter , mr. eliot gave him a promise of an old suit of cloths : to which he affectionately said , i see , god is mercifull . thus he saw gods mercie , in the promise of old cloths . the winter before going , mr. edward iackson of cambridge , sent to mr. shephard the relator , these questions of the indians . why some are so bad , that they hate such as would teach them good ? whether the devil or man were made first ? a squaw or indian woman , queried , may i praie in the wood , in a private place , when sanop ( the man ) is from home ? she being ashamed to pray before others . how they may know , that their faith and prayers are good ? why did not god kill the devill ? how can we sanctifie a sabbath ? mr. iackson also wrote , that passing by an indian wigwam early , on april 25. 1647. he heard an indian at prayer therein : and that in september following , he observed an indian , call in his children , from gathering corne in the field ; at his craving a blessing on his homely fare ; and that he did it with much affection . this may shame many professed christians . the order of the generall court at boston , may. 26. 1647. concerning indians , ( justice , education , &c. ) is expresly set downe . part of mr. eliots letter to mr. shephard , sept. 24. 1647. followeth . that which i first held out to indians , was , the law , to civilize and humble them . gal. 3.19 . but they were soone wearie , and dispised it . some wise indians said amongst them , that in fortie years some indians would be all one english : and all indians so , in a hundred years . when i heard this , i encouraged them ; in time they saw , that our magistrates and ministers , and all good people were glad of the desires of some to be instructed . then the lord bowed many of their hearts , to desire to be taught , to know god , &c. this change the lord hath wrought among them . 1. forsaking all their pawaws . 2. praying to god. 3. some pawaws forsaking pawawing : others are fled , to trade better else where . 4. many instruct their children in what i catechiz● , till old and young be perfect , 5. they sanctifie the sabbath , having enquired how they should be then imployed . 6. referring cases for convincing of some , to me , on lecture dayes ( three or foure instances are set downe . ) 7. admonitions then to offenders , have beene greatly blessed by the lord. of their questions , one by a sachim was thus ; before i knew god , i thought all was well : but now , i finde my heart full of sinne : i sometimes wish i might die , rather then be so again . whether is this a sin in me ? when i had preached on 1 cor. 6.9 , 10 , 11. against lust , old mr. browne ( being present ) observed , some were deeply affected , and wept . after my returne , this question was sent to me as from them all , whether anie of them should goe to heaven , seeing they sound their hearts so full of sinne , especially of lust ? ( which they call nanwunwudsqas , that is , mad after women , which occasioned my next sermon , on matth. 11. v. 28. come to me , all ye that labour , &c. another question hath oft been . if they leave off pawawing , what shall they do when they are sick ? great need there is of physicians , to prevent the snare of pawawing . sept. 24. 1647. one question this day after lecture was , because other abergenians ( or indians ) aske us thus ; what get you by praying to god ? you goe naked still , and our corne is as good as yours ; else wee would praie to god too : what shall we answer to this ? another question oft put , is this ; they being enformed of the unlawfulnesse of all gaming for wages , where there is any lot : whether they should pay such debts , as they came into by gaming ? the answers hereto , and the desires of some titacu● indians to have mr. eliot come to teach them ; and what berries and other things indians now bring to mercate commonly : and what use of all , master shephard makes , and some more of their questions and answers thereto , especially about the putting one of two wives awaie , if the latter had children , and the first had none : of these , and other passages , you may see more fully in the booke called , the sun-shine breaking forth upon the indians in new-england , sold by mr. bellamie neere the exchange : to which you are referred for your more full satisfaction . the third book , called , the glorious progresse of the gospell , amongst the ( west ) indians in new england . printed for h. allen in popes-head-alley . part of a letter writ by mr. mahew junior ( from great-harbor in capawack island , now called martha's vineyard . ) who also preacheth there to indians in their owne language . sir ; the encouragements i met withall touching the indian conversion , next to gods glorie , was their zealous enquiring after true happines ; together with the knowledge i had of their tongue : besides severall providences . 1. the lord raising up by prayer , old ieogiscat , whom all the pawaws , gave over for a dead man. 2. another called saul , so dying , upon his returne to pawaws . 3. the recoverie of a sagamors son , after prayer , and some meanes used . 4. the speech of that sagamor towan quattick , lamenting their losse of knowledge ; he said thus to me , a long time agoe , we had wisemen , that taught the people knowledge : they dead , their wisdome buried . now men live giddy life in ignorance , till white haires . — i wonder english thirty yeares here , and we fooles still . and he comming to me , desiring my help , said , you to us , as one standing by running river , silling many vessels : so you us , with everlasting knowledge . so i undertooke to give them a meetting once a moneth : then upon their desire , i performed it once a fort-night , — pray that to the heathen may be preached the unserchable riches of christ , that so the root of iesse , standing for an ensigne , the gentiles may seek● unto it , and his rest shall be glorious . amen . the summe of a second letter from mr. eliot , writ november 12. 1648. worthie sir , your worke of preaching christ to these poore indians , i blesse god , goeth on , not without successe . touching the first woman whose case was put about joyning in heart with her husbands prayer ; whether then she prayed to god ? i oft visited her in her sicknesse , she took in child-bed ; asking her about her spirituall estate , she said , i still love god , though he made me sick . i resolve to pray to him , whilst i live : and no pawaw . — i beleeve god will pardon all my sins , because iesus christ died for me : and god is well pleased in him . i am willing to die , i shall goe to heaven , and live happily with god and christ there . before her death , she called her up-growne daughters , with her other children , and said to them ; i shall now die ; then your grand-father , and grand-mother , and vnckles , — will send for you , to come ●ack to liue there , and promise you much . — but i charge you , never goe ; for they pray not to god , nor keep sabbath : sinne , and not punished , &c. soone after she died . and these being so sent for , this case by the father , on the lecture day , was put to me : so came i to the knowledge hereof . our cutshamoquin hath some subiects in martha's vineyard , that hearing of his praying to god , do so too . — but our western indians doe more earnestly embrace the gospell , as swahanon doth , the great sachim of nashawog . this last summer four times have i been there : it s neere fortie miles hence . they desire i should come ofter , and stay longer . also to pautuchet , there being a great concourse of indians at the springs fishing time , i went the two last springs , and had great encouragement in preaching to them : where their prophanesse is turned by many , into praying to god , and observing sabbath — . yea the old sagamor papissaconnaway , that hath been a great pawaw , excusing his absence before ▪ came the latter time : where i preached from mal. 1.11 . from the rising of the sun , to the going downe , &c. after which , some asked , if it be thus , then former indians are they all gone to hell ? — the sagamor said , he beleeved , what i taught was true . he had not called on god ; but now he would , and would so perswade his sonnes . his eldest son present , sachem of wadchuset , consented thereunto . and in this mind he continued , desiring capt. willard and i , would come and dwell there to instruct them better . — oh that the lord would raise up many labourers amongst them ! i never goe empty handed amongst them , nor take gratuitie unrewarded ; onely when one poore creature thrust somewhat into my hand , with much affection , i found , it was a pennyworth of wampam ( which is indian money : ) i kindly accepted it , inviting him to my house : where i would refresh all indians that come . the next spring i intend to goe thither , and to another great fishing place , about three score miles hence , belonging also to papissaconaway . some of the questions by the indians neere us , are these that follow : by which you may guesse at their spirits , and progresse . quest. how many good people were in sodome , at its burning ? how should i pray to christ ? dwells the devill in us , as we in a house ? when god saith , honour thy father ; meanes hee three fathers ? our father , our sachim , and god ? what sayes a soul , when it goes to heaven or hell ? if one speake of anothers faults , and not to himselfe : is it a sin ? ( a ) ( a ) mat. 18.15 . pro. 25.9 . see page 31. line 2. ( a ) why did christ dye in our steed ? why , and how should we love our enemies ? how doth christ redeeme us from sin ? (b) when every day my heart thinkes , i shall dye , and goe to hell for my sinnes , what shall i doe ? (c) may a good man sin sometimes , and yet be a good man ? if a man thinke a prayer , doth god know it , and reward it ? who kill'd christ ? if a man be almost a good man , and dye so , whither goeth his soule ? (d) if two families dwell in one house , and one prayes not : what shall the other that praieth , doe to them ? now indians desire to go to heaven , what shal they do ? i find i want wisdome , what shall i doe to get it ? why doth god make good men sick ? i see why i must feare hell ; and i doe so : why must i feare god ? may a woman that prayeth to god , marrie one that doth not ? if my wife worketh the night before , or after the sabbath ; is it a sinne ? if i sin , and know not it is a sinne ; what will god say to that ? is faith in my heart or in my minde ? why did christ dye for us ? by these questions you may see , — their souls are in a searching condition , after god , and christ , salvation — and i will say this solemnly — ; were they but in a setled way of government — together , and i called — to live amongst them ; i durst freely joyne into church-fellowship , with many of them . yours , i. eliot . roxbury this 12. of nov. 1648. the summe of another letter of mr. eliot , to a gentleman of new-england , residing here at presient . sir ; your care about the good of these poore indians , — for their apparell ; for imployment of them , in planting — they wanting apparell , and tooles — are willing to follow my advice , in any reasonable thing . — for their schooling , a gentleman in london , ( whose name i could never learne , ) gave x. li. towards it , the last yeare . paid by capt. harding . lin indians are all naught , † for such is their sachim . yours , i. eliot . part of another letter from him , writ the xii . month of the last yeare , 1648. ( current 1649. ) sundry of them ( viz. of these indians , ) enquire after baptisme , and church ordinances , and the way of worshipping god , as the churches here do . — i take this to be one speciall and eminent smile of god upon the worke , that he hath stirred up , ‖ the parliament of england , taking it into consideration , — to thinke on some meet way , how they might aduance it . ¶ i have noted some more of the questions by the indians : for by them , you may guesse at their progresse . questions by indians . why have not beasts a soule , as man hath ; seeing they have love , anger , &c. as man hath ? how is the spirit of god in us ? (a) why doth god punish in hell for ever ? man will let out of prison . what is faith ? (a) do you thinke i have faith ? (a) how shall i know when god accepts my prayer ? (a) how makes christ peace , between god and man ? in wicked (b) dreames , doth the soule sin ? if my heart be full of ill thoughts , and i repent (a) pray , and yet its full , againe and againe : what will god say ? what meaneth this ? god will not hold him guiltlesse , that taketh his name in vaine ? if a man will force his daughter to marrie one that she doth not love ; what will god say ? &c. sir , i am yours in any service , i can in jesus christ. i. eliot . roxbury this second of the 12 moneth 1648. ( 1649. current . ) the rest of the letter , and of other letters , and more of the indian questions , the reader may see , [ with many more remarkable passages , and profitable observations and applications ( with conjectures ) made , in an * appendix thereunto ; ] in a booke , published by mr. e. winslow , called (c) the glorious progresse of the gospell , amongst the indians in new-england . to which book , with the two former bookes of the same subiect , viz. the day-dreake of the gospell with the indians . ( sold by mr. clifton on fishstreet-hill , and the cleare svn-shine . — ( sold neere the exchange by mr. bellamie , ) the godly reader , ( to whom these glorious and honourable workes of god , * are most precious , ) is referred for his further satisfaction . ¶ the parliament of england , for the advancing of this good worke , made an ‖ act called , an act for promoting and propagating of the gospell of jesus christ in new-england . [ 27. iulie 1649. ordered by them to be printed . ] ( sold by mr. husbands . ) a breviate whereof followeth . whereas the commons of england , assembled in parliament , have received certain intelligonce — from divers godly ministers , and others in new-england , that divers of the heathen-natives — through the pious care of some godly english — who preach the gospell to them in their owne indian-language : not onely of barbarous , are become civill ; but many of them forsake their accustomed charms and sorcerses , and other satanicall delusions , doe now call upon the name of the lord , and give great testimonie of the power of god , drawing them from death and darknes , to the life and light of the glorious gospell jesus christ. which appeareth by their lamenting with teares their mispent lives ; teaching their children , what they are instructed themselves ; being carefull to place — them in godly famalies and english schooles ; betaking themselves to one wife , putting a way the rest : and by their constant prayers to almightie god , morning and evening in their families ; expressed ( in all appearance ) with much devotion , and zeale of heart . all which considered , we cannot but in behalfe of the nation we represent , rejoyce , and give glory to god , for the beginning of so glorious a propagation of the gospell amongst those poore heathen . which cannot be prosecuted with that expedition — as is desired , unlesse fit instruments be encouraged and maintained to pursue it . schooles , — cloathing , — be provided ▪ and many other necessaries . — be it therefore enacted — by this present parliament , — that for the furthering so good a worke , — there shall be a corporation in england , consisting of sixtéene ( viz. ) a president , treasurer , and fourtéene assistants ; and that william steel esq harbert pelham esq james sher'ey , abraham babington , robert houghton , richard hutchinson , george dun , robert tomson , william mullins , john hodgson , edward parks , edward clud , richard lloyd . tho : aires , john stone , and edward winslow , citizens of london , be the first sixtéene persons , — out of whom the said sixtéene persons , or the greater number of them shall chuse one of the said sixiéene to be president , — another to be treasurer . — they , or any nine of them , — to appoint a common seal . — and — be it enacted — that a generall collection be made for the purposes ▪ beforesaid , through all england and wales . — and — that the ministers — read this act — and exhort the people to a chearfull — contribution — to so pious a worke. — hen : scobell , clerie , parliamenti . * blessed be iehovah the god of heaven , who hath stirreh up such a thing as this , in the heart of parliament of england , to promote the gospell , amongst those west-indians in new-england : and into the hearts of the ministers of severall colleges in cambridge , and of the delegates of the universitie of oxford , to provoke the ministers of england and wales , to stir up their congregations to a liberall contribution of pecuniarie helps — towards the promotion of so glorious undertaking : as by their letters may more fully appear . dated at cambridge , octob. 24. 1649. subscribed , (a) ant. tuckney procanc . t. hill , io. arrowsmith , benj. whitchcock , s. bolton , w. spurston , la. seaman , rich. love , rich. minshall , w. del , rich. vines . oxford dated octob. 22. 1649. (b) signed in the name and by the authoritie of the delagates — ed : reynolds , vice. canc. oxon . i wish those pithy , savoury letters , may be read , for the more affecting the hearts of all godly people , that they may not sow sparingly , but liberally , as hoping for a harvest and reaping plentifully . thus you have heard the joyfull relation of the conversion of many indians , both in the east , and in the west ; and evident confirmations of both . and now , is this nothing to you , all ye that read , or heare of those things . is there no application hereof that we should make , for our owne further profit and edification ? surely , as every word of god , is for our (a) good ; all scripture being by inspiration of god , is profitable . so also are all the workes of god ; especially such glorious workes of god as these are ; [ which his very enemies (b) may be enforced to confesse , that digitus dei hîc : this is the finger of god ; the lords mightie worke indeed . ] if then your eyes be not (c) closed from seeing , and if you have eares to heare ; these wonderfull workes , may be profitable , for your 1 instruction , 2 reproofe , or conviction , 3 correction or reformation , and for (d) leading you on in righteousnesse , unto persection . the first vse : i this may instruct us , that the lord is exceeding mercifull , gracious , and compassionate indeed ; as the father of the prodigal , before confession made , runs to him , having bowels of mercy , falls on his neck , and (e) kisseth him . so here , as he saith , (f) i am found of them , that asked not after me . these indians , not first asking for the gospell ; by meanes of our english , and of the dutch plantations , ( which hereby he greatly favoureth ) the lord sends , and offers the gospell , and grace to them . then certainly , every one that seeketh after enjoyment of gods love in christ , and followeth on , shall surely find . mat. 7.8 . h●s . 6.3 . there is no cause for such to dispaire , though you have been as base , or baser then the prodigal , or iews , or heathen . [ such may see some sweet encouragements and directions , in a book called , ‖ a store house of cases of conscience , pag. 25.29 . to 39. newly published . the second vse : ii this relation may be for reproofe and conviction of multitudes both english & dutch , who have long enjoyed the gospell , and have not so prized it , nor brought forth such fruit , as these indians , that have enjoyed it but a short time . o read this over againe , and try (g) your selves whether ye be indeed (h) effectually beleevers , or but (i) temporary beleevers . o be ye convinced : and the lord convince you . how sad for thee is it , if publicans (k) and harlots , if witches and worshippers of devills , ( as many indians were , ) shall enter into the kingdome of god , and ye shall (l) see it , and be shut out ? except ye repent . iii the third vse : for reformation ; remember how far thou art fallen from such zeale , love , desire , and other good affections that were once in thee ; and repent : and seeke a sure foundation for thy building , and consider what it will cost thee , if thou beginnest not in time , or , if thou beginnest without a m sure foundation : least , the kingdome of god be suddenly taken from thee ; and thy (n) sunset at noone . consider the lord saith , (o) returne , o backsliders , i will heale you , for i am mercifull , and gracious , — i (p) delight not in the death of a sinner . why will ye die ? (q) how often would i have gathered you ? say (r) take away all iniquitie , and receive us graciously . (s) behold , to thee doe we returne . do thus especially before , and after sermon : wait on the most lively affecting meanes . and the lord give thee a waiting spirit ; remembring him in his wayes ; (t) after sermons , get a part , and ponder it seriously . (u) o quench not the spirit . iv the fourth and last vse : remember often , that when thou hast done all thou canst , that that art an unprofitable servant . (w) yea , that all thy prayers , and hearing , and other good deeds , are so stained with the evill of thy (x) uncleane heart , that all thy (y) righteousnesses , are but as a menstruous bloody clout . and that thou are quite undone in all thy duties , if there be not the (z) incense of iesus christ. and , that god , ( against whom thou hast rebelled and fought , ) hath (a) so loved the world , that sent his son not to condemne , but to save , all that come to him , and beleeve in him ; that will receive him , for their saviour , teacher , and king : and that none of these shall (b) perish . and though thou art never so poore , and reproached , and persecuted ; yet if it be for christs sake , thou shalt receive a hundred fold , (c) at the regeneration of the world ▪ [ when thou shalt (d) reigne with him a thousand * yeares , (e) and thou shalt have everlasting life . here it is best to leave thee . psal. 107.8.15.21 . — o that men would praise the lord for his goodnesse , and for his wonderfull workes . — part of another letter , writ by mr. eliot , to mr. huhg peters . sir ; i have a request to you in the behalfe of these poore indians , we are about to make a towne , and bring them to a cohabitation and civilitie ; for the accomplishment whereof , we want a magazine of all sorts of edge-tooles , and instruments fit for husbandrie , for cloathing , &c. as mr. pelham , and mr. winslow can informe you : and i thinke the best way to be supplyed , is , — to gather a collection of the things themselves : which any man can better spare out of his shop , then halfe so much money to buy them . — so shall i , and all these poore indians , rest engaged , to pray to the god of heaven . — &c. your loving brother , and fellow labourer in the lords worke , i. eliot . roxbury octob. 12. 1649. finis . errata : he that hath suffered by his owne errata , is desired that with his pen he will correct these . viz. in title pag. read iunij annot. pag. 2. end , put out , — secundo , pag. 5 , end , read both men . pag. 15. line 5. read we found — pag 25. line 7. read , mr. mahew . pag. 26. line 20. read , seeke unto it . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a46842-e310 ☞ ☜ notes for div a46842-e2700 1 quod ad ingressum , &c. per pium inclytae belgarum foederatorū ad infidos orientalis expeditionis senatū convertendis — * a rare patern for pious states & ministers act. 26.18 . a note of a true minister , that indeed sheweth love to christ , ioh. 21.15 , 16. † integro biennio , & quod excurrit . indians preached unto , in their owne language , twelve yeares . notes for div a46842-e3250 progressum in vocatione . * nam ( ut de dorko & tirose dicer● supersedeam ) in sex seprent . insulae formosae celebr . &c. the good successe of preaching . ‖ expulsis nefauda idelolatria , brutâ ignorantiâ , horribili coecitate , foeaissimo daemoniorum cultu — &c. * summi , medioxumi , atque infini . they may shame us . they pray morne and even , and at meales fervently , in conceived prayer . the unclean spirit forced out , attempts returning , urgeth to keepe their old accustomed way , as those in ier. 44.16 , 17. ☜ mat. 28.18 , 19. * vt ex formosanis adultis quinquies mille & nongenti utriusque sexus , nomina sua christo dederunt . et — fidie suae professionem &c. ‖ cum quibus infantes ex formosanis foederatis ●●ti , atquè sacrâ aquâ tinct● , non annumerantur v. m.ix.c . first , taught , and beleeve ; then baptized , and enjoy the lords supper . m. iunius promoted reading & writing , and many to be schoolemasters . † praeter paucos praeceptores belgas , in supradictis sex pagis indigenae quinquaginta , a te christo lucrifacti , atque instituti & scientiâ , industriâ , dexteritate , sedulitate , ac pietate insignes , sub discessum tuum sexcentos discipulos legere & literas pingere docebant : & tàm adultos , quàm pueros rudimētis christianae fidei imbuebant . * six hundred taught to reade and write . churches planted in six formosan northren towns , & in xxiij . southern . notes for div a46842-e4070 of his return home . pauca de egressu . &c. the causes of his return three are here mentioned . * scripsi daventria , xxv . julij anno 1646. reveretiae tua studi efissimus , casparus sibellius , ecclesia daventri enfis pastor . further confirmations of the truth of these glad tydings . * ad literas , acta , et testimonia publica provoco , ex quibus , optimâ fide haec excerpsi . loquūtur acta synodi eccl. hol. borealis , har ●ei habita — . presbyterio tayovanensi . notes for div a46842-e5180 mat. 9.38 . gen. 47.9 . deut. 10. ●● † the voyage of mr. winthrop , sir rich. saltonstal , mr. dudley , &c. ‖ these words are in the epistle dedicated to the parliament , before the second booke , called the svn-shine of the gospell , subscribed by these twelve . viz. st. marshall . th. goodwin . philip nye . ed. calamy . simeon ashe . w. carter . io. downam . ier. whitaker . thomas case . s. simpson . w. greenhill . sam. bolton . * mr. winslow in the third booke , called , the glorious progresse of the gospell amongst the indians in new-england . page 1. ‖ see the first booke , called the day-breake , with indians in new england . page 1. ii time. our questiions . their questions . about restitution . much affected . iii time. the fruirs on some . iiii time. indian laws with fines . v time. further fruits . another sachim convinced . his speech ▪ lawes . page 4. ‖ a book so called . page 7. page 8. new-plimouth . page 11. page 15. page 17. the summe of mr. mahew's letter . three providences . a sagamors speech , by way of a parable . mr. eliots second letter . of a good womans death . her gracious speech . her faith. her death-bed charge . regis ad examplū . examples of superiors prevaile much . the worst of indian kings , now desires instruction . mr. eliots gifts , and hospitality to indians . 1 tim. 3.2 . questions by the indians . (b) eph. 1.7 (c) act. 2.37 . (d) see pag. 31. ( a ) help is desired for apparel , tools , schooling . of an unknown helper therein . † regis ad exmplum . ‖ see afterward at this marke , pag. 32. ¶ questions . (a) o that professed christians , would thus enquire ! (a) o that professed christians , would thus enquire ! (a) o that professed christians , would thus enquire ! (a) o that professed christians , would thus enquire ! (b) see eccles. 5.7 . (a) o that professed christians , would thus enquire ! * by mr. i. d. directions to the desirous reader . (c) sold by h. ailen . * psal. 111 ▪ 2 , 3. pag. 30. ¶ ‖ 27. iuly 1649. a worthy act of parliament , to promote the gospell amongst the indians in new-england . where many are converted , by 2 english preachers . o england , rejoyce and helpe on this worke. a corporation for propogating the gospell in new-england , a collection . * ezr. 7.27 . cambridge and oxfords letters for that collection . (a) subscribers to cambridge letter . (b) to oxfords . conclusion with application to us . iam. 1.12 . (a) 2 tim. 3.16 . (b) act. 4.16 (c) act. 28.27 . (d) 2 tim. 3.16 . i use of instruction . (e) luk. 15.20 . (f) isa. 65.1 . ‖ printed for mr. brewster close by pauls at the three bibles . ii use for conviction . (g) 2 cor. 13.5 . (h) 1 thes. 1.3 . 2 thes. 1.3 . (i) gal. 5.6 . (k) mat. 21.31 , 32. (l) lu. 13.28 . iii use , for correction . m mat. 7.26 (n) amos 8.9 . (o) jer. 3.12.22 . (p) eze 33.11 . (q) luke 13.34 . (r) hos. 14.2 , 3. (s) jer. 3.22 . (t) isa. 64 5. (u) 1 thes. 5.17 . iv use. (w) luke 17.10 . (x) mar. 7.21 (y) isa. 64.6 . (z) rev. 8.3.5 . (a) jo. 3.16.17 . (b) jo. 6.35 ▪ 37. (c) mat. 19.28 . (d) rev. 5.10 * of this thousand yeares , a book is newly printed for mr. brewster beforesaid ▪ (e) rev. 20.4 . rom. 8.17 . a true relation of such occurrences and accidents of noate as hath hapned in virginia since the first planting of that collony, which is now resident in the south part thereof, till the last returne from thence written by captaine smith [cor]one[ll] of the said collony, to a worshipfull friend of his in england. smith, john, 1580-1631. 1608 approx. 87 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 24 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a12470 stc 22795.5 estc s987 23150085 ocm 23150085 26291 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a12470) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 26291) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1781:22) a true relation of such occurrences and accidents of noate as hath hapned in virginia since the first planting of that collony, which is now resident in the south part thereof, till the last returne from thence written by captaine smith [cor]one[ll] of the said collony, to a worshipfull friend of his in england. smith, john, 1580-1631. [42] p. printed for iohn tappe, and are to bee solde at the greyhound in paules-church-yard, by w.w., london : 1608. running title: newes from virginia. signatures: [pi]¹ a-e⁴. t.p. contains illustration. includes fascimile t.p. imperfect: t.p. defaced with slight loss of print. reproduction of original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng indians of north america -virginia. virginia -history -colonial period, ca. 1600-1775. 2005-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-07 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-07 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a trve relation of such occurrences and accidents of noate as hath hapned in virginia since the first planting of that collony , which is now resident in the south part thereof , till the last returne from thence . written by captaine smith coronell of the said collony , to a worshipfull friend of his in england . london printed for iohn tappe , and are to bee solde at the greyhound in paules-church-yard , by w. w. 1608 to the courteous reader . courteous , kind , & indifferent readers , whose willingnesse to reade & heare this following discourse , doth explaine to the world your hearty affection , to the prosecuting and furtherance of so worthy an action : so it is , that like to an vnskilfull actor , who hauing by misconstruction of his right cue , ouer-slipt himselfe , in beginning of a contrary part , and fearing the hatefull hisse of the captious multitude , with a modest blush retires himselfe in priuate ; as doubting the reprehension of his whole audience in publicke , and yet againe vpon further deliberation , thinking it better to know their censures at the first , and vpon submission to reape pardon , then by seeking to smother it , to incurre the danger of a secret scandall : imboldening himselfe vpon the curteous kindnesse of the best , and not greatly respecting the worst , comes fourth againe , makes an apollogie for himselfe , shewes the cause of his error , craues pardon for his rashnes , and in fine , receiues a generall applauditie of the whole assemblie : so i gentle readers , happening vpon this relation by chance ( as i take it , at the second or third hand ) induced thereunto by diuers well willers of the action , and none wishing better towards it then my selfe , so farre foorth as my poore abilitie can or may stretch too , i thought good to publish it : but the author being absent from the presse , it cannot be doubted but that some faults haue escaped in the printing , especially in the names of countries , townes , and people , which are somewhat strange vnto vs : but most of all , and which is the chiefe error , ( for want of knowledge of the writer ) some of the bookes were printed vnder the name of thomas watson , by whose occasion i know not , vnlesse it were the ouer rashnesse , or mistaking of the workemen , but since hauing learned that the saide discourse was written by captaine smith , who is one of the counsell there in virginia : i thought good to make the like apollogie , by shewing the true author so farre as my selfe could learne , not doubting , but that the wise noting it as an error of ignorance , will passe it ouer with patience , and if worthy an applauditie , to reserue it to the author , whose paines in my iudgement deserueth commendations ; somewhat more was by him written , which being as i thought ( fit to be priuate ) i would not aduenture to make it publicke what more may be expected concerning the scituation of the country , the nature , of the clime , number of our people there resident , the manner of their gouernment , and liuing , the commodities to be produced , & the end & effect it maycome too , i can say nothing more then is here written , only what i haue learned and gathered from the generall consent of all ( that i haue conuersed withall ) aswell marriners as others , which haue had imploymēt that way ; is that the country is ex●cellēt & pleasant , the clime temperate and healthfull , the ground fertill and good , the commodities to be expected ( if well followed ) many , for our people , the worst being already past , these former hauing indured the heate of the day , whereby those that sha●l succeede , may at ease labour for their profit , in the most sweete , coole , and temperate shade : the action most honorable , and the end to the high glory of god , to the erecting of true religion among infidells , to the ouerthrow of superstition and idolatrie , to the winning of many thousands of wandring sheepe , vnto christs fold , who now , and till now , haue strayed in the vnknowne paths of paganisme , idolatrie , and susperstition : yea , i say the action being well followed , as by the graue senators , and worthy aduenturors , it hath beene worthily begunne : will tend to the euerlasting renowne of our nation , and to the exceeding good and benefit of our weale publicke in generall : whose counsells , labours , godly and industrious endeuours , i beseech the mightie iehouah to blesse , prosper , and further , with his heauenly ayde , and holy assistance . farewell . i. h. a true relation of such occurrences and accidents of note , as hath hapned in virginia , since the first planting of that collony , which is now resident in the south part thereof , till the last returne . kinde sir , commendations remembred , &c. you shall vnderstand that after many crosses in the downes by tempests wee arriued safely vppon the southwest part of the great canaries : within foure or fiue daies after we set saile for dominica , the 26. of aprill : the first land we made , wee fell with cape henry , the verie mouth of the bay of chissiapiacke , which at that present we little expected , hauing by a cruell storme bene put to the northward : anchoring in this bay twentie or thirtie went a shore with the captain ▪ and in comming aboard , they were assalted with certaine indians , which charged them within pistoll shot : in which conflict , captaine archer and mathew morton were shot : wherupon , captaine newport seconding them , made a shot at them , which the indians little respected , but hauing spent their arrowes retyred without harme and in that place was the bar opened , wherin the counsell for virginia was nonnnated : and arriuing at the place where we are now seated , the counsell was sworne , the president elected , which for that yeare was maister edm. maria wingfield , where was made choice for our scituation , a verie fit place for the erecting of a great cittie , about which some contention passed betwixt captaine wingfield and captaine gosnold , not-with-standing all out prouision was brought a shore , and with as much speede as might bee wee went about our fortification . the two and twenty day of aprill , captain newport and my selfe with diuers others , to the number of twenty two persons , set forward to discouer the riuer , some fiftie or sixtie miles , finding it in some places broader , & in some narrower , the countrie ( for the moste part ) on each side plaine high ground , with many fresh springes , the people in all places kindely intreating vs , daunsing and feasting vs with strawberries , mulberies , bread , fish , and other their countrie prouisions wherof we had plenty : for which captaine newport kindely requited thei● least fauours with bels pinnes , needles , beades or glasses , which so contented them that his liberallitie made them follow vs from place to place , and euer kindely to respect vs. in the midway staying to refresh our selues in a little ile foure or fiue sauages came vnto vs which described vnto vs the course of the riuer , and after in our iourney , they often met vs , trading with vs for such prouision as wee had , and ariuing at ar●atecke , hee whom we supposed to bee the chiefe king of all the rest , moste kindely entertained vs , giuing vs in a guide to go with vs vp the riuer to powhatan , of which place their great emperor taketh his name , where he that they honored for king vsed vs kindely . but to finish this discouerie , we passed on further , where within an i le we were interrepted with great craggy stones that in midst of the riuer , where the water falleth so rudely , and with such a violence , as not any boat can possibly passe , and so broad disperseth the streame , as there is not past flue or sire foote at a low water , and to the shore scarce passage with a barge , the water floweth foure foote , and the freshes by reason of the rockes haue left markes of the inundations 8. or 9. foote : the sooth side is plaine low ground , and the north side high mountaines , the rockes being of a grauelly nature , interlace● with many vains of glistring spangles that night we returned to powhatan : the next day ( being whitsunday after dinner ) we returned to the fals , leauing a mariner in pawn with the indians for a guide of theirs , hee that they honoured for king followed vs by the riuer . that afternoone we trifled in looking vpon the rockes and riuer ( further he would not goe ) so there we erected acrosse , and that night taking our man at powhatans , cap. newport congratulated his kindenes with a gown and a hatchet : returning to arsetecke , and stayed there the next day to obserue the height therof , & so with many slgnes of loue we departed . the next day the queene of agamatack kindely intreated vs , her people being no lesse contented then the rest , and from thence we went to another place , ( the name whereof i doe not remember ) where the people shewed vs the manner of their diuing for mussels , in which they finde pearles . that night passing by weanock some twentie miles from our fort , they according to their former churlish condition , seemed little to affect vs , but as wee departed and lodged at the point of weanocke , the people the next morning seemed kindely to content vs , yet we might perceiue many signes of a more iealousie in them then before , and also the hinde that the king of arseteck had giuen vs , altered his resolution in going to our fort , and with many kinde circumstances left vs there . this gaue vs some occasion to doubt some mischiefe at the fort , yet capt. newport intended to haue visited paspahegh and tappahanocke , but the instant change of the winde being faire for our return , we repaired to the fort withall speed , where the first we heard was that 400. indians the day before had assalted the fort , & supprised it , had not god ( beyond al their expectations ) by meanes of the shippes at whom they shot with their ordinances & muskets , caused them to retire , they had entred the fort with our own men , which were then busied in setting corne , their armes beeing then in driesats & few ready but certain gentlemē of their own , in which conflict , most of the counsel was hurt , a boy slaine in the pinnas , and thirteene or fourteene more hurt withall speede we pallisadeed our fort : ( each other day ) for sixe or seauen daies we had alarums by ambuscadoes , and foure or fiue cruelly wounded by being abroad : the indians losse wee know not , but as they report three were slain and diuers hurt . captaine newport hauing set things in order , set saile for england the 22 of june , leauing prouision for 13. or 14 weeks . the day before the ships departure , the king of pamaun●e sent the indian that had met vs before in our discouerie , to assure vs peace , our fort being then palisadoed round , and all our men in good health and comfort , albeit , that throgh some discentented humors , it did not so long continue , for the president and captaine gosnold , with the rest of the counsell , being for the moste part discontented with one another in so much , that things were neither carried with that discretion nor any busines effected in such good sort as wisdome would , nor our owne good and safetie required thereby , and through the hard dealing of our president , the rest of the counsell beeing diuerslie affected through his audarious commaund , and for captaine martin , ( albeit verie honest ) and wishing the best good , yet so sicke and weake , and my selfe so disgrac'd through others mallice , through which disorder god ( being angrie with vs ) plagued vs with such famin and sicknes , that the liuing were scarce able so bury the dead : our want of sufficient and good victualls , with continuall watching , foure or fiue each night at three bulwarkes , being the chiefe cause : onely of sturgion wee had great store , whereon our men would so greedily surfet , as it cost manye their liues : the sack , aquauitie , and other preseruatiues for our health , being kept onely in the presidents hands , for his owne diet , and his few associates : shortly after captaine gosnold fell sicke , and within thrée wéekes died , captaine ratcliffe being then also verie sicke and weake , and my selfe hauing also tasted of the extremitie therof , but by gods assistāce being well recouered . kendall about this time , for diuers reasons deposed from being of the councell : and shortly after it pleased god ( in our extremity ) to moue the indians to bring vs corne , ere it was halfe ripe , to refresh vs , when we rather expected when they would destroy vs : about the tenth of september there was about 46. of our men dead , at which time captaine wingefield hauing ordred the affaires in such sort that he was generally hated of all , in which respect with one consent he was deposed from his presidencie , and captaine ratcliffe according to his course was elected . our prouision being now within twentie dayes spent , the indians brought vs great store both of corne and bread ready made : and also there came such aboundance of fowles into the riuers as greatly refreshed our weake estates , wherevppon many of our weake men were presently able to goe abroad . as yet we had no houses to couer vs , our tents were rotten , and our cabbins worse then nought : our best commoditie was yron which we made into little chissels , the president , and captaine martins sicknes , constrayned me to be cape marchant , and yet to spare no paines in making houses for the company , who notwithstanding our misery , little ceased their mallice , grudging and mattering . as at this time were most of our chiefest men either sicke or discontented , the rest being in such dispaire , as they would rather starue and rot with idlenes , then be perswaded to do any thing for their owne reliefe without constraint : our victualles being now within eighteene dayes spent , and the indians trade decreasing , i was sent to the mouth of y● riuer , to kegquouhtan an indian towne , to trade for corne , and try the riuer for fish , but our fishing we could not effect by reason of the stormy weather . the indians thinking vs neare famished , with carelesse kindnes , offred vs little pieces of bread , & small handfulls of beanes or wheat , for a hatchet or a piece of copper : in the like maner i entertained their kindnes , and in like scorne offered them like commodities , but the children , or any that shewed extraordinary kindenes , i liberally contented with free gifte , such trifles as wel cōtented them ▪ finding this co●●e comfort , i anchored before the towne , and the next day returned to trade , but god ( the absolute disposer of all heartes ) altered their conceits , for now they were no lesse desirous of cut commodities then we of their corne : vnder colour to fetch fresh water , i sent a man to discouer the towne , their corne , and force , to trie their intent , in that they desired me vp to their houses : which well vnderstanding , with foure shot i visited them , with fish , oysters , bread and déere , they kindly trades with me and my men , beeing no lesse in doubt of my intent , then i of theirs , for well i might with twentie men haue fraighted a shippe with corne : the towne conteineth eighteene houses , pleasantly seated vpon three acres of ground , vppon a plaine , halfe inuironed with a great bay of the great riuer , the other parte with a baye of the other riuer falling into the great baye , with a little i le fit for a castle in the mouth thereof , the towne adioyning to the mains by a necke of land of sixtie yardes . with sixteene bushells of corne i returned towards our forte : by the way i encountred with two canowes of indians , who came ab●ord me , being the inhabitants of waroskoyack , a kingdome on the south side of the riuer , which is in breadth 5. miles and 20 mile or neare from the mouth : with these i traded , who hauing but their hunting prouision , requested me to returne to their towne , where i should load my boat with corne , & with near thirtie bushells i returned to the fort , the very name wherof gaue great comfort to our desparing company : time thus passing away , & hauing not aboue 14. daies vituals left , some motiōs were made about our presidents & capt. archeri going for england , to procure a supply , in which meane time we had reasonablly fitted vs with houses , and our president & capt. martin being able to walk abroad , with much ado do it was concluded , that the pinnace and barge should goe towards powhatan , to trade for corne : letts were cast who should go in her , the chance was mine , & while she was arigging . i made a voiage to topohanack , where ariuing , there was but certain women & children who fled from their houses , yet at last i drew them to draw néere , truck they durst not , corne they had plenty , & to spoile i had no cōmission : in my resume to paspahegh , i traded with that churlish & trecherous nation : hauing loaded 10 or 12 bushels of corne , they offred to take our pieces and swords , yet by stelth , but séeming to dislike it , they were ready to assault vs , yet stāding vpon our guard in coasting the shore , diuers out of the woods would meet with vs with corn & trade , but least we should be constrained , either to indure ouermuch wrong or directly fal to reuenge , séeing them dog vs , from place to place , it being night , & our necessitie not fit for warres , we tooke occasion to returne with 10 bushells of corne : cap. martin after made 2 iournies to that nation of paspahegh but eache tune returned with 8. or 10. bushells . all things being now ready for my iourney to powhatan , for the performance thereof , i had 8. men and my selfe for the barge , as well for discouerie , as trading , the pinnace , 5. marriners , & 2. landmen to take in out ladings at conuenient places . the 9 of nouember i set forward for the discouery of the country of chikhamania , leauing the pinnace the next tide to followe and stay for my comming at point weanock , 20 miles from our fort : the mouth of this riuer falleth into the great riuer at paspahegh , 8 miles aboue our fort : that afternoone i stayed the eb , in the bay of paspahegh with the indiās : towards the euening certaine indians haled me , one of them being of chikahamania , offred to cōduct me to his country , the paspabegheans grudged therat : along we went by moonelight , at midnight he brought vs before his towne , desiring one of our men to go vp with him , whom he kindely intertained , and returned back to the barge : the next morning i went vp to the towne , and shewed them what copper and hatchets they shold haue for corne , each family seeking to giue me most content : so long they caused me to stay that 100 at least was expecting my comming by the riuer with corne , what i liked i bought , and least they should perceiue my too great want i went higher vp the riuer : this place is called manosquosick a quarter of a mile from the riuer , conteining thirtie or fortie houses , vppon an exceeding high land : at the foote of the hill towards the riuer , is a plaine wood , watered with many springes , which fall twentie yardes right downe into the riuer : right against that same is a great marsh , of 4. or 5. miles circuit , deuided in 2 ilands , by the parting of the riuer , abounding with fish & fouls all sorts a mile from thence is a towne called oraniocke , i further discouered the townes of m●nsa , apahaock , werawahone , & mamanahūt at eche place kindely vsed , especially at the last , being the hart of the country , where were assembled 200. people with such aboūdāce of corne , as hauing laded our barge , as also i might haue laded a ship : i returned to paspahhegh , & considering that want of corne at our fort , it being night , with that ebb , by midnight i ariued at our fort , where i found our pinnis run aground : the next morning i vnladed seauē hogsheds into our store , the next morning i returned againe : the second day i ariued at mamanahūt , wher y● people hauing heard of my cōming , were ready with 3 or 400. baskets litle & great , of which hauing laded my barge , with many signes of great kindnes i returned : at my departure they requested me to hear our pieces , being in the midst of the riuer , which in regard of y● eccho séemed a peale of ordnance , many birds and fowles they see vs dayly kil that much feared them , so desirous of trade wer they , that they would follow me with their canowes , & for any thing giue it me , rather then returne it back : so i vnladed again 7 or 8. hogsheads at our fort . hauing thus by gods assistance gotten good store of corne , notwithstanding some bad spirrits not content with gods prouidence , still grew ●●●tinous , in so much , that our president hauing ocasion to chide the s●ith for his misdeamenor , he not only gaue him bad language , but also offred to strike him with some of his tooles , for which rebellious act , the smith was by a jury condemned to be hanged , but being vppon the ladder continuing verry obstinate , as hoping vpon a rescue : when he saw no other way but death with him , he became penitent , & declared a dangerous conspiracy , for which captains kendall as principal , was by a jury condē●ed & shot to death . this conspiracy appeased , i set forward for the discouery of the riuer of checka hamania : this third time i discouered y● townes of matapamient , morinogh , ascacap , moysenock righkahauck , nechanichock , mattalūt , attamuspincke , & diuers others , their plenty of corne i found decreased , yet lading the barge , i returned to our fort : our store being now indifferently wel prouided with corne , there was much adoe for to haue the pinace goe for england , against which captain martin & my selfe , standing chiefly against it , and in fine after many debatings , pro & contra , it was reolued to stay a ●urther resolutiō : this matter also quieted , i set forward to finish this discouery , which as yet i had neglected in regard of y● necessitie we had to take in prouision whilst it was to be had : 4● . miles i passed vp that riuer , which for the most part is a quarter of a mile broad , & 3. fatham & a half deep , exceeding vsey , many great low marshes , & many high lāds , especially about that midst at a place called moysonicke , a peninsule of 4. miles cicuit , betwixt two riuers ioyned to the main , by a neck of 40. or 50. yards , and 40. or 50 yards from the high water marke : on both sides in the very necke of the maine , are high hills and dales , yet much inhabited , the i le declining in a plaine fertile corn● field , the lower end a low marsh , more plentie of swannes , cranes , geese , duckes , and mallards , & diuers sorts of fowles none would desire : more plaine fertile planted ground , in such great proportions as there i had not seene , of a light blacke sandy mould , the cliffes commonly red , white and yellowe coloured sand , & vnder red & white clay , fish great plenty , & people aboundance , the most of their inhabitants , in view of that neck of land , where a better seat for a towne cannot be desired : at the end of forty miles this riuer inuironeth many low ilands , at each high water drowned for a mile , where it vniteth it selfe , at a place called . apokant the highest towns inhabited . 10. miles higher i discouered with the barge ; in the mid way , a great tree hindred my passage which i cut in two : heere the riuer became narrower , 8. 9 or 10. foote at a high water , and 6. or 7. at a lowe : the streame exceeding swift , & the bottom hard channell , the ground most part of a low plaine , sandy soyle , this occasioned me to suppose it might issue from some lake or some broad ford , for it could not be far the head , but rather then i would endanger the barge , yet to haue beene able to resolue this doubt , & to discharge the imputation of malicious tungs , that halfe suspected i durst not for so long delaying , some of the company as desirous as my self , we resolued to bier a canow , and returne with the barge to apocant , there to leaue the barge secute , and put our selues vppon the aduenturs : the country onely a vast and wilde wildernes , and but onely that towne : within three or foure mile we hired a canow , and 2. indians to row vs that next day a fowling : hauing made such prouision for the barge as was needfull , i lett her there to ride , with expresse th●rge not any to go ashore til my returne . though some wise men may condemn this too bould attempt of too much indiscretion , yet if they well cōsider the friendship of the indians , inconducting me , the desolatenes of the country , the propabilitie of some lacke , & the malicious iudges of my actions at home●as also to ha●e some matters of worth to incourage our aduenturers in england , might well haue caused any honest 〈◊〉 to haue done the like , as wel for his own discharge as for the publike g●d : hauing 2 indians for my guide & 2 of our own company , i set forward , leauing 7 in the bargs : hauing disco●ered 20 miles further in this desart , the riuer stil kept his depth and bredth , but much more combred with trées : here we went ashore ( being some 12 miles higher then that barge had bene ) to refresh our selues , during the boyling of our vituals : one of the indians i to●ke with me , to sée the nature of the soile , & to crosse the bought● of the riuer , the other indian i lest with m. robbinson and thomas emry , with their matches light and order to discharge a peace , for my retreat at the first sight of any indian , but within a quarter of an houre i heard a leud cry , and hollowing of indians , but no warning peece , supposing them surprised , and that the indians had betraid vs , presently i seazed him & bound his arme fast to my hand in a garter , with my pistoll ready bent to be reuenged on him : he aduised me to fly , and seemed dignorant of what was done , but as we went discoursing , i was struck with an arrow an the right thigh , but without harme : vpon this occasion i espied 2 indians drawing their bowes , which i preuented in discharging a french pistoll : by that i had charged againe 3 or 4 more did the like , for the first fell downe and fled : at my discharge they did the like , my hinde i made my barricado who offeced not to striue , 20. or 30. arrowes were shot at me but short , 3 or 4 times i had discharged my pistoll ●re the king of pamaūck called opeckākenough with 200 men , inuironed●e , eache drawing their bowe , which d●●e they laid them vpon the ground , yet without shot , my hinde treated betwixt them and me of conditions of peace , he discouered me to be the captaine , my request was to retire to that boate , they demaunded my armes , the rest they saide were slaine , onely me they would reserue : the indian importuned me not to that . in retiring being in the midst of alow quagmire , and minding them more then my steps , i slept fast into the quagmire , and also the indian in drawing me forth : thus surprised , i resolued to trie their mercies , my armes i casts from me , till which none durst approch me : being ceazed on me , they drew me out and led me to the king , i presented him with a compasse diall , describing by my best 〈◊〉 the vse therof , whereat he so amazedly admired , as he suffered me to proceed in a discourse of the roundnes of the earth , the course of the sunne , moone , starres and plannets , with kinde speeches and bread he requited me , conducting me where the canow lay and iohn robbinson slaine , with 20 or 30. arrowes in him . emry i saw not , i perceiued by the aboundance of fires all ouer the woods , at each place i expected when they would execute me , yet they vsed me with what kindnes they could : approaching their towne , which was within 6 miles where i was taken , onely made as arbors and couered with mats , which they remoue as occasion requires : all the women and children , being aduertised of this accident , came foorth to meet them , the king well guarded with 20 bowmen 5 flanck and rear , and each flanck before him asword & a péece , and after him the like , then a bowman , then i on each hand a boweman , the rest in file in the reare , which reare led foorth amongst the trees in a vishion , eache his bowe and a handfull of arrowes , a quiner at his back gumly paintes : on eache fl●nck a sargeant , the one running alwaies towarde the front the other towards the reare , each a true pace and in excéeding good order , this being a good time continued , they 〈◊〉 themselues in a ring with a daunce , and 〈◊〉 eache man departed to his lodging , the captain conducting me to his lodging a quarter of venison and some ten pound of bread i had for supper , what i left was reserued for me , and sent with me to my l●dging : each morning 3. women 〈◊〉 me three great platters of fine bread , more venison then ten men could deuour i had , my gowne , points and garters , my compas and a tablet they gaue me again , though 8 ordinarily guarded me , i wanted not what they could deuise to content me : and still our longer acquaintance increased our ●etter affection : much they threatned to assault our forts , as they were solicited by the king of paspahegh , who shewed at our fort great signes of sorrow for this mischance : the king too he great delight in vnderstanding the manner of our ships and sayling the seas , the earth & skies and of our god : what he knew of the dominious he spared not to acquaint me with , as of certaine men cloathed at a place called ocanahonan , cloathed like me , the course of our riuer , and that within 4 or 5 daies iourney of the falles , was a great turning of salt water : i desired he would send a messenger to paspahegh , with a letter i would write , by which they shold vnderstand , how kindly they vsed me , and that i was well least they should reuenge my death : this he granted and sent three men , in such weather , as in reason were vnpossible , by any naked to be indured : their cruell mindes towards the fort i had deuerted , in describing the ordinance & the mines in the fields , as also the reuenge captain newport would take of them at his returne , their intent , i incerted the fort , the people of ocanahonum and the back sea , this report they after found diuers indians that c●nfirmed the next day after my letter , came a saluage to my lodging , with his sword to haue slaine me , but being by my guard intercepted , with abowe and arrow he offred to haue effected his purpose : the cause i knew not , till the king vnderstanding thereof came and told me of a man a dying , wounded with my pistoll : he tould me also of another i had slayne , yet the most concealed they had any hurte : this was the father of him i had slayne , whose fury to pre●ent , the king presently conducted me to another kingdome , vpon the top of the next northerly riuer , called youghtanan , hauing feasted me , he further led me to another branch of the riuer , called mattapament , to swo other hunting townes they led me , and to each of these countries , a house of the great emperour of pewhakan , whom as yet i supposed to bee at the fals , to him i tolde him i must goe , and to returne to paspahegh , after this foure or fiue dayes marsh , we returned to rasawrack , the first towne they brought me too , where binding the mats in bundels , they marched two dayes iourney , and crossed the riuer of youghtanan , where it was as broad as thames : so conducting me to a place called menapacute in pamaunke , where the king inhabited : the next day another king of that nation called kekataugh , hauing receiued some kindnes of me at the fort , kindly inuited me to feast at his house , the people from all places flocked to sée me , each shewing to content me . by this the great king hath foure or fiue houses , each containing fourescore or an hundred foote in length , pleasantly seated vpon an high sandy hill , from whence you may sée westerly a goodly low country , the riuer before the which his crooked course causeth many great marshes of excéeding good ground . an hundred houses , and many large plaines are here togither inhabited more abundance of fishe fowle , and a pleasanter seat cannot be imagined : the king with fortie bowmen to guard me , intreated me to discharge my pistoll , which they there presented me with a mark at six score to strike therwith but to spoil the pr●ctise i broke the cocke , whereat they were much discontented though a chaunce supposed . from hence this kind king conducted mee to a place called topahanocke , a kingdome vpon another riuer northward : the cause of this was , that the yeare before , a shippe had béene in the riuer of pamaunke , who hauing beene kindly entertained by powhatan their emperour , they returned thence , and discouered the riuer of topahanocke , where being receiued with like kindnesse , yet he slue the king , and looks of his people , and they supposed i were hee , but the people reported him a great man that was captaine , and vsing mee kindly , the next day we departed . this riuer of topahanock , séemeth in breadth not much lesse then that we dwell vpon . 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the riuer is a countrey called cuttata women vpwards is ma●rough tacum tapohanock , appamatuck , and nantengs ●acum ; at topmanahocks , the head issuing from many mountaines , the next night i lodged at a hunting town of powha●ams , and the next day arriued at waran●comoco vpon the riuer of pama●ncke , where the great king is resident : by the way we passed by the top of another little riuer , which is betwixt the two called payankatank . the most of this countrey though desert , yet excéeding fertil , good timber , most hils and dales , in each valley a cristall spring . arrioing at weramocomoco their emperour , proudly lying vppon a bedstead a foote high vpon seune or twelue mattes , richly hung with manie chaynes of great pearles about his necke , and couered with a great coucring of rahaughcums : at heade sat a woman , at his feete another , on each side sitting vppon a matte vppon the ground were raunged his chiefe men on each side the fire , tenne in a ranke , and behinde them as many yong women , each a great chaine of white beades ouer their shoulders : their heades painted in ridde and with such a graue and maiesticall countenance , as draue me into admiration to sée such state in a naked saluage , hee kindly welcomed me with good wordes , and great platters of sondrie v●ctuals , assuring mee his friendship , and my libertie within foure dayes , hee much delighted in opechan comoughs relation of what i ha● described to him , and oft examined me vpon the same . hee asked mee the cause of our comming , i tolde him being in fight with the spaniards our enemie , beeing ouer powred neare put to retreat , and by extreame weather put to this shore , where landing at chesipiack , the people shal vs , but at ke●u●ughtan they kindly vsed vs , we by signes demaunded fresh water , they described vs vp the riuer was all fresh water , at p●spahegh , also they kindly vsed vs , one pinnsse being leake wee were inforced to stay to mend her , till captaine newport my father came to conduct vs away . he demaunded why we went further with our boa●e , i tolde him , in that i would haue occasion to talke of the backe sea , that on the other side the maine , where was salt water , my father had a childe flaine , whiche wée supposed m●nocan his enemie , whose death we intended to reuenge . after good deliberation , hée began to describe mee the countreys beyonde the falles , with many of the rest , confirming what not onely opechancanoyes , and an indian which had beene prosoner to pewhatan had before tolde mee , but some called it fiue dayes , some sixe , some eight , where the sayde water dashed amongest many stones and rockes , each storme which caused off tymes the heade of the riuer to bee brackish : anchanachuck he described to bee the people that had slaine my brother , whose death hée would reuenge . hée described also vpon the same sea , a mighty nation called pocoughtronack , a fierce nation that did eate men , and warred with the people of moyaoncer , and pataromerke , nations vpon the toppe or the heade of the bay , vnder his territories , where the yeare before they had slein an hundred , he signified their crownes were shauen , long haire in the necke , tied on a knot , swords like polla●es . beyond them he described people with short coates , and sléeues to the elbowes , that passed that way in shippes like ours . many kingdomes hée described mée to the heade of the bay , which séemed to bée a mightie riuer , issuing from mightie mountaines betwixt the two seas , the people cloathed at ocamahowan . he also confirmed , and the southerly countries also , as the rest , that reported vs to be within a day & a halfe of mangoge , two dayes of chawwonock , 6. frō roo●ock , to the south part of the backe sea : he described a countrie called anone , where they haue abundance of brasse , and houses walled as outs . i required his discourse , seeing what pride hée had in his great and spacious dominions , seeing that all hee knewe were vnder his territories . in describing to him the territorles of europe , which was subiect to our great king whose subiect i was , the innumerable multitude of his ships , i gaue him to vnderstand the noyse of trumpets , and terrible manner of fighting were vnder captain newport my father , whom i intituled the meworames which they call king of all the waters , at his greatnesse hee admired , and not a little feared : hee desired mee to forsake paspaliegh , and to liue with him vpon his riuer , a countrie called capa howasicke : hée promised to giue me corne , venison , or what i wanted to feede vs , hatchets and copper wee should make him , and none should disturbe vs. this request i promised to performe : and thus hauing with all the kindnes hee could deuise , sought to content me : hee sent me home with 4. men , one that vsually carried my gowne and knapsacke after me , two other loded with bread , and one to accompanie me . this riuer of pamaunke is not past twelue mile from that we dwell on , his course northwest , and westerly , as the other . weraocomoco , is vpon salt water , in bredth two myles , and to keepeth his course without any tarrying some twenty miles , where at the parting of the fresh water and the salt , if diuideth it selfe into two partes , the one part to goughland , as broad as thames , and ●auigable , with a boats threescore or foure score miles , and with a shippe 〈◊〉 , excéeding crooked , and manie low grounds and marishes , but inhabited with aboundance of warlike and tall people . the countrey of youghtomam , of no lesse worth , onely it is lower , but all the soyle , a fatte , fertill , sandie ground . aboue manapacumter , many high sandie mountaines . by the riuer is many rockes , seeming if not of seuerall mines : the other branch a little lesse in breadth , yet extendeth not neare so farre , nor so well inbabited , somewhat lower , and a white sandle , and a white clay soyle : here is their best terra sigillata : the month of the riuer , as i see in the discouerie therof with captain newport , is halfe a wile broad , & within foure miles not aboue a musket shot : the channell excéeding good and dée●s , the riuer straight to the 〈◊〉 . kiskirk the nearest nation to the entrances . their religion and ceremonie i obserued was thus : thrée or foure dayes after my taking seuen of them in the house where i lay , each with a rattle began at ten a clocke in the morning to sing about the fire , which they inuironed with a circle of meale , and after a foote or two from that , at the end of each song , layde downe two or thrée graines of wheate , continuing this order till they haue included sixe or seuen hundred in a halfe circle , and after that two or thrée more circles in like maner , a hand bredth from other : that done , at each song , they put betwixt euerie three , two or fiue graines , a little slicke , so counting as an old woman her pater noster . one disguised with a great skinne , his bead ●ung round with little skinnes of weasels , and other vermine , with a crownel of feathers on his head , painted as vgly as the diuell , at the end of each song will make many signes and demonstrations , with strange and vehement actions , great cakes of déere suet , deare , and tobacco he casteth in the fire , till sixe a clocke in the euening , their howling would continue ere they would depart . each morning in the coldest frost , the principall to the number of twentie or thirtie , assembled themselues in a round circle , a good distance from the towne , where they told me they there consulted where to hunt the next day : so fat they fed nice , that i much doubted they intended to haue sacrificed mee to the quiyoughquosicke , which is a superiour power they worship , a more vglier thing cannot be described : one they haue for chief sacrifices , which also they call quiyoughquosick : to cure the sick , a man with a rattle , and extreame howling , showting , singing , and such violent gestures , and anticke actions ouer the patient will sucke out blood and flegme from the patient out of their vnable stomacke , or any diseased place , as no labour will more tire them , tobacco they offer the water in passing in fowle weather . the death of any they lament with great sorrow and weeping : their kings they burie betwixt two mattes within their houses , with all his beads , tewels , hatchets , and copper : the other in graues like ours . they acknowledge no resurrection . powhatan hath thrée brethren , and two sisters , each of his bretheren succéeded other . for the crowne , their heyres inverite not , but the first heyres of the sisters , and so successiuely the weomens heires : for the kings haue as many weomen as they will , his subiects two , and most but one . from weramocomoco is but 12. miles , yet the indians trifled away that day , and would not goe to our forte by any perswasions : but to certaine olde hunting houses of paspahegh we lodged all night . the next morning ere sunne rise , we set forward for our fort , where we arriued within an houre , where each man with the truest signes of ioy they could expresse welcommed mee , except m. archer , and some 2. or 3. of his , who was then in my absence , sworne counsellour , though not with the consent of captaine martin : great blame and imputation was laide vpon mée by them , for the losse of our two men which the indians slew : inso much that they purposed to depose me , but in the midst of my miseries , it pleased god to send captaine nuport , who arriuing there the same night , so tripled our ioy , as for a while these plots against me were deferred though with much malies against me , which captain newport in short time did plainly see . now was maister scriuener , captaine martin , and my selfe , called couns●llers . within fiue or sixe dayes after the arriuall of the ship , by a mischaunce our fort was burned and the most of our apparell , lodging and priuate prouision , many of our old men diseased , and of our new for want of lodging perished . the empercur powhatan each wéeke once or twice sent me many presents of deare , bread raugroughcuns , halfe alwayes for my father , whom he much desired to sée , and halfe for me : and so continually importuned by messengers and presents , that i would come to fetch the corne , and take the countrie their king had giuen me , as at last captaine newport resolued to go see him . such acquaintance i had amongst the indians , ●and such confidence they had in me , as neare the fort they would not come till i came to them , euery of them calling me by my name , would not sell any thing till i had first receiued their presents , and what they had that i liked , they deferred so my discresion : but after acquaintance , they vsually came into the fort at their pleasure : the president , and the rest of the councell , they kenew not , but captaine newports greatnesse i had so described , as they conceyued him the chiefe , the rest his children , officers , and seruants . we had agreed with that king of paspahegh to conduct two of our men to a place called panawicke beyond r●onok , where he reported many men to be apparelled . wee lended him at warraskoyack , where playing the villaine , and deluding vs for rewards , returned within thrée or foure dayes after without going further . captaine newport , maister scrinener , and my selfe , found the mouth of pamauncks riuer , some 25. or 30. miles northward from cape henricke , the chanell good as before expressed . arriuing at weramocomoca , being iealous of the intent of this politick saluage , to discouer his intent the better , i with 20. shot armed in jacks went a shore , the bay where he dwelleth hath in it 3. cricks , and a●ile and a halfe from the chanel all est , being conducter to the towne , i found my selfe mistaken in the cr●eke , for they al there were within lesse then a mile , the emperors sonne called naukaquawis , the captaine that looke me , and diuerse others of his chiefe men conducted me to their kings habitation , but in the mid way i was intercepted by a great créek ouer which they had made a bridge of grained stakes & ratles , the king of kiskieck , and namontack , who all the iourney the king had sent to guide vs , had conducted vs this passage , which caused me to suspect some mischiefe : the barge i had sent to méet me at the right lanting , when i found my selfe first deceyued , and knowing by experience the most of their courages to procéede from others feare , though fewe lyked the passage , i intermingled the kings sonne , our conductors , and his chiefe men amongst ours , and led forward , leauing halfe at the one ende to make a guard for the passage of the front. the indians seeing the weakenesse of the bridge , came with a canow , and tooke me in of the middest with foure or flue more , bring landed wee made a guard for the rest till all were passed , two in a ranke we marched to the emperors house . before his house stood fortie or fiftie great platters of fine bread , being entred the house , with loude tunes they all made signes of great ioy . this proude saluags , hauing his finest women , and the principall of his chiefe men assemble● , sate in rankes as before is expressed , himselfe as vpon a throne at the vpper ende of the house , with such a maiestie as i cannot expresse , nor yet haue often seene , either in pagan or christian , with a kinde countenance hee has ●●ce welcome , and caused a place to bee made by himselfe to sit , i presented him a sute of red cloath , a white greyhound , and a hatte , as jewels he estéemed them , and with a great oration made by thrée of his nobles , if there be any amongst saluages , kindly accepted them , with a publike confirmation of a perpetuall league and friendship . after that , he commaunded the quéen● of apamatuc , a comely yong saluage , to giue ●water● water , a turkie-cocke , and breade to eate : being thus feasted , hee began his discourse to this purpose . your kinde visitation doth much content mee , but where is your father whom i much desire to see , is he not with you . i told him he remained aboord , but the next day he would come vnto him , with a merrie coūtenance he asked me for certaine péeces i which promised him , when i went to paspahegh , i told according to my promise , that i proffered the man that went with me foure 〈◊〉 coluerings , in that he so desired a great gunne , but they re●●sed to take them , whereat with alowde laughter , he desired to giue him some of lesse burthen , as for the other i gaue him them , being sure that none could carrie them : but where are these men you promised to come with you , i told him without , who thervpon gaue order to hau● them brought in , two after two , euer mainteining the guard without . and as they presented themselues euer with thankes , he would sainte me , and caused each of them to haue foure or fiue pound of bread giuen them . this done , i asked him for the corne and ground he promised me he told me i should haue it , but he expected to haue all these men lay their armes at his féet , as did his subiects . i tolde him that was a ceremonie our enemies desired , but neuer our friends , as we presented our selues vnto him , yet that he should 〈◊〉 doubt of our friendship : the next day my father would giue him a child of ●is , in full assurance of our loues , and not only that , but when he should thinke it conuenient , wée would deliuer vnder his subiection the country of manacam and pocough●aonack his enemies . this so contented him , as immediatly with attentiue silence , with a lowd oration he proclaimed me awerowanes of powhaton , and that all his subiects should so estéeme vs , and no man account vs strangers nor paspaheghans , but powhatans , and that the corne , weomen and country , should be to vs as to his owne people : this proffered kindnes for many reasons we contemned not , but with the best languages and signes of thankes i could expresse , i tooke my leaue . the king rising from his seat , conducted me foorth , and caused each of my men to haue as much more bread as hée could beare : giuing me some in a basket , & as much he sent a board for a present to my father : victuals you must know is all there wealth , and the greatest kindnes they could shew vs : arriuing at the riuer , the barge was fallen so low with the ebbe , though i had giuen order and oft sent to preuent the same , yet the messengers deceiued mée , the skies being very thicke and rainie , the king vnderstanding this mischance , sent his sonne and mamontacke , to conduct mée to a great house sufficient to lodge mée , where entring i saw it hung round with bowes and arrowes . the indians vsed all diligence to make vs fires , & giue vs content : the kings orators presently entertained vs with a kinde oration , with expresse charge that not any should steale , or take out bowes or arrowes , or offer any iniury . presently after he sent me a quarter of venizon to slay my stomacke : in the euening hée sent for mee to come onely with two shot with me : the company i g●ue order to stand vpon their guard , & to maintaine two sentries at the ports all night . to my supper he set before me meate for twenty men , & seeing i could not eate , hee caused it to be giuen to my men : for this is a generall custome , that what they giue , not to take againe , but you most either eate it , giue it away , or carry it with you : two or thrée houres we spent in our a●●ent discourses , which done , i was with a fire stick lighted to my lodging . the next day the king conducting mée to the riuer , shewed me his canawes , and described vnto me how hée sent them ouer the baye , for tribute beades : and also what countries paide him beads , copper or 〈◊〉 . but séeing captaine nuport , and maister scriuener , comming a shore , the king retu●ned to his house , and i went to meete him , with a trumpet before him , wée marched to the king : who after his old manner kindly receiued him , especially a boy of thirtéen yeeres old , called thomas saluage , whom he gaue him as his sanne : he requited this kindnes with each of vs a great basket of beanes , and entertaining him with the former discourse , we passed away that day , and agréed to bargaine the next day , and so returned to our pinnis : the next day comming● shore in like order , the king hauing kindly entertained vs with a breakfast , questioned with vs in this manner . why we came armed in that sort , séeing hée was our friend , and had neither bowes nor arrowes , what did wée doubt ? i told him it was the custome of our country , not doubting of his kindnes any waies , wherewith though hée séemed satisfied , yet captaine nuport caused all our men to retire to the water side , which was some thirtie score from thence : but to preuent the worst , maister scriuener or i were either the one or other by the barge , experience had w●ll taught me to beléeue his friendship , till conuenient opportunity suff●ed him to betrey vs , but quickly this polititian had perceiued my absence , and ●unningly sent for mée ; i sent for maister scriuener to supply my place , the king would demaund for him , i would againe relée●● him , and they sought to satisfie our suspition with kind language , and not being agréed to trade for corne , hée desired to sée all our hatchets and copper together , for which he would giue vs corne , with that auncient trick● the chick ahamaniens had oft acquainted me : his offer i refused , offering first to sée what hée would giue for one piece , hée séeming to despise the nature of a merchant , did scorne to sell , but we freely should giue him , and he liberally would requite vs. captaine nuport would not with lesse then twelue great coppers try his kindnes , which he liberally requited with as much corne as of chickah●mania , i had for one of lesse proportion : our hatchets hée would also haue at his owne rate , for which kindnes ●ée much séemed to affect captaine nuport , some few bunches of blew beades i had , which he much desired , and seeing so few , he off●●d me a basket of two pecks , and that which i drew to be thrée pecks at the least , and yet séemed contented and desired more : i agréed with him the next day for two bushells , for y● ebbe now constrained vs to returne to our boate , although he earnestly vesi●ed vs to stay dinner which was a prouiding , and being ready he sent aboard after vs , which was bread and venizon , sufficient for fiftie or sixtie persons . the next day hee sent his sonne in the morning not to bring a shore with vs any pieces , least his weomen and children should fears . captaine nuports good beliefe would haue satisfied that request , yet twentie or twentie five shot we got a shore : the king in portuning mée to leave my armes aboard , much misliking my sword , pistol and target , i told him the man that slew my brother with the like tearmes had perswaded me , and being vnarmed shot at vs , and so betraide vs. he oft entreated captaine nuport that his men might leane their armes , which still hée commanded to the water side , this day we spent in trading for blew beads , and hauing neare straighted our barge . captaine nuport returned with them that came abord , hauing me and maister scriuener a shore , to follow in canowes ; into one i got with sixe of our men , which béeing lan●hed a stones cast from the shore stuck fast in the ose : maister scriuener séeing this example , with seuen or eight more passed the dreadfull bridge , thinking to haue found déeper water on the other cr●●ke , but they were in forced to stay with such entertainment as a saluage , being forced ashore with wind and raine , hauing in his canow , as commonly they haue , his house and houshold , instantly seeing 〈◊〉 vp a house of mats which succoured them from the storme . 〈◊〉 the indians seeing 〈◊〉 pestred in the ose , called to me , sixe or seuen of the kings chiefs men threw off their skins , and to the middle in ose came to bear me out on their heads , their import●●acie caused me better to like the canow then their curtes●e , excusing my deniall for feare to fall into the ose , desiring them to bring me some w●●d , fire , and mats , to couer me , and i would content them : each presently gaue his helpe to satisfie my request , which paines a horse would scarce haue indured , yet a couple of bells richly contented them . the emperors sent his seaman mantiuas in the euening with bread and victuall for me and my men , he no more scrip●●●s then the rest séemed to take a pride in shewing how 〈◊〉 he regarded that miserable cold and d●rty passage , though a d●ggs would scarce haue indured it , this kindnes i found , when i litle expected lesse then a mischiefs , but the black● night parting our companies , ere midnight the 〈◊〉 serued to carry vs aboard : the next day we came ashore , the king with a solemne discourse causing all to depart , but his principall men , and this was the effect , when as hée perceiued that we had a desire to inuade monacum , against whom he was no professed enemy , yet thus farre hée would assist vs in this enterprise : first hée would send his spies , perfectly to vnderstand their strength and ability ●o fight , with which he would acquaint vs himselfe . captaine nuport would not be séene in it himselfe , being great werowances , they would stay at home , but i , maister scriuener , and two of his sonnes , and opechankanough . the king of pamaunke should haue 100. of his men to goe before as though they were hunting , they giuing vs notise where was the aduantage we should kill them , the wcomen and young children he wished we should spare , & bring them to him , only 100. or 150. of our men he held sufficient for this exploit : our boats should stay at the falls , where we might hew timber , which we might conuey each man a piece till we were past the stones , and there ioyne them , to passe our men by water , if any were shot , his men should bring them backe to our boats , this faire tale had almost made captaine nuport vndertake , by this meanes to discouer the south sea , which will not be without trecherie , if wée ground our intent vpon his constancie . this day we spent in trading , dancing , and much mirth , the king of pamaunke sent his messenger , as yet not knowing captaine nuport , to come vnto him : who had long expected mée , desiring also my father to visite him : the messenger stayed to conduct vs , but powhatan vnderstanding that we had hatchets lately come from paspahegh , desired the next day to trade with vs , and not to go further . this new tricke he cunningly pot vpon him , but onely to haue what hee listed , and to try whether we would go or stay , opechanke●oughs messenger returned that wée would not come : the next day his daughter came to entreat me , shewing her father had hurt his legge , and much sorrowed he could not see me . captaine nuport being not to bée perswaded to goe in , that powhatan had desired vs to stay : sent her away with the like answer , yet the next day vpon better consideration intreatie pre●ailed , and wée anchored at cinquoateck , the first ●waine aboue the parting of the riuer , where dwelled two kings of pamaunke , brothers to powhatan : the one called opitchapam , the other katatough , to these i went a shore , who kindly intreated mée and maister scriuener , sending some presents aboard to captain● nuport , whilst we were trucking with these kings . opechankanough his wife , weomen , and children came to méete me with a naturall kind affection , hée séemed to reioyce to sée me . captaine nuport came a shore , with many kind discourses wée passed that foren●●ne : and after di●●er , captaine nuport went about with the pinnis to menapacant which is twenty miles by water , and not one by land : opechankanough , conducted me and maister scriuener by land , where hauing built a feasting house a purpose to entertaine vs with a kind orali●n , after their manner and his best prouision , kindly welcomed vs , that day he would not trucks , but did his best to delight vs with content : captaine nuport arriued towards euening , whom the king presented with sixe great platters of fiue bread , and pansa●owm●●a , the next day till none wée traded : the king feasted all the company , and the afternoone was spent in playing , dauncing , and delight , by no meanes hée would haue vs depart till the next day , he had feasted vs with veni●on , for which he had sent , hauing spent his first and second prouision in expecting out comming : the next day he performed his promise , giuing more to vs three , then would haue sufficed 30. and in that we carried not away what we le●● , hée sent it after vs to the pinnis , with what words or signes of loue he could expresse , we departed . captaine . nuport in the pinnis , leauing mée in the barge to digge a rocke , where wée supposed a mine at cinquaoreck , which done , ere midnight i arriued at werac●m●co , where our pinnis anchored , b●ing 20. miles from cinquao●ecke , the next day we tooke leaue of powhatan , who in regard of his kindnes gaue him an indian , he will affected to goe with him for england in stéed of his sonne , y● cause i assure me was to know our strength and countries condition : y● next day we arriued at kiskiack , the people so scornefully entertained vs , as with what signes of scorne and discontent we could , we departed and returned to our fort with 250. bushells of corne , our president being not wholy recouered of his sicknes , in discharging , his piece brake and split his hand off , which he is not yet well recouered . at captaine nuports arriuall , wée were victualled for tw●lue wéekes , and hauing furnished him of what hée thought good , hée set saile for england the tenth of aprill : maister scriuener and my selfe with our shallop , accompanied him to captaine hendrick . powhatan hauing for a farrewell , sent him fiue or sixe mens loadings , with torkeyes for swords , which hée sent him in our return to y●●ort : we discouered the 〈◊〉 of nausamd , a proud warlike nation , as well we may testified , at our first arriuall at chesiapiack : but that iniury captaine nuport well reuenged at his returne , where some of them in●i●●ng him to their 〈◊〉 by a da●nce , hee perceiuing their intent , with a vally of musket that , slew one , and shot one or two more , as themselues confesse , the king at our ariuall sent for me to come vnto him : i sent him word what commodities i had to exchange for wheat , and if he would as had the rest of his neighbours , conclude a peace , we were contented , at last he came downe before the boate which rid at anchor some fortie yards from y● shore , he signified to me to come a shore , and sent a canow with foure or fiue of his men , two whereof i desired to come aboard & to stay , & i would send two to talke with their king a shore , to this hée agréed : the king wée presented with a piece of copper , which he kindly excepted , and sent for victualls to entertaine the messengers . maister scriuener and my selfe also , after that went a shore : the king kindly feasted vs , requesting vs to stay to trade till the next day , which hauing done , we returned to the fort , this riuer is a musket shot broad , each side being should bayes , a narrow channell but three f●dom , his course for eightéene miles , almost directly south , and by west , where beginneth the first inhabitants , for a mile it turneth directly east , towards the west , a great bay and a white chaukie iland , conuenient for a fort : his next course south , where within a quarter of a mile , the riuer diuideth in two , the neck a plaine high corne field , the wester bought a high plaine likewise , the northeast answerable in all respects : in these plaines are planted aboundance of houses and people , they may containe 1000. acres of most excellent fertill ground , so sweéete , so pleasant , so beautifull , and so strong a prospect , for an inuincible strong citty , with so many commodities , that i know as yet i haue not seene : this is within one deies iourney of chawwonocke , the riuer falleth into the kings riuer , within twelue miles of cape-hendicke . at our fort , the ●ooles we had were so ordinarily stolen by the indians , as necessity inforced vs to correct their brauing théeuerie : for he that stol● to day , durst came againe the next day . one amongst the rest , hauing stolen two swords , i got the counsels consent to set in the bilboes : the next day with three more , he came with their woodden swords in the midst of our men to steale , their custome is to take any thing they can ceaze off , onely the people of pamaunke , wee haue not found stealing : but what others can steale , their king receiueth . i had them depart , but flourishing their swords , they séemed to defend what they could catch but out of our hands , his pride vrged me to turne him from amongst vs , whereat he offred to strike me with his sword , which i preuented , striking him first : the rest eff●ing to reuenge the blow , receiued suck an incounter , and sled ; the better to affright them , i pursued them with fiue or sixe shot , and so chased them out of the iland : the beginning of this broyle , litle expecting by his carriage , we durst haue resisted , hauing euen till that present , not béene contradicted , especially them of paspahegh : these indians within one houre , hauing by other saluages , then in the fort , vnderstood that i threatned to be reuenged , came presently of themselues , and fell to working vpon our wears , which were then in hand by other saluages , who séeing their pride so incountred , were so so submissiue , and willing to doe any thing as might be , and with trembling feare , desired to be friends within thrée daies after : from nawsamond which is 30. miles from vs , the king sent vs a hatchet , which they had stollen from vs at our being there : the messenger as is the custome , also wée well rewarded and contented . the twenty of aprill , being at worke , in hewing downe trees , and setting corne , an alarum caused vs with all speede to take our armes , each expecting a new assault of the saluages : but vnderstanding it a boate vnder saile , our doubts were pr●●ently satisfied , with the happy sight of maister nelson , his many perrills of extreame stormes and tempests . his ship well , as his company could testifie his care in sparing our prouision , was well : but the prouidence thereof , as also of our stones , hatchets , and other fooles , onely ours excepted , which of all the rest was most necessary , which might inforce vs , to think either a seditious traitor to our action , or a most vnconscionable deceiuer of our treasures . this happy arriuall of maister nelson in the phenix , hauing beene then about thrée monethes missing , after captaine nuports arriuall , being to all our expectations lost : albeit , that now at the last , hauing béene long crossed with tempest●ous weather , and contrary winds , his so vnexpected comming , did so rauish vs with exceeding ioy , that now we thought our selues as well filled , as our harts could wish , both with a competent number of men , as also for all other néedfull prouisions , till a further supply should come vnto vs : whereupon the first thing that was concluded , was , that my selfe , and maister scriuener , should with 70. men goe with the best meanes we could prouide , to discouer beyond the falls , as in our iudgements conueniently we might : sixe or seauen daies we spent only in trayning , our men to march , fight , and scirwish in the woods , their willing minds to this action , so quickned their vnderstanding in this exercise , as in all iudgements wée were better able to fight with powhatans whole force : in our order of battle amongst the trées , ( for thicks there is few ) then the fort was to rep●●s● 400. at the first ass●ult , with some tenne or twenty shot , not knowing what to doe , nor how to vse a piece : our warrant being s●aled , maister nelson refused to 〈◊〉 vs with the voluntary marriners , and himselfe as be promised , vnlesse we would stand bound to pay the hire for shippe , and marriners , for the time they stayed : and further there was some controuersie , through the diuersitie of contrary opinions , some alleadging , that how profitable , and to what good purpose soeuer our iourney should portend , yet our commission , commanding no certaine designe , we should be taxed for the most indiscréete men in the world , besides the wrong we should doe to captaine nuport , to whom only all discoueries did belong , and 〈◊〉 no other : the meanes for guides , beside the vncertaine courses of the riuer , from which we could not erre much , each night would fortifie vs in two houres , better then that they first called the fort , their townes vpon the riuer , each within one dayes iourney of other , besides our ordinary prouision , might well be supp●sed to adde reliefe : for truck & dealing only , but in loue & peace , as with the rest ; if they assalted vs , their townes they cannot defend , nor their lnggage to conuey , that we should not share , but admit the worst , 16. daies prouision we had of ch●●se , o●tmeale , and b●●ket besides our rand●nous , we could and might haue hid in the ground . with sixe men , captaine martin , would haue vndertaken it himselfe , leauing the rest to defend the fort , and plant our corne : yet no reason could be reason , to procéed● forward , though we were going aboard to set saile : these discontents caused so many doubts to some , and discouragement to others , as our iourney ended : yet some of vs procured petitions to set vs forward , only with hope o● our owne confusions , our next course was to turne husbandmen , to fell trées and set corne. fiftie of our men , we imployed in this seruice , the rest kept the fort , to doe the command of the president , and captaine martin , 30. dayes the ship lay expecting that triall of certain matters , which for some cause i keepe priuate : that next exploit was an indian hauing stolen an are was so pursued by maister scriuener , & them next him , as he threw it downe , and flying , drew his how at any that durst incounter him : within foure or fiue dayes alter , maister scr●uener and i , being a little from the fort , among the corne , two indiants , each with a codgell , and all newly painted with t●rrasigillate , came circling about mée , as though they would haue clubed me like a hare : i knew their faining loue is towards me , not withort a deadly hatred , but to preuent the worst , i calling maister scriuener retired to the fort : the indians seeing me suspect them , with good 〈◊〉 , asked me for some of their men , whom they would beate , and went with me into our fort , ●●nding one that lay ordinarily with vs , only for a spie : they offered to beat him , i in perswading them to forbeare , they offered to beginne with me being now foure for two other arrayed in like manner , came in on the other side the fort : wherevpon i caused to shut the ports , and apprehend them . the president and counsell , being presently acquainted , remembring at the first assault , they came in like manner , and neuer else but against some villauie , concluded to commit them to prison , and expect the euent , eight more we ceazed at that present , an houre after came three or foure other strangers , extraordinarily fited with arrowes , s●innes , and shooting glo●es , their iealousie and feare , bewrayed their bad intent , as also their suspitious departure . the next day came first an indian , then another as embassa●ors for their men , they desired to speake with me , our discourse was , that what spades , shouells , swords , or fooles they had staine , to bring home ( if not the next day , they should hang ) the next newes was , they had taken two of our men , ranging in the woods , which mischiefe no punishment will preuent bat hanging , and these they would should redeeme their owne 16. or 18. thus brauing vs to our doores , we desired the president , and captaine martin , that afternoone to sally vpon them , that , they might but know , what we durst to doe , and al night mand our barge , and burnt their townes , and spoiled , and destroyes , what we could , but they brought our men , and fréely deliuered them : the president released one , the rest we brought well guarded , to morning and euening prayers our men all in armes , their trembling feare , then caused them to much sorrow , which till then scoffed , and scorned at what we durst doe , the counsell concluded , that i should terrifle them with some torture , to know if i co●ld know their intent the next day i bound one in hold , to the maint mast , and presenting fire muskets with match in the cockes , forced him to desire life , to answere my demaunds he could not , but one of his comouodos was of the counsell of paspahegh , that could satisfie me : i releasing him out of sight , i affrighted the other , first with the rack , then with muskets , which séeing , he desired me to stay , and hée would confesse to this execution maister scriuener came , his discourse was to this effect , that paspehegh , the chickahamaniar , youghtanum , pamaunka , mattapanient , & kiskiack . these nations were altogether a hunting that tooke me , paspahegh , & chicahamanya , had entended to surprise vs at worke , to haue had our tools : powhatan , & al his would s●me friends , till captaine nuports returne , that he had againe his men , which he called namontack , where with a great feast hee would so enamor captain nuport & his men , as they should ceaze on him , and the like traps would be laied for 〈◊〉 . this trap for our fooles , we suspected the chiefe occasion was foure daies before powhatan 〈◊〉 sent the boy he had to vs , with many turkies to maister scriuener , and mée , vnderstanding i would go vp into his countries to destroy them , and he doubled it the more , in that i so oft practised my men , whose shooting he heard to his owne lodging , that much feared his wiues , and children ; we sent him word , we entended no such thing , but only to goe to powhatan , to séeke stones to make hatchets , except his men shoot at vs , as paspahegh had told vs they would , which if they did shoote but one arrowe , we would destroy them , and least this mischiefe might happen , sent the boy to acquaint him thus much , and request him to send vs weanock , one of his subiects for a guide , that boy he returned backe with his chest , & apparell , which then we had giuen him , desiring another for him , y● cause was , he was practising with the chikahamanias , as the boy suspected some vnlanie , by their extraordinary resort , & secret conference 〈◊〉 : whence they would send him . the boy we keepe , now we would send him many me●s ; sengers , & presents , the guide we desired be sent vs & withall requested vs to returne him , either the boy or some order , but none he could haue , & that day these indians were apprehended , his sonne with others that had loaded at our fort , returned & being out of the fart , rayl●d on me , to 〈…〉 our 〈…〉 enemies to 〈◊〉 & to y● 〈…〉 after w●anock that had 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 kept to haue 〈…〉 returned , and secretly after him , amocis toe paspaheyan , who alwaies they kept amongst vs for , 〈◊〉 , whom the better to auoide suspition , presently after they came to bea●e away : these presumptions induced me to take any occasion , not onely to try the honesty of amocis , the spie but also the meaning o● these cunning crickes of their emperour of powhatan ; whose true 〈◊〉 captaine ma●●●n most confidently pleades . 〈…〉 of m●cano● , which was the counseller of pasp●●●gh : first i then maister 〈◊〉 , vpon their seuerall examinations , ●ound by them all confirmed , that paspahegh , and c●●●kahammania did hate vs , and intended some mischiefe , and who they were that tooke me , the names of them that stole our tooles , and swords , and that powhatan receiued them , they all agreed : certaine vo●●lies of shot we caused to be discharged , which caused each other to thinke that their fellowes had beene slaine . powhatan vnderstanding we detained certaine saluages , seat his daughter , a child al tenne yeares old , which not only for feature , countenance , & proportion much exceedeth any of the rest of his people , but for wit , and spirit , the only nonpariel of his country : this hee sent by his most trustie messenger , called rawhunt , as much excéeding in 〈…〉 person , but of a subtill wit , and crafty vnderstanding , he with a long circumstance , told mee , how well powhatan , loued and respected mée , and in that i should not doubt any way of his kindnesse , ●e had sent his child , which he most esteemed , to see me , a deere , and bread , besides for a present : desiring me that the boy might come againe , which he loued exceedingly , his little daughter hée had taught this lesson also : not taking notice at all of the ind●ans that had beene prisoners three daies , till that morning that she saw their fathers are friends come quietly , and in good ●earmes to entreate their libertie . opechaukanough , sent also vnto vs , that for his sake , we would release two that were his friends , and for a token sent me his shooting gloue , and bracer , which the day our men was taken vpon , 〈◊〉 himselfe from the rest a long time , intreated to speake with me , where in token of peace , he had preferred me the same : now all of them hauing found their perempsorie conditions , but to increase our malice , which they seeing vs begin to threaten to destroy them , as familiarly as before , without suspition , or feare , came amongst vs , to begge libertie for their men : in the afternoone they being gone , we guarded them as before to the church , and after prayer , gaue them to pocahuntas , the kings daughter , in regard of her fathers kindnesse in sending her : after hauing well fed them , as all the time of their imprisonment , we gaue them their bowes , arrowes , or what else they had , and with much content , sent them packing : pocahuntas , also we requited , with such trifles as contented her , to tel that we had vsed that paspaheyans very kindly in so releasing them . the next day we had suspition of some other practise for an ambuscado , but perfectly wée could not discouer it , two daies after a paspheyan , came to shew vs a glistering minerall stone : and with signes demonstrating it to be in great aboundance , like vnto rockes , with some dozen more , i was sent to seeke to digge some quantitie , and the indean to conduct me : but suspecting this some tricke to delude vs , for to get some copper of vs , or with some ambuscado to betray vs , séeing him falter in his tale , being two miles on our way , led him ashore , where abusing vs from place to place , and so seeking either to haue drawne vs with him into the 〈◊〉 , or to haue giuen vs the s●ppe : i shewed him copper , which i promised to haue giuen him , if he had performed his promise , but for his scoffing and abusing vs , i gaue him twentie lashes with a rope , and his bowes and arrowes , bidding him 〈◊〉 if he durst , and so let him goe . in all this time , our men being all or the most part well recouered , and we not willing to trifle away more time then necessitie enforced vs vnto , we thought good for the better content of the aduenturers , in some reasonable sort to ●raight home maister nelson with cedar wood , about which , our men going with willing minds , was in very good time effected , and the ship sent for england ; wee now remaining being in good health , all our men wel cōtended , free from mutinies , in loue one with another , & as we hope in a continuall peace with the indians , where we doubt not but by gods gracious assistance , and the aduenturers willing minds , and speedie furtherance to so honorable an action in after times , to sée our nation to enioy a country , not onely excéeding pleasant for habitation , but also very profitable for comerce in generall , no doubt pleasing to almightie god , honourable to our gracio●s soueraigne , and commodious generally to the whole kingdome . finis . new-englands rarities discovered in birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, and plants of that country : together with the physical and chyrurgical remedies wherewith the natives constantly use to cure their distempers, wounds, and sores : also a perfect description of an indian squa ... with a poem not improperly conferr'd upon her : lastly, a chronological table of the most remarkable passages in that country amongst the english : illustrated with cuts / by john josselyn, gent. josselyn, john, fl. 1630-1675. 1672 approx. 111 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 63 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a46303 wing j1093 estc r20038 12353958 ocm 12353958 60068 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a46303) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 60068) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 212:3) new-englands rarities discovered in birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, and plants of that country : together with the physical and chyrurgical remedies wherewith the natives constantly use to cure their distempers, wounds, and sores : also a perfect description of an indian squa ... with a poem not improperly conferr'd upon her : lastly, a chronological table of the most remarkable passages in that country amongst the english : illustrated with cuts / by john josselyn, gent. josselyn, john, fl. 1630-1675. [6], 114, [2] p., 1 leaf of plates : ill. printed for g. widdowes ..., london : 1672. advertisements ([2] p.) at end. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng natural history -new england -pre-linnean works. indians of north america -medicine. botany, medical -new england. zoology, medical -new england. 2003-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-09 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-10 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2003-10 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion new-englands rarities discovered : in birds , beasts , fishes , serpents , and plants of that country . together with the physical and chyrurgical remedies wherewith the natives constantly use to cure their distempers , wounds , and sores . also a perfect description of an indian squa , in all her bravery ; with a poem not improperly conferr'd upon her . lastly a chronological table of the most remarkable passages in that country amongst the english . illustrated with cuts . by iohn iosselyn , gent. london , printed for g. widdowes at the green dragon in st. pauls church yard , 1672. to the highly obliging , his honoured friend and kinsman , samuel fortrey esq sir , it was by your assistance ( enabling me ) that i commenc'd a voyage into those remote parts of the world ( known to us by the painful discovery of that memorable gentleman sir fran. drake . ) your bounty then and formerly hath engaged a retribution of my gratitude , and not knowing how to testifie the same unto you otherwayes , i have ( although with some reluctancy ) adventured to obtrude upon you these rude and indigested eight tears observations , wherein whether i shall more shame my self or injure your accurate iudgment and better employment in the perusal , is a question . we read of kings and gods that kindly took a pitcher fill'd with water from the brook. the contemplation whereof ( well-knowing your noble and generous disposition ) hath confirm'd in me the hope that you will pardon my presumption , and accept the tender of the fruits of my travel after this homely manner , and my self as , sir , your highly obliged , & most humble servant , john josselyn . new-englands rarities discovered . in the year of our lord 1663. may 28. upon an invitation from my only brother , i departed from london , and arrived at boston , the chief town in the massachusets , a colony of englishmen in new-england , the 2●… th of iuly following . boston ( whose longitude is 315 deg . and 42 deg . 30 min. of north latitude ) is built on the south-west side of a bay large enough for the anchorage of 500 sail of ships , the buildings are handsome , joyning one to the other as in london , with many large streets , most of them paved with pebble stone , in the high street towards the common there are fair buildings some of stone , and at the east end of the town one amongst the rest , built by the shore by mr. gibs a merchant , being a stately edifice , which it is thought will stand him in little less than 3000 l. before it be fully finished . the town is not divided into parishes , yet they have three fair meeting ▪ houses or churches , which hardly suffice to receive the inhabitants and strangers that come in from all parts . having refreshed my self here for some time , and opportunely lighting upon a passage in a bark belonging to a friend of my brothers , and bound to the eastward , i put to sea again , and on the fifteenth of august i arrived at black-point , otherwise called scarborow , the habitation of my beloved brother , being about an hundred leagues to the eastward of boston ; here i resided eight years , and made it my business to discover all along the natural , physical , and chyrurgical rarities of this new-found world. new-england is said to begin at 40 and to end at 46 of northerly latitude , that is from de la ware bay to new-found-land . the sea coasts are accounted wholsomest , the east and south winds coming from sea produceth warm weather , the northwest coming over land causeth extremity of cold , and many times strikes the inhabitants both english and indian with that sad disease called there the plague of the back , but with us em●…iema . the country generally is rocky and mountanous , and extremely overgrown with wood , yet here and there beautified with large rich valleys , wherein are lakes ten , twenty , yea sixty miles in compass , out of which our great rivers have their beginnings . fourscore miles ( upon a direct line ) to the northwest of scarborow , a ridge of mountains run northwest and northeast an hundred leagues , known by the name of the white mountains , upon which lieth snow all the year , and is a land-mark twenty miles off at sea. it is rising ground from the sea shore to these hills , and they are inaccessible but by the gullies which the dissolved snow hath made ; in these gullies grow saven bushes , which being taken hold of are a good help to the climbing discoverer ; upon the top of the highest of these mountains is a large level or plain of a days journey over , whereon nothing grows but moss ; at the farther end of this plain is another hill called the sugar-loaf , to outward appearance a rude heap of massie stones piled one upon another , and you may as you ascend step from one stone to another , as if you were going up a pair of stairs , but winding still about the hill till you come to the top , which will require half a days time , and yet it is not above a mile , where there is also a level of about an acre of ground , with a pond of clear water in the midst of it ; which you may hear run down , but how it ascends is a mystery . from this rocky hill you may see the whole country round about ; it is far above the lower clouds , and from hence we beheld a vapour ( like a great pillar ) drawn up by the sun beams out of a great lake or pond into the air , where it was formed into a cloud . the country beyond these hills northward is daunting terrible , being full of rocky hills , as thick as mole-hills in a meadow , and cloathed with infinite thick woods . new-england is by some affirmed to be an island , bounded on the north with the river canada ( so called from monsieur cane ) on the south with the river mohegan or hudsons river , so called because he was the first that discovered it . some will have america to be an island , which out of question must needs be , if there be a northeast passage found out into the south sea ; it contains 1152400000 acres . the discovery of the northwest passage ( which lies within the river of canada ) was undertaken with the help of some protestant frenchmen , which left canada and retired to boston about the year 1669. the northeast people of america , i. e. new-england , &c. are judged to be tartars called samoades , being alike in complexion , shape , habit and manners , ( see the globe : ) their language is very significant , using but few words , every word having a diverse signification , which is exprest by their gesture ; as when they hold their head of one side the word signifieth one thing , holding their hand up when they pronounce it signifieth another thing . their speeches in their assemblies are very gravely delivered , commonly in perfect hexamiter verse , with great silence and attention , and answered again ex tempore after the same manner . having given you some short notes concerning the country in general , i shall now enter upon the proposed discovery of the natural , physical , and chyrurgical rarities ; and that i may methodically deliver them unto you , i shall cast them into this form : 1. birds . 2. beasts . 3. fishes . 4. serpents and insects . 5. plants , of these 1. such plants as are common with us , 2. of such plants as are proper to the country , 3. of such plants as are proper to the country and have no name known to us , 4. of such plants as have sprung up since the english planted and kept cattle there , 5. of such garden herbs ( amongst us ) as do thrive there and of such as do not . 6. of stones , minerals , metals ▪ and earths . first , of birds . the humming bird. the humming bird , the least of all birds , little bigger than a dor , of variable glittering colours , they feed upon honey , which they suck out of blossoms and flowers with their long needle-like bills ; they sleep all winter , and are not to be seen till the spring , at which time they breed in little nests made up like a bottom of soft silk-like matter , their eggs no bigger than a white pease , they hatch three or four at a time , and are proper to this country . the troculus . the troculus , a small bird , black and white , no bigger than a swallow , the points of whose feathers are sharp , which they stick into the sides of the chymney ( to rest themselves , their legs being exceeding short ) where they breed in nests made like a swallows nest , but of a glewy substance , and which is not fastened to the chymney as a swallows nest , but hangs down the chymney by a clew-like string a yard long . they commonly have four or five young ones , and when they go away , which is much about the time that swallows use to depart , they never fail to throw down one of their young birds into the room by way of gratitude . i have more than once observed , that against the ruin of the family these birds will suddenly forsake the house and come no more . the pilhannaw . the pilhannaw or mechquan , much like the description of the indian ruck , a monstrous great bird , a kind of hawk , some say an eagle , four times as big as a goshawk , white mail'd , having two or three purple feathers in her head as long as geeses feathers they make pens of , the quills of these feathers are purple , as big as swans quills and transparent ; her head is as big as a child 's of a year old , a very princely bird ; when she soars abroad , all sort of feathered creatures hide themselves , yet she never preys upon any of them , but upon fawns and iaccals : she ayries in the woods upon the high hills of ossapy , and is very rarely or seldome seen . the turkie . the turkie , who is blacker than ours ; i have heard several credible persons affirm , they have seen turkie cocks that have weighed forty , yea sixty pound ; but out of my personal experimental knowledge i can assure you , that i have eaten my share of a turkie cock , that when he was pull'd and garbidg'd , weighed thirty pound ; and i have also seen threescore broods of young turkies on the side of a marsh , sunning of themselves in a morning betimes , but this was thirty years since , the english and the indian having now destroyed the breed , so that 't is very rare to meet with a wild turkie in the woods ; but some of the english bring up great store of the wild kind , which remain about their houses as tame as ours in england . the goose. the goose , of which there are three kinds ; the gray goose , the white goose , and the brant : the goose will live a long time ; i once found in a white goose three hearts , she was a very old one , and so tuff , that we gladly gave her over although exceeding well roasted . the bloody-flux cured . a friend of mine of good quality living sometime in virginia was sore troubled for a long time with the bloody-flux , having tryed several remedies by the advice of his friends without any good effect , at last was induced with a longing desire to drink the fat dripping of a goose newly taken from the fire , which absolutely cured him , who was in despair of ever recovering his health again . the gripe and vulture . the gripe , which is of two kinds , the one with a white head , the other with a black head , this we take for the vulture : they are both cowardly kites , preying upon fish cast up on the shore . in the year 1668. there was a great mortallity of eels in casco bay , thither resorted at the same time an infinite number of gripes , insomuch that being shot by the inhabitants , they fed their hogs with them for some weeks ; at other times you shall seldome see above two or three in a dozen miles travelling . the quill feathers in their wings make excellent text pens , and the feathers of their tail are highly esteemed by the indians for their arrows , they will not sing in flying ; a gripes tail is worth a beavers skin up in the country . a remedy for the coldness and pain of the stomach . the skin of a gripe drest with the doun on , is good to wear upon the stomach for the pain and coldness of it . the osprey . the osprey , which in this country is white mail'd . a remedy for the tooth-ach . their beaks excell for the tooth-ach , picking the gums therewith till they bleed . the wobble . the wobble , an ill shaped fowl , having no long feathers in their pinions , which is the reason they cannot fly , not much unlike the pengwin ; they are in the spring very fat , or rather oyly , but pull'd and garbidg'd , and laid to the fire to roast , they yield not one ▪ drop . for aches . our way ( for they are very soveraign for aches ) is to make mummy of them , that is , to salt them well , and dry them in an earthen pot well glazed in an oven ; or else ( which is the better way ) to bury them under ground for a day or two , then quarter them and stew them in a tin stew●…an with a very little water . the looue . the looue is a water fowl , alike in shape to the wobble , and as virtual for aches , which we order after the same manner . the owl . the owl , avis devia , which are of three kinds ; the great gray owl with ears , the little gray owl , and the white owl which is no bigger than a thrush . the turkie buzzard . the turkie buzzard , a kind of kite , but as big as a turkie , brown of colour , and very good meat . what birds are not to be found in new-england . now by what the country hath not , you may ghess at what it hath ▪ it hath no nightingals , nor larks , nor bulfinches , nor sparrows , nor blackbirds , nor magpies , nor iackdawes , nor popinjays , nor rooks , nor pheasants , nor woodcocks , nor quails , nor robins , nor cuckoes , &c. secondly , of beasts . the bear , which are generally black . the bear , they live four months in caves , that is all winter ; in the spring they bring forth their young ones , they seldome have above three cubbs in a litter , are very fat in the fall of the leaf with feeding upon acorns , at which time they are excellent venison ; their brains are venomous ; they feed much upon water plantane in the spring and summer , and berries , and also upon a shell-fish called a horse-foot , and are never mankind , i. e. fierce , but in rutting time , and then they walk the country twenty , thirty , forty in a company , making a hideous noise with ●…oaring , which you may hear a mile or ●…wo before they come so near to endanger ●…he traveller . about four years since , ●…corns being very scarce up in the coun●…ry , some numbers of them came down amongst the english plantations , which generally are by the sea side ; at one town called gorgiana in the province of meyn ( called also new-sommerset-shire ) they kill'd fourscore . for aches and cold swellings . their grease is very good for aches and cold swellings , the indians anoint themselves therewith from top to toe , which hardens them against the cold weather . a black bears skin heretofore was worth forty shillings , now you may have one for ten , much used by the english for beds and coverlets , and by the indians for coats . for pain and lameness upon cold. one edw. andrews being foxt , and falling backward cross a thought in a shallop or fisher-boat , and taking cold upon it , grew crooked , lame , and full of pain , was cured , lying one winter upon bears skins newly flead off , with some upon him , so that he sweat every night . the wolf. the wolf , of which there are two kinds ; one with a round ball'd foot , and are in shape like mungrel mastiffs ; the other with a flat foot , these are liker greyhounds , and are called deer wolfs , because they are accustomed to prey upon deer . a wolf will eat a wolf new dead , and so do bears as i suppose , for their dead carkases are never found , neither by the indian nor english. they go a clicketing twelve days , and have as many whelps at a litter as a bitch . the indian dog is a creature begotten 'twixt a wolf and a fox , which the indians lighting upon ▪ bring up to hunt the deer with . the wolf is very numerous , and go in companies , sometimes ten , twenty , more or fewer , and so cunning , that seldome any are kill'd with guns or traps ; but of late they have invented a way to destroy them , by binding four maycril hooks a cross with a brown thread , and then wrapping some wool about them , they dip them in melted tallow till it be as round and as big as an egg ; these ( when any beast hath been kill'd by the wolves ) they scatter by the dead carkase , after they have beaten off the wolves ; about midnight the wolves are sure to return again to the place where they left the slaughtered beast , and the first thing they venture upon will be these balls of fat . for old aches . a black wolfs skin is worth a beaver skin among the indians , being highly esteemed for helping old aches in old people , worn as a coat ; they are not mankind , as in ireland and other countries , but do much harm by destroying of our english cattle . the ounce . the ounce or wild cat , is about the bigness of two lusty ram cats , preys upon deer and our english poultrey : i once found six whole ducks in the belly of one i killed by a pond side : their flesh roasted is as good as lamb , and as white . for aches and shrunk sinews . their grease is soveraign for all manner of aches and shrunk sinews : their skins are accounted good fur , but somewhat course . the raccoon . the raccoon liveth in hollow trees , and is about the size of a gib cat ; they feed upon moss , and do infest our indian corn very much ; they will be exceeding fat in autumn ; their flesh is somewhat dark , but good food roasted . for bruises and aches . their fat is excellent for bruises and aches . their skins are esteemed a good deep fur , but yet as the wild cats somewhat coarse . the porcupine . the porcupine in some parts of the countrey eastward , towards the french , are as big as an ordinary mungrel cur ; a very angry creature and dangerous , shooting a whole shower of quills with a rowse at their enemies , which are of that nature , that wherever they stick in the flesh , they will work through in a short time if not prevented by pulling of them out . the indians make use of their quills , which are hardly a handful long , to adorn the edges of their birchen dishes , and weave ( dying some of them red , others yellow and blew ) curious bags or pouches , in works like turkie-work . the beaver , canis ponticus , amphybious . the beaver , whose old ones are as big as an otter , or rather bigger , a creature of a rare instinct , as may apparently be seen in their artificial dam-heads to raise the water in the ponds where they keep , and their houses having three stories , which would be too large to discourse : they have all of them four cods hanging outwardly between their hinder legs , two of them are soft or oyly , and two solid or hard ▪ the indians say they are hermaphrodites . for wind in the stomach . their solid cods are much used in physick : our englishwomen in this country use the powder grated , as much as will lye upon a shilling in a draught of fiol wine , for wind in the stomach and belly , and venture many times in such cases to give it to women with child : their tails are flat , and covered with scales without hair , which being flead off , and the tail boiled , proves exceeding good meat , being all fat , and as sweet as marrow . the moose deer . the moose deer , which is a very goodly creature , some of them twelve foot high , with exceeding fair horns with broad palms , some of them two fathom from the tip of one horn to the other ; they commonly have three fawns at a time ; their flesh is not dry like deers flesh , but moist and lushious somewhat like horse flesh ( as they judge that have tasted of both ) but very wholsome . the flesh of their fawns is an incomparable dish , beyond the flesh of an asses foal so highly esteemed by the romans , or that of young spaniel puppies so much cried up in our days in france and england . moose horns better for physick use than harts horns . their horns are far better ( in my opinion ) for physick than the horns of other deer , as being of a stronger nature : as for their claws , which both englishmen and french make use of for elk , i cannot approve so to be from the effects , having had some trial of it ; besides , all that write of the elk , describe him with a tuft of hair on the left leg behind , a little above the pastern joynt on the outside of the leg , not unlike the tuft ( as i conceive ) that groweth upon the breast of a turkie cock , which i could never yet see upon the leg of a moose , and i have seen some number of them . for children breeding teeth . the indian webbes make use of the broad teeth of the fawns to hang about their childrens neck when they are breeding of their teeth . the tongue of a grown moose , dried in the smoak after the indian manner , is a dish for a sagamor . the maccarib . the maccarib , caribo , or pohano , a kind of deer , as big as a stag , round hooved , smooth hair'd and soft as silk ; their horns grow backwards a long their backs to their rumps , and turn again a handful beyond their nose , having another horn in the middle of their forehead , about half a yard long , very straight , but wreathed like an unicorns horn , of a brown jettie colour , and very smooth : the creature is no where to be found , but upon cape sable in the french quarters , and there too very rarely , they being not humerous ; some few of their skins and their streight horns are ( but very sparingly ) brought to the english. the fox . the fox , which differeth not much from ours , but are somewhat less ; a black fox skin heretofore was wont to be valued at fifty and sixty pound , but now you may have them for twenty shillings ; indeed there is not any in new-england that are perfectly black , but silver hair'd , that is sprinkled with grey hairs . the iaccal . the iaccal , is a creature that hunts the lions prey , a shrew'd sign that there are lions upon the continent ; there are those that are yet living in the countrey , that do constantly affirm , that about six or seven and thirty years since an indian shot a young lion , sleeping upon the body of an oak blown up by the roots , with an arrow , not far from cape anne , and sold the skin to the english. but to say something of the iaccal , they are ordinarily less than foxes , of the colour of a gray rabbet , and do not scent nothing near so strong as a fox ; some of the indians will eat of them : their grease is good for all that fox grease is good for , but weaker ; they are very numerous . the hare . the hare in new-england is no bigger than our english rabbets , of the same colour , but withall having yellow and black strokes down the ribs ; in winter they are milk white , and as the spring approacheth they come to their colour ; when the snow lies upon the ground they are very bitter with feeding upon the bark of spruce , and the like . thirdly , of fishes . pliny and isadore write there are not above 144 kinds of fishes , but to my knowledge there are nearer 300 : i suppose america was not known to pliny and isadore . a catalogue of fish , that is , of those that are to be seen between the english coast and america , and those proper to the countrey . alderling . alize , alewife , because great bellied ; olafle , oldwife , allow . anchova or sea minnow . aleport . albicore . barble . barracha . barracoutha , a fish peculiar to the west-indies . barsticle . basse. sea bishop , proper to the norway seas . river bleak or bley , a river swallow . sea bleak or bley , or sea camelion . blew fish or hound fish , two kinds , speckled hound fish , and blew hound fish called horse fish. bonito or dozado , or spanish dolphin . river bream . sea bream . cud bream . bullhead or indian muscle . river bulls . burfish . burret . cackarel or laxe . calemarie or sea clerk. catfish . carp. chare , a fish proper to the river wimander in lancashire . sea chough . chub or chevin . cony fish. clam or clamp . sea cob. cockes , or coccles , or coquil . cook fish. rock cod. sea cod or sea whiting . crab , divers kinds , as the sea crab , boat-fish , river crab , sea lion , &c. sea cucumber . cunger or sea eel . cunner or sea roach . cur. currier , post , or lacquey of the sea. crampfish or torpedo . cuttle , or sleeves , or sea angler . clupea , the tunnies enemy . sea cornet . cornuta or horned fish. dace , dare , or dart. sea dart , iavelins . dogfish or tubarone . dolphin . dorce . dorrie , goldfish . golden-eye , gilt ▪ pole , or godline , yellowheads . sea dragon or sea spider , quaviner . drum , a fish frequent in the west indies . sea emperour or sword fish. eel , of which divers kinds . sea elephant , the leather of this fish will never rot , excellent for thongs . ears of the sea. flayl fish. flownder or flook , the young ones are called dabs . sea flownder or flowre . sea fox . frogfish . frostfish . frutola , a broad plain fish with a tail like a half moon . sea flea . gallyfish . grandpiss or herring hog , this , as all fish of extraordinary size , are accounted regal fishes . grayling . greedigut . groundling . gudgin . gulf. sea grape . gull. gurnard . hake . haccle or sti●…klebacks . haddock . horse foot or asses hoof. herring . h●…llibut or sea pheasant . some will have the turbut all one , others distinguish them , calling the young fish of the first buttis , and of the other birt . there is no question to be made of it but that they are distinct kinds of fish. sea hare . sea hawk . hartfish . sea hermit . henfish . sea hind . hornbeak , sea ruff and reeves . sea horseman . hog or flying fish. sea kite or flying swallow . lampret or lamprel . lampreys or lamprones . limpin . ling , sea beef ; the smaller sort is called cusk . sea lanthorn . sea liver . lobster . sea lizard . sea locusts . lump , poddle , or sea owl . lanter . lux , peculiar to the river rhyne . sea lights . luna , a very small fish , but exceeding beautiful , broad bodied and blewish of colour ; when it swims , the fins make a circle like the moon . maycril . maid . manatee . m●…la , a fish like a lump of flesh , taken in the venetian sea. millers thumb , mulcet or pollard . molefish . minnow , called likewise a pink ; the same name is given to young salmon ; it is called also a witlin . monkefish . morse , river or sea horse , fresh water mullet . sea mullet , botargo or petargo is made of their spawn . muscle , divers kinds . navelfish . nunfish . needlefish . sea nettle . oyster . occulata . perch or river partridge . pollack . piper or gavefish . periwig . periwincle or sea snail or whelk . pike , or fresh-water wolf , or river wolf , luce and lucerne , which is an overgrown pike ▪ pilchard , when they are dried as red herrings they are called fumadoes . pilot fish. plaice or sea sparrow . polipe or pour-contrel . porpuise or porpiss , molebut , sea hog , sus marinus , tursion . priest fish or sea priest. prawn or crangone . punger . patella . powt , the feathered fish , or fork fish. river powt . pursefish or indian reversus , like an eel , having a skin on the hinder part of her head , like a purse , with strings , which will open and shut . parratfish . purplefish . porgee . remora , or suck stone , or stop ship. sea raven . roch or roach . rochet or rouget . ruff or pope . sea ram. salmon . sailfish . scallope or venus coccle . scate , or ray , or gristlefish ; of which divers kinds , as sharp snowted ray , rock ray , &c. shad. shallow . sharpling . spurling . sculpin . sheepshead . soles , or tonguefish , or sea capon , or sea partridge . seal , or soil , or zeal . sea calf , and ( as some will have it ) molebut . sheathfish . sea scales . sturgeon , of the roe of this fish they make caviar●… or cavialtie . shark or bunch , several kinds . smelt . snaccot . shrimp . spyfish . spitefish . sprat . spungefish . squill . squid . sunfish . starfish swordfish . tench . thornback or neptunes beard . thunnie , they cut the fish in pieces like shingles and powder it , and this they call melandria . sea toad . tortoise , torteise , tortuga , tortisse , turcle or turtle , of divers kinds . trout . turbut . sea tun. sea tree . uraniscopus . ulatife or sawfish , having a saw in his forehead three foot long , and very sharp . umber . sea urchin . sea unicorn or sea mononeros . whale , many kinds . whiting or merling , the young ones are called weerlings and m●…ps . whore. yardfish , asses prick or shamefish . the sturgeon . the sturgeon , of whose sounds is made i●…inglass , a kind of glew much used in physick : this fish is here in great plenty , and in some rivers so numerous , that it is hazardo●…s for canoes and the like small vessels to pass to and again , as in pechipscut river to the eastward . the cod. the cod , which is a staple commodity in the country . to stop fluxes of blood. in the head of this fish is found a stone , or rather a bone , which being pulveriz'd and drank in any convenient liquor , will stop womens overflowing courses notably : likewise , for the stone . there is a stone found in their bellies , in a bladder against their navel , which being pulveriz'd and drank in white-wine posset or ale , is present remedy for the stone . to heal a green cut. about their fins you may find a kind of lowse , which healeth a green cut in short time . to restore them that have melted their grease . their livers and sounds eaten , is a good medicine for to restore them that have melted their grease . the dogfish . the dogfish , a ravenous fish. for the toothach . upon whose back grows a thorn two or three inches long , that helps the tooth-ach , scarifying the gums therewith . their skins are good to cover boxes and instrument cases . the stingray . the stingray , a large fish , of a rough skin , good to cover boxes and hafts of knives , and rapier sticks . the tortous . the turtle or tortous , of which there are three kinds : 1. the land turtle ; they are found in dry sandy banks , under old houses , and never go into the water . for the ptisick , consumption , and morbus gallicus . they are good for the ptisick and consumptions , and some say the morbus gallicus . 2. the river turtle , which are venomous and stink . 3. the turtle that lives in lakes and is called in virginia a terrapine . the soile . the soile or sea calf , a creature that brings forth her young ones upon dry land , but at other times keeps in the sea preying upon fish. for scalds and burns , and for the mother . the oyl of it is much used by the ●…ndians , who eat of it with their fish , ●…nd anoint their limbs therewith , and ●…heir wounds and sores : it is very good ●…or scalds and burns ; and the fume of it , ●…eing cast upon coals , will bring women ●…ut of the mother fits. the hair upon ●…he young ones is white , and as soft as ●…ilk ; their skins , with the hair on , are good to make gloves for the winter . the sperma ceti whale . the sperma ceti whale differeth from ●…he whales that yield us whale-bones , ●…or the first hath great and long teeth , the other is nothing but bones with tassels hanging from their jaws , with which they suck in their prey . what sperma ceti is . it is not long since a sperma ceti whale or two were cast upon the shore , not far from boston in the massachusets bay , which being cut into small pieces and boiled in cauldrons , yielded plenty of oyl ; the oyl put up into hogsheads , and stow'd into cellars for some time , candies at the bottom , it may be one quarter ; then the oyl is drawn off , and the candied stuff put up into convenient vessels is sold for sperma ceti , and is right sperma ceti . for bruises and aches . the oyl that was drawn off candies again and again , if well ordered ; and is admirable for bruises and aches . what ambergreece is . now you must understand this whale feeds upon ambergreece , as is apparent , finding it in the whales maw in great quantity , but altered and excrementitious : i conceive that ambergreece is no other than a kind of mushroom growing at the bottom of some seas ; i was once shewed ( by a mariner ) a piece of ambergreece having a root to it like that of the land mushroom , which the whale breaking up , some scape his devouring paunch , and is afterwards cast upon shore . the coccle . a kind of coccle , of whose shell the indians make their beads called wompampe●…g and mohaicks , the first are white ▪ the other blew , both orient , and beautified with a purple vein . the white ●…eads are very good to stanch blood. the scarlet muscle . the scarlet muscle , at paschatawey a ●…lantation about fifty leagues by sea east●…ard from boston , in a small cove called ●…akers cove there is found this kind of muscle which hath a purple vein , which ●…eing prickt with a needle yieldeth a per●…ect purple or scarlet juice , dying linnen 〈◊〉 that no washing will wear it out , but ●…eeps its lustre many years : we mark ●…ur handkerchiefs and shirts with it . fish of greatest esteem in the west-indies . the indians of peru esteem of three ●…ishes more than any other , viz. the sea ●…orteise , the tubaron , and the manate ●…r sea cow ; but in new-england the in●…ians have in greatest request , the bass , ●…he sturgeon , the salmon , the lamprey , the ●…el , the frost-fish , the lobster and the ●…lam . fourthly , of serpents , and insects . the pond frog . the pond frog , which chirp in th●… spring like sparows , and croke lik●… toads in autumn : some of these whe●… they set upon their breech are a foot high the indians will tell you , that up in th●… country there are pond frogs as big as 〈◊〉 child of a year old . for burns , scalds , and inflammations . they are of a glistering brass colour , and very fat ▪ which is excellent for burns and scaldings , to take out the fire , and hea●… them , leaving no scar ; and is also very good to take away any inflammation . the rattle snake . the rattle snake , who poysons with a vapour that comes thorough two crooked fangs in their mouth ; the hollow of these fangs are as black as ink : the indians , when weary with travelling , will ●…ake them up with their bare hands , laying ●…old with one hand behind their head , with ●…he other taking hold of their tail , and ●…ith their teeth tear off the skin of their backs , and feed upon them alive ; which ●…hey say refresheth them . for frozen limbs , aches , and bruises . they have leafs of fat in their bellies , which is excellent to annoint frozen limbs , ●…nd for aches and bruises wondrous soveraign . their hearts swallowed fresh is a good antidote against their venome , and ●…heir liver ( the gall taken out ) bruised and applied to their bitings is a present remedy . of insects . a bug. there is a certain kind of bug like a beetle , but of a glistering brass colour , with four strong tinsel wings ; their bodies are full of corruption or white matter like a maggot ; being dead , and kept a while , they will stench odiously ; they beat the humming birds from the flowers . the wasp . the wasps in this countrey are pie●… black and white , breed in hives made lik●… a great pine apple , their entrance is a●… the lower end , the whole hive is of a●… ash colour , but of what matter its mad●… no man knows ; wax it is not , neithe●… will it melt nor fry , but will take fire suddenly like tinder : this they fasten to a bow , or build it round about a low bush , a foot from the ground . the flying gloworm . the flying gloworm , flying in dark summer nights like sparks of fire in great number ; they are common liewise in palestina . fifthly , of plants . and 1. of such plants as are common with us in england . hedghog-grass . mattweed . cats-tail . stichwort , commonly taken here by ignorant people for eyebright ; it blows in iune . blew flower-de-luce ; the roots are not knobby , but long and streight , and very white , with a multitude of strings . to provoke vomit and for bruises . it is excellent for to provoke vomiting , and for bruises on the feet or face . they flower in iune , and grow upon dry sandy hills as well as in low wet grounds . yellow bastard daffodill ; it flowereth in may , the green leaves are spotted with black spots . dogstones , a kind of satyrion , whereof there are several kinds groweth in our salt marshes . to procure love. i once took notice of a wanton womans compounding the solid roots of this plant with wine , for an amorous cup ; which wrought the desired effect . watercresses . red lillies grow all over the country innumerably amongst the small bushes , and flower in iune . wild sorrel . alders tongue comes not up till iune ; i have found it upon dry hilly grounds , in places where the water hath stood all winter , in august , and did then make oyntment of the herb new gathered ; the fairest leaves grow amongst short hawthorn bushes , that are plentifully growing in such hollow places . one blade . lilly convallie , with the yellow flowers ▪ grows upon rocky banks by the sea. water plantane , here called watersuck-leaves . for burns and scalds , and to draw ater out of swell'd legs . it is much used for burns and scalds , and to draw water out of swell'd legs . bears feed much upon this plant , so do the moose deer . sea plantane , three kinds . small-water archer . autumn bell flower . white hellibore , which is the first plant that springs up in this country , and the first that withers ; it grows in deep black mould and wet , in such abundance , that you may in a small compass gather whole cart-loads of it . wounds and aches cured by the indians . for the tooth-ach . for herpes milliares . the indians cure their wounds with it , annointing the wound first with raccoons greese , or wild-cats greese , and strewing upon it the powder of the roots ; and for aches they scarifie the grieved part , and annoint it with one of the foresaid oyls , then strew upon it the powder : the powder of the root put into a hollow tooth , is good for the tooth-ach : the root sliced thin and boyled in vineager , is very good against herpes milliaris . arsmart , both kinds . spurge time , it grows upon dry sandy sea banks , and is very like to rupter-wort , it is full of milk. rupter-wort , with the white flower . jagged rose-penny-wort . soda bariglia , or massacote , the ashes of soda , of which they make glasses . glass-wort , here called berrelia , it grows abundantly in salt marshes . st. john ' s-wort . st. peter ' s ▪ wort. speed-well chick-weed . male fluellin , or speed-well . upright peniroyal . wild-mint . cat-mint . egrimony . the lesser clot-bur . water lilly , with yellow flowers , the indians eat the roots , which are long a boiling , they tast like the liver of a sheep , the moose deer feed much upon them , at which time the indians kill them , when their heads are under water . dragons , their leaves differ from all the kinds with us , they come up in iune . violets of three kinds , the white violet which is sweet , but not so strong as our blew violets ; blew violets without sent , and a reddish violet without sent ; they do not blow till i●…ne . for swell'd legs . wood-bine , good for hot swellings of the legs , fomenting with the decoction , and applying the feces in the form of a cataplasme . salomons-seal , of which there is three kinds ; the first common in england , the second , virginia salomons-seal , and the third , differing from both , is called treacle berries , having the perfect ●…ast of treacle when they are ripe ; and will keep good along while ; certainly a very wholsome berry , and medicinable . doves-foot . herb robert. knobby cranes bill . for agues . ravens-claw , which flowers in may , and is admirable for agues . cinkfoil . tormentile . avens , with the leaf of mounta●…e-avens , the flower and root of english avens . strawberries . wild angelica , majoris and minoris . alexanders , which grow upon rocks by the sea shore . yarrow , with the white flower . columbines , of a flesh colour , growing upon rocks . oak of hierusalem . achariston is an excellent medicine for stopping of the lungs upon cold , ptisick &c. oak of cappadocia , both much of a nature , but oak of hierusalem is stronger in operation ; excellent for stuffing of the lungs upon colds , shortness of wind , and the ptisick ; maladies that the natives are often troubled with : i helped several of the indians with a drink made of two gallons of molosses wort , ( for in that part of the country where i abode , we made our beer of molosses , water , bran , chips of sassafras root , and a little wormwood , well boiled , ) into which i put of oak of hierusalem , cat mint , sowthistle , of each one handful , of enula campana root one ounce , liquorice scrap'd brused and cut in peices , one ounce , sassafras root cut into thin chips , one ounce , anny-seed and sweet fennel-seed , of each one spoonful bruised ; boil these in a close pot , upon a soft fire to the consumption of one gallon , then take it off , and strein it gently ; you may if you will boil the streined liquor with sugar to a syrup , then when it is cold , put it up into glass bottles , and take thereof three or four spoonfuls at a time , letting it run down your throat as leasurely as possibly you can ; do thus in the morning , in the afternoon , and at night going to bed . goose-grass , or clivers . fearn . brakes . wood sorrel , with the yellow flower . elm. line tree , both kinds . a way to draw out oyl of akrons , or the like , &c. maple ; of the ashes of this tree the indians make a lye , with which they force out oyl from oak akorns that is highly esteemed by the indians . dew-grass . earth-nut , which are of divers kinds , one bearing very beautiful flowers . fuss-balls , very large . mushrooms , some long and no bigger than ones finger , others jagged flat , round , none like our great mushrooms in england , of these some are of a scarlet colour , others a deep yellow , &c. blew flowered pimpernel . noble liver-wort , one sort with white flowers , the other with blew . black-berry . dew-berry . rasp-berry , here called mul-berry . goose-berries , of a deep red colour . h●… ho●…n , the haws being as big as services , and very good to eat , and not so astringent as the haws in england . ●…oad flax . pellamount , or mountain time . mouse 〈◊〉 minor. the making of oyl of akrons . to strengthe●… weak members ▪ ●…or scall'd-heads . there is oak of three kinds , white , red and black , the white is excellent to make canoes of , shallopes , ships , and other vessels for the sea , and for claw-board , and pipe-staves , the black is good to make waynscot of ; and out of the white oak acorns , ( which is the acorn bears delight to ●…eed upon ) : the natives draw an oyl , taking the rottenest maple wood , which being burnt to ashes , they make a strong lye therewith , wherein they boyl their white oak-acorns until the oyl swim on the top in great quantity ; this they fleet off , and put into bladders to annoint their naked limbs , which corrobarates them exceedingly ; they eat it likewise with their meat , it is an excellent clear and sweet oyl : of the moss that grows at the roots of the white oak the indesses make a strong decoction , with which they help their papouses or young childrens scall'd heads . iuniper , which cardanus saith is cedar in hot countries , and juniper in cold countries ▪ it is hear very dwarfish and shrubby , growing for the most part by the sea side . w●…llow . spurge lawrel , called here poyson berry , it kills the english cattle if they chance to feed upon it , especially calves . gaul , or noble mirtle . elder . dwarf elder . for a cut with a bruse . alder ; an indian bruising and cutting of his knee with a fall , used no other remedy , than alder bark chewed fasting , and laid to it , which did soon heal it . to take fire out of a burn. the decoction is also excellent to take the fire out of a burn or scalld . for wounds and cuts . for wounds and cuts make a strong decoction of bark of alder , pour of it into the wound , and drink thereof . hasel . for sore mouths , falling of the pallat. filberd , both with hairy husks upon the nuts , and setting hollow from the nut , and fill'd with a kind of water of an astringent taste ; it is very good for sore mouths , and falling of the pallat , as is the whole green nut before it comes to kernel , burnt and pulverized . the kernels are seldom without maggots in them . the figure of the walnut . walnut ; the nuts differ much from ours in europe , they being smooth , much like a nutmeg in shape , and not much bigger ; some three cornered , all of them but thinly replenished with kernels . chestnuts ; very sweet in taste , and may be ( as they usually are ) eaten raw ; the indians sell them to the english for twelve pence the bushel . beech. ash. quick-beam , or wild-ash . coals of birch pulverized and wrought with the white of an egg to a salve , is a gallant remedy for dry scurfy sores upon the shins ; and for bruised wounds and cuts . birch , white and black ; the bark of birch is used by the indians for bruised wounds and cuts , boyled very tender , and stampt betwixt two stones to a plaister , and the decoction thereof poured into the wound ; and also to fetch the fire out of burns and scalds . poplar , but differing in leaf . plumb tree , several kinds , bearing some long , round , white , yellow , red , and black plums ; all differing in their fruit from those in england . wild purcelan●… . wood-wax , wherewith they dye many pretty colours . red and black currans . for the gout , or any ach. spunck , an excrescence growing out of black birch , the indians use it for touchwood ; and therewith they help the sciatica , or gout of the hip , or any great ach , burning the patient with it in two or three places upon the thigh , and upon certain veins . 2. of such plants as are proper to the country . toripen any impostume or swelling . for sore mouths . the new-englands standing dish . indian wheat , of which there is three sorts , yellow , red , and blew ; the blew is commonly ripe before the other a month : five or six grains of indian wheat hath produced in one year 600. it is hotter than our wheat and clammy ; excellent in cataplasms to ripen any swelling or impostume . the decoction of the blew corn , is good to wash sore mouths with : it is light of digestion , and the english make a kind of loblolly of it , to eat with milk , which they call sampe ; they beat it in a morter , and sift the flower out of it ; the remainer they call homminey , which they put into a pot of two or three gallons , with water , and boyl it upon a gentle fire till it be like a hasty pudden ; they put of this into milk , and so eat it . their bread also they make of the homminey so boiled , and mix their flower with it , cast it into a deep bason in which they form the loaf , and then turn it out upon the peel , and presently put it into the oven before it spreads abroad ; the flower makes excellent puddens . bastard calamus aromaticus , agrees with the description , but is not barren ; they flower in iuly , and grow in wet places , as about the brinks of ponds . to keep the feet warm . the english make use of the leaves to to keep their feet warm . there is a little beast called a muskquash , that liveth in small houses in the ponds , like mole hills , that feed upon these plants ; their cods sent as sweet and as strong as musk , and will last along time handsomly wrap'd up in cotton wool ; they are very good to lay amongst cloaths . may is the best time to kill them , for then their cods sent strongest wild-l●…kes , which the indians use much to eat with their fish . a plant like knavers-mustard , called new-england mustard . mountain-lillies , bearing many yellow flowers , turning up their leaves like the martigon , or turks cap , spotted with small spots as deep as safforn ; they flower in iuly . one berry , or herb true love. see the figure . tobacco , there is not much of it planted in new-england ; the indians make use of a small kind with short round leaves called pooke . for burns and scalds . with a strong decoction of tobacco they cure burns and scalds , boiling it in water from a quart to a pint , then wash the sore therewith , and strew on the powder of dryed ▪ tobacco . hollow leaved lavender , is a plant that grows in salt marshes overgrown with moss , with one straight stalk about the bigness of an oat straw , better than a cubit high ; upon the top-standeth one fantastical flower , the leaves grow close from the root , in shape like a tankard , hollow , tough , and alwayes full of water , the root is made up of many small strings , growing only in the moss , and not in the earth , the whole plant comes to its perfection in august , and then it has leaves , stalks , and flowers as red as blood , excepting the flower which hath some yellow admixt . i wonder where the knowledge of this plant hath slept all this while , i. e. above forty years . for all manner of fluxes . it is excellent for all manner of fluxes . live for ever , a kind of cad weed . tree primerose , taken by the ignorant for scabious . a solar plant , as some will have it . maiden hair , or cappellus veneris verus , which ordinarily is half a yard in height . the apothecaries for shame now will substitute wall-r●…e no more for maiden hair , since it grows in abundance in new-england , from whence they may have good store . pirola , two kinds . see the figures , both of them excellent wound herbs . homer's moll●…y . lysimachus , or loose strife , it grows in dry grounds in the open sun four foot high , flowers from the middle of the plant to the top , the flowers purple , standing upon a small sheath or cod , which when it is ripe breaks and puts forth a white silken doun , the stalk is red , and as big as ones finger . marygold of peru , of which there are two kinds , one bearing black seeds , the other black and white streak'd , this beareth the fairest flowers , commonly but one upon the very top of the stalk . treacle-berries . see before salomons seal . oak of hierusalem . see before . oak of cappadocea . see before . earth-nuts , differing much from those in england , one sort of them bears a most beautiful flower . for the scurvy and dropsie . sea-tears , they grow upon the sea banks in abundance , they are good for the scurvy and dropsie , boiled and eaten as a sallade , and the broth drunk with it . indian beans , better for physick use than other beans . indian beans , falsly called french beans , are better for physick and chyrurgery than our garden beans . probatum est : squashes , but more truly squonte●… squashes , a kind of mellon , or rather gourd , for they oftentimes degenerate into gourds ; some of these are green , some yellow , some longish like a gourd , others round like an apple , all of them pleasant food boyled and buttered , and season'd with spice ; but the yellow squash called an apple squash , because like an apple , and about the bigness of a pome-water , is the best kind ; they are much eaten by the indians and the english , yet they breed the small white worms ( which physitians call ascarides , ) in the long ●…ut that vex the fundament with a perpetual itching , and a desire to go to stool . water-mellon , it is a large fruit , but nothing near so big as a pompion , colour , smoother , and of a sad grass green rounder , or more rightly sap-green ; with some yellowness admixt when ripe ; the seeds are black , the flesh or pulpe exceeding juicy . for heat and thirst in feavers . it is often given to those sick of feavers , and other hot diseases with good success . new-england daysie , or primrose , is the second kind of navel wort in iohnson upon gerard ; it flowers in may , and grows amongst moss upon hilly grounds and rocks that are shady . for burns and scalds . it is very good for burns and scalds . an achariston , or medicine deserving thanks . an indian whose thumb was swell'd , and very much inflamed , and full of pain , increasing and creeping along to the wrist , with little black spots under the thumb against the nail ; i cured it with this umbellicus veneris root and all , the yolk of an egg , and wheat flower , f. cataplasme . briony of peru , ( we call it though it grown hear ) or rather scamnony ; some take it for mech●…acan : the green juice is absolutely poyson ; yet the root when dry may safely be given to strong bodies . red and black currence . see before . wild damask roses , single , but very large and sweet , but stiptick . sweet ●…ern , the roots run one within another like a net , being very long and spreading abroad under the upper crust of the earth , sweet in taste , but withal astringent , much hunted after by our swine : the scotch-men that are in new-england have told me that it grows in scotland . for fluxes . the people boyl the tender tops in molosses beer , and in possets for fluxes , for which it is excellent . sarsaparilia , a plant not yet sufficiently known by the english : some say it is a kind of bind weed ; we have in new-england two plants , that go under the name of sarsaparilia ; the one not above a foot in height without thorns , the other having the same leaf , but is a shrub as high as a goose berry bush , and full of sharp thorns ; this i esteem as the right , by the shape and savour of the roots , but rather by the effects answerable to that we have from other parts of the world ; it groweth upon dry sandy banks by the sea side , and upon the banks of rivers , so far as the salt water flowes ; and within land up in the country , as some have reported . bill berries , two kinds , black and sky coloured , which is more frequent . to cool the heat of feavers , and quench thirst. they are very good to allay the burning heat of feavers , and hot agues , either in syrup or conserve . a most excellent summer dish . they usually eat of them put into a bason , with milk , and sweetned a little more with sugar and spice , or for cold stomachs , in sack. the indians dry them in the sun , and sell them to the english by the bushell , who make use of them instead of currence , putting of them into puddens , both boyled and baked , and into water gr●…el . knot berry , or clowde berry , seldom ripe . sumach , differing from all that ▪ i did ever see in the herbalists ; our english cattle devour it most abominably , leaving neither leaf nor branch , yet it sprou●…s again next spring . for colds . the english use to boyl it in beer , and drink it for colds ; and so do the indians , from whom the english had the medicine . wild cherry , they grow in clusters like grapes , of the same bigness , blackish , red when ripe , and of a harsh taste . for fluxes . they are also good for fluxes . transplanted and manured , they grow exceeding fair . board pine , is a very large tree two or three fadom about . for wounds . it yields a very soveraign turpentine for the curing of desperate wounds . for stabbs . the indians make use of the moss boiled in spring water , for stabbs , pouring in the liquor , and applying the boiled moss well stamp'd or beaten betwixt two stones . for burning and scalding . and for burning and scalding , they first take out the fire with a strong decoction of alder bark , then they lay upon it a playster of the bark of board pine first boyled tender , and beat to a playster betwixt two stones . to take fire out of a burn. one christopher luxe , a fisher-man ▪ having burnt his knee pan , was healed again by an indian webb , or wife , ( for so they call those women that have husbands ; ) she first made a strong decoction of alder bark , with which she took out the fire by imbrocation , or letting of it drop upon the sore , which would smoak notably with it ; then she playstered it with the bark of board pine , or hemlock tree , boyled soft and stampt betwixt two stones , till is was as thin as brown paper , and of the same colour , she annointed the playster with soyles oyl , and the sore likewise , then she laid it on warm , and sometimes she made use of the bark of the larch tree . to eat out proud flesh in a sore . and to eat out the proud flesh , they take a kind of earth nut boyled and stamped , and last of all , they apply t●… the sore the roots of water lillies boiled and stamped betwixt two stones , to a playster . for stitches . the firr tree , or pitch tree , the tar that is made of all sorts of pitch wood is an excellent thing to take away those desperate stitches of the sides , which perpetually afflicteth those poor people that are stricken with the plague of the back . note , you must make a large toast , or cake slit and dip it in the tar , and bind it warm to the side . the most common diseases in new england . the black pox , the spotted feaver , the griping of the guts , the dropsie , and the sciatica , are the killing deseases in new-england . the larch tree , which is the only tree of all the pines , that sheds his leaves before winter ; the other remaining green all the year : this is the tree from which we gather that useful purging excrense agarick . for wounds and cuts . the leaves and gum are both very good to heal wounds and cuts . for wounds with bruises . i cured once a desperate bruise with a cut upon the knee pan , with an ungent made with the leaves of the larch tree , and hogs grease , but the gum is best . spruce is a goodly tree , of which they make masts for ships , and sail yards : it is generally conceived by those that have skill in building of ships , that here is absolutely the best trees in the world , many of them being three fathom about , and of great length . an achariston for the scurvy . the tops of green spruce boughs boiled in bear , and drunk , is assuredly one of the best remedies for the scurvy , restoring the infected party in a short time ; they also make a lotion of some of the decoction , adding hony and allum . hemlock tree , a kind of spruce , the bark of this tree serves to dye tawny ; the fishers tan their sails and nets with it . to break sore or swelling . the indians break and heal their swellings and sores with it , boyling the inner bark of young hemlock very well , then knocking of it betwixt two stones to a playster , and annointing or soaking it in soyls oyl , they apply it to the sore : it will break a sore swelling speedily . one berry , herba paris , or true love. sassafras , or ague tr●…e . for heat in feavers . the chips of the root boyled in beer is excellent to allay the hot rage of feavers , being drunk . for bruises and dry blowes . the leaves of the same tree are very good made into an oyntment , for bruises and dry blows . the bark of the root we use instead of cinamon ; and it is ●…old at the barbadoes for two shillings the pound . and why may not this be the bark the jesuits powder was made of , that was so famous not long since in england , for agues ? cran berry , or bear berry , because bears use much to feed upon them , is a small trayling plant that grows in salt marshes that are over-grown with moss ; the tender branches ( which are reddish ) run out in great length , lying flat on the ground , where at distances , they take root , over-spreading sometimes half a score acres , sometimes in small patches of about a rood or the like ; the leaves are like box , but greener , thick and glisteri●…g ▪ the blossoms are very like the flowers o●… our english night shade , after which succeed the berries , hanging by long small foot stalks , no bigger than a hair ; at first they are of a pale yellow colour , afterwards red , and as big as a cherry ; some perfectly round , others oval , all of them hollow , of a sower astringent taste ; they are ripe in august and september . for the scurvy . they are excellent against the scurvy . for the heat in feavers . they are also good to allay the fervour of hot diseases . the indians and english use them much , boyling them with sugar for sauce to eat with their meat ; and it is a delicate sauce , especially for roasted mutton : some make tarts with them as with goose berries . vine , much differing in the fruit , all of them very fleshy , some reasonably pleasant ; others have a taste of gun powder , and these grow in swamps , and low wet grounds . 3. of such plants as are proper to the country , and have no name . ( 1. ) pirola , or winter green , that kind which grows with us in england is common in new-england , but there is another plant which i judge to be a kind of pirola , and proper to this country , a very beautiful plant ▪ the shape of the leaf and the just bigness of it you may see in the figure . the leaf of the plant judged to be a kind of pirola . the ground whereof is a sap green , embroydered ( as it were ) with many pale yellow ribs , the whole plant in shape is like semper vivum , but far less , being not above a handful high , with one slender stalk , adorned with small pale yellow flowers like the other pirola . it groweth not every where , but in some certain small spots overgrown with moss , close by swamps and shady ; they are green both summer and winter . for wounds . they are excellent wound herbs , but this i judge to be the better by far . probatum est . a type of plant 2. this plant was brought to me by a neighbour , who ( wandering in the woods to find out his strayed cattle , ) lost himself for two dayes , being as he ghessed eight or ten miles from the sea-side . the root was pretty thick and black , having a number of small black strings growing from ●…t , the stalks of the lea●…●…bout a handful long , the leaves were round and as big as a silver five shilling piece , of a s●…p or dark green colour , with a line or 〈◊〉 as black as jeat round the circumference , from whence came black lines or ribs at equal distance , all of them meeting in a black spot in the center . if i had staid longer in the country , i should have purposely made a journey into those parts where it was gathered , to discover if possible , the stalk and flower ; but now i shall refer it to those that are younger , and better able to undergo the pains and trouble of finding it out ; for i 〈◊〉 by the natives , that it is not common , that is , every where to be found , no more th●…n the embroydered pirola , which al●… i●…●… most elegant plant , and which ●…●…id endeavour to bring over , but it 〈◊〉 a●… 〈◊〉 . for 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 all ●…eal , o. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 another 〈◊〉 ●…rb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ours , but rather beyond it : some of ou●… english practitioners take it for vervene and use it for the same , wherein they are grosly mistaken . the leaf is like a nettle leaf , but narrower and longer ; the stalk about the bigness of a nettle stalk , champhered and hollow , and of a dusky red colour ; the flowers are blew , small , and many , growing in spoky tufts at the top , and are not hooded , but having only four round leaves , after which followeth an infinite of small longish light brown seed ; the roots are knotty and matted together with an infinite number of small white strings ; the whole plant is commonly two cubits high , bitter in taste , with a rosenie savour . ( 3. ) this plant is one of the first that springs up after white hellibore , in the like wet and black grounds , commonly by hellibore , with a sheath or hood like dragons , but the pestle is of another shape , that is , having a round purple ball on the top of it , beset ( as it were ) with burs ; the hood shoots forth immediately from the root , before any leaf appears , having a green hollow leav'd lavender . page 54. sprig growing fast by it , like the smaller horse tayl , about the latter end of april the hood and sprig wither away , and there comes forth in the room a bud , like the bud of the walnut tree , but bigger ; the top of it is of a pale green colour , covered with brown skins like an onion , white underneath the leaves , which spread in time out of the bud , grow from the root with a stalk a foot long , and are as big as the great bur dock leaves , and of the colour ; the roots are many , and of the bigness of the steel of a tobacco pipe , and very white ; the whole plant sents as strong as a fox ; it continues till august . a branch of the humming-bird tree . ( 4. ) this plant the humming bird feedeth upon , it groweth likewise in wet grounds , and is not at its full growth till iuly , and then it is two cubits high and better , the leaves are thin , and of a pale green colour , some of them as big as a nettle leaf , it spreads into many branches , knotty at the setting on , and of a purple colour , and garnished on the top with many hollow dangling flowers of a bright yellow colour , speckled with a deeper yellow as it were shadowed , the stalkes are as hollow as a kix , and so are the roots , which are transparent , very tender , and and full of a yellowish juice . for bruises and aches upon stroaks . the indians make use of 〈◊〉 for aches , being bruised between two stones , and laid tocold but made ( after the english manner ) into an unguent with hog●… grease , there is not a more soveraign remedy for bruises of what kind soever ; and for aches upon stroaks . in august , 1670 ▪ in a swamp amongst alders , i found a sort of tree sow thistle , the stalks of some two or three inches , about , as hollow as a kix and very brittle , the leaves were smooth , and in shape like souchus laevis , i. e. hares lettice , but longer , some about a foot , these grow at a distance one from another , almost to the top , where it begins to put forth flowers between the leaves and the stalk , the top of the stalk runs out into a spike , beset about with flowers like sow thistle , of a blew or azure colour : i brought home one of the plants which was between twelve and thirteen foot in length , i wondered at it the more for that so large and tall a plant should grow from so small a root , consisting of slender white strings little bigger than bents , and not many of them , and none above a finger long , spreading under the upper crust of the earth ; the whole plant is full of milk , and of a strong savour . ( 5. ) this plant i found in a gloomy dry wood under an oak , 1670. the 18th of august , afterwards i found it in open champain grounds , but yet somewhat scarce : the root is about the bigness of a french walnut , the bark thereof is the plant when it springs up first . brown , and rugged , within of a yellowish colour , from whence ariseth a slender stalk , no bigger than an oat straw , about two cubits in height , somewhat better then a handful above the root shooteth out one leaf of a grass green colour , and an inch or two above that , another leaf , and so four or five at a greater distance one from another , till they come within a handful of the top , where upon slender foot stalks grow the flowers four or five , more or fewer , clustering together in pale long green husks milk white , consisting of ten small leaves , snipt a little on the edges the figure of the plant when it is at full growth . with purple hair threads in the midst ; the whole plant is of a brakish tast : when it is at its full growth the stalks are as red as blood. ( 6. ) this plant flowers in august , and grows in wet ground ; it is about three or four foot in height , having a square slender stalk chamfered , hollow and tuff , the leaves grow at certain distances one against another , of the colour of egrimony leaves sharpe pointed , broadest in the midst about an inch and half , and three or four inches in length , snipt about the edges like a nettle leaf , at the top of the stalk for four or five inches thick , set with pale green husks , out of which the flowers grow , consisting of one leaf , shaped like the head of a serpent , opening at the top like a mouth , and hollow throughout , containing four crooked pointels , and on the top of every pointel a small glistering green button , covered with a little white woolly matter , by which they are with the pointels fastened close together and shore up the tip of the upper chap , the crooked pointels are very stiff and hard , from the bottom of the husks , wherein the flower stands , from the top of the seed vessel , shoots out a white thread which runs in at the bottom of the flower , and so out at the mouth : the whole flower is milk white , the inside of the chaps reddish , the root i did not observe . a type of plant ( 7. ) this plant i take for a varigated herb paris , true love or one berry , or rather one flower , which is milk white , and made up with four leaves , with many black threads in the middle , upon every thread grows a berry ( when the leaves of of the flower are fallen ) as big as a white pease , of a light red colour when they are ripe , and clustering together in a round form as big as a pullets egg , which at distance shews but as one berry , very pleasant in taste , and not unwholsome ; the root , leaf , and flower differ not from our english kind , and their time of blooming and ripening agree , and therefore doubtless a kind of herba paris . the small sun flower , or marygold of america . ( 8. ) this plant is taken by our simplists to be a kind of golden rod , by others for sarazens consound , i judge it to be a kind of small sun flower , or marygold of the west indies ; the root is brown and slender , a foot and half in length , running a slope under the upper face of the earth , with some strings here and there , the stalk as big as the steal of a tobacco pipe , full of pith , commonly brownish , sometimes purple , three or four foot high , the leaves grow at a distance one against another , rough , hard , green above , and gray underneath , slightly snipt and the ribs appear most on the back side of the leaf , the flower is of a bright yellow , with little yellow cups in the midst , as in the mary gold of peru , with black threads in them with yellow pointels , the flower spreads it self abroad out of a cup made up of many green beards , not unlike a thistle ; within a handful of the top of the stalk ( when the flower is fallen , growes an excrense or knob as big as a walnut , which being broken yieldeth a kind of turpentine or rather rosen . what cutchenele is . the stalk beneath and above the knob , covered with a multitude of small bugs , about the bigness of a great flea , which i presume will make good cutchenele , ordered as they should be before they come to have wings : they make a perfect scarlet colour to paint with , and durable . 4. of such plants as have sprung up since the english planted and kept cattle in new-england . couch grass . shepherds purse . dandelion . groundsel . sow thistle . wild arrach . night shade , with the white flower . nettlesstinging , which was the first plant taken notice of . mallowes . plantain , which the indians call english-mans foot , as though produced by their treading . black henbane . wormwood . sharp pointed dock . patience . bloodwort . and i suspect adders tongue . knot grass . cheek weed . compherie , with the white flower . may weed , excellent for the mother ; some of our english houswives call it iron wort , and make a good unguent for old sores . the great c●…ot bur. mullin , with the white flower . q. what became of the influence of those planets that produce and govern these planets before this time ! i have now done with such plants as grow wild in the country in great plenty , ( although i have not mentioned all ) i shall now in the fifth place give you to understand what english herbs we have growing in our gardens that prosper there as well as in their proper soil , and of such as do not , and also of such as will not grow there at all . 5. of such garden herbs ( amongst us ) as do thrive there , and of such as do not . cabbidge growes there exceeding well . lettice . sorrel . parsley . marygold . french mallowes chervel . burnet . winter savory . summer savory . time. sage . carrats . parsnips of a prodigious size . red beetes . radishes . turnips . purslain . wheat . rye . barley , which commonly degenerates into oats . oats . pease of all sorts , and the best in the world ; i never heard of , nor did see in eight years time , one worm eaten pea. garden beans . naked oats , there called silpee , an excellent grain used insteed of oat meal , they dry it in an oven , or in a pan upon the fire , then beat it small in a morter . another standing dish in new-england . and when the milk is ready to boil , they put into a pottle of milk about ten or twelve spoonfuls of this meal , so boil it leasurely , stirring of it every foot , least it burn too ; when it is almost boiled enough , they hang the kettle up higher , and let it stew only , in short ●…ime it will thicken like a custard ; they season it with a little sugar and spice , and so serve it to the table in deep basons , and it is altogether as good as a white-pot . for people weakned with long sickness . it exceedingly nourisheth and strengthens people weakned with long sickness . sometimes they make water gruel with it , and sometimes thicken their flesh broth either with this or homminey , if it be for servants . spear mint . rew , will hardly grow . fetherfew prospereth exceedingly . southern wood , is no plant for this country . nor , rosemary . nor bayes . white satten groweth pretty well , so doth lavender cotton . but lavender is not for the climate . penny royal. smalledge . ground ●…vy , or ale hoof. gilly flowers will continue two years . fennel must be taken up , and kept in a warm cellar all winter . housleek prospereth notably . holly hocks . enula c ▪ panae , in two years time the roots rot . comferie , with white flowers . coriander , and dill. and annis thrive exceedingly , but annis seed , as also the seed of fennel seldom come to maturity ; the seed of annis is commonly eaten with a fly . clary never lasts but one summer , the roots rot with the frost . sparagus thrives exceedingly , so does garden sorrel , and sweet bryer , or eglantine . bloodwort but sorrily , but patience , and english roses , very pleasantly . celandine , by the west country men called kenning wort , grows but slowly . muschata , as well as in england . dittander , or pepper wort , flourisheth notably , and so doth . tansie . musk mellons are better then our english , and. cucumbers . pompions , there be of several kinds , some proper to the country , ●…y are dryer then our english pompions , and better tasted ; you may eat them green . the ancient new-england standing dish . but the houswives manner is to slice them when ripe , and cut them into dice , and so fill a pot with them of two or three gallons , and stew them upon a gentle fire a whole day , and as they sink , they fill again with fresh pompions , not putting any liquor to them ; and when it is stew'd enough , it will look like bak'd apples ; this they dish , putting butter to it , and a little vinegar , ( with some spice , as ginger , &c. ) which makes it tart like an apple , and so serve it up to be eaten with fish or flesh : it provokes urin extreamly and is very windy . sixthly and lastly , of stones , minerals , metals and earths . as first , the emrald which grows in flat rocks , and is very good . rubies , which here are very watry . i have heard a story of an indian , that found a stone , up in the country , by a great pond as big as an egg , that in a dark night would give a light to read by ; but i take it to be but a story . diamond , which are very brittle , and therefore of little worth . crystal , called by our west country men the kenning stone ; by sebegug pond is found in considerable quantity , not far from thence is a rock of crystal called the moose rock , because in shape like a moose , and muscovy glass , both white and purple of reasonable content . black lead . bole armoniack . red and yellow oker . terra sigilla . vitriol . antimony . arsnick , too much . lead . tin. tin glass . silver . iron , in abundance , and as good bog iron as any in the world. copper . it is reported that the french have a copper mine at port royal , that yieldeth them twelve ounces of pure copper out of a pound of oar. i shall conclude this section with a strange cure effected upon a drummers wife , much afflicted with a wolf in her breast ; the poor woman lived with her husband at a town called by the indians , casco , but by the english , famouth ; where for some time she swaged the pain of her sore , by bathing it with strong malt beer , which it would suck in greedily , as if some living creature : when she could come by no more beer , ( for it was brought from boston , along the coasts by merchants , ) she made use of rhum , a strong water drawn from sugar canes , with which it was lull'd a sleep ; at last , ( to be rid of it altogether ) she put a quantity of arsnick to the rhum , and bathing of it as formerly , she utterly destroyed it , and cured her self ; but her kind husband , who sucked out the poyson as the sore was healing , lost all his teeth , but without further danger or inconvenience . an addition of some rarities overslipt . the star fish , having fine points like a star , the whole fish no bigger then the palm of a mans hand , of a tough substance like leather , and about an inch in thickness , whitish underneath , and of the colour of a cucumber above , and somewhat ruff : when it is warm in ones hand , you may perceive a stiff motion , turning down one point , and thrusting up another : it is taken to be poysonous ; they are very common , and found thrown up on the rocks by the sea side . sea bream , which are plentifully taken upon the sea coasts , their eyes are accounted rare meat , whereupon the proverbial comparison , it is worth a sea breams eye . blew fish , or horse , i did never see any of them in england ; they are as big usually as the salmon , and better meat by far : it is common in new-england and esteemed the best sort of fish next to rock cod. cat fish , having a round head , and great glaring eyes like a cat : they lye for the most part in holes of rocks , and are discovered by their eyes : it is an excelling fish. munk fish , a flat fish like scate , having a hood like a fryers cowl . clam , or clamp , a kind of shell fish , a white muscle . an acharistor , for pin and web. ] sheath fish , which are there very plentiful , a delicate fish , as good as a pr●…wa , covered with a thin shell like the sheath of a knife , and of the colour of a muscle . which shell calcin'd and pulveriz'd , is excellent to take off a pin and web , or any kind of filme growing over the eye . morse , or sea horse , having a great head , wide jaws , armed with tushes as white as ivory , of body as big as a cow , proportioned like a hog , of brownish bay , smooth skin'd and impenetrable ▪ they are frequent at the isle of sables , their teeth are worth eight groats the pound ; the best ivory being sold but for half the money . for poyson . it is very good against poyson . for the cramp . as also for the cramp , made into rings . for the piles . and a secret for the piles , if a wise man have the ordering of it . the manaty , a fish as big as a wine pipe , most excellent meat ; bred in the rivers of hispaniola in the west indies ; it hath teats , and nourisheth its young ones with milk ; it is of a green colour , and tasteth like veal . for the stone collick . there is a stone taken out of the head that is rare for the stone and collect. to provoke urine . their bones beat to a powder and drank with convenient liquors , is a gallant urin provoking medicine . for wound and bruise . an indian , whose knee was bruised with a fall , and the skin and flesh strip'd down to the middle of the calf of his leg ; cured himself with water lilly roots boyled and stamped . for swellings of the foot. an indian webb , her foot being very much swell'd and inflamed , asswaged the swelling , and took away the inflamation with our garden or english patience , the roots roasted . f. cataplas . anno 1670. iune 28. to dissolve a scirrhous tumour . an indian dissolv'd a scirrhous tumour in the arm and hip , with a fomentation of tobacco , applying afterwards the herb stamp'd betwixt two stones . a description of an indian squa . now ( gentle reader ) having trespassed upon your patience a long while in the perusing of these rude observations , i shall , to make you amends , present you by way of divertisement , or recreation , with a coppy of verses made sometime since upon the picture of a young and handsome gypsie , not improperly transferred upon the indian squa , or female indian , trick'd up in all her bravery . the men are somewhat horse fac'd , and generally faucious , i. e. without beards ; but the women many of them have very good features ; seldome without a come to me , or cos amoris , in their countenance ; all of them black eyed , having even short teeth , and very white ; their hair black , thick and long , broad breasted ; handsome streight bodies , and slender , considering their constant loose habit : their limbs cleanly , straight , and of a convenient stature , generally , as plump as partridges , and saving here and there one , of a modest deportment . their garments are a pair of sleeves of deer , or moose skin drest , and drawn with lines of several colours into asiatick works , with buskins of the same , a short mantle of trading cloath , either blew or red , fastened with a knot under the chin , and girt about the middle with a zone , wrought with white and blew beads into pretty works ; of these beads they have bracelets for their neck and arms , and links to hang in their ears , and a fair table curiously made up with beads likewise , to wear before their breast ; their hair they combe backward , and tye it up short with a border , about two handfulls broad , wrought in works as the other with their beads : but enough of this . the poem . whether white or black be best call your senses to the quest ; and your touch shall quickly tell the black in softness doth excel , and in smoothness ; but the ear , what , can that a colour hear ? no , but 't is your black ones wit that doth catch , and captive it . and if slut and fair be one , sweet and fair , there can be none : nor can ought so please the tast as what 's brown and lovely drest : and who'll say , that that is best to please ones sense , displease the rest ? maugre then all that can be sed in flattery of white and red : those flatterers themselves must say that darkness was before the day : and such perfection here appears it neither wind nor sun-shine fears . a chronological table of the most remarkable passages in that part of america , known to us by the name of new-england . anno dom. 1492. christ. columbus discovered america . anno dom. 1516. the voyage of sir thomas pert , vice admiral of england , and sir sebastian cabota to brazile , &c. anno dom. 1527. new-found-land , discovered by the english. anno dom. 1577. sir francis drake began his voyage about the world. anno dom. 1585. nova albion discovered by sir francis drake , and by him so named . anno dom. 1585. april 9. sir richards greenevile was sent by sir water rawleigh with a fleet of seven sail to virginia , and was stiled the general of virginia . anno dom. 1586. captain thomas candish , a suffolk gentleman , began his voyage round about the world , with three ships past the streights of magellan , burn'd and ransack'd in the entry of chile , peru , and new-spain , near the great island callifornia in the south sea ; and returned to plymouth with a precious booty anno dom. 1588. september the 8th ; being the third since magellan that circuited the earth . anno dom. 1588. sir walter rawleigh first discovered virginia , by him so named , in honour of our virgin queen . anno dom. 1595. sir walter rawleigh discovered guiana . anno dom. 1606. a collony sent to virginia . anno dom. 1614. bermudas planted . anno dom. 1618. the blazing star ; then plymouth plantation began in new-england . anno dom. 1628. the massachusets colony planted , and salem the first town therein built . anno dom. 1629. the first church gathered in this colony was at salem ; from which year to this present year , is 43 years . in the compass of these years , in this colony , there hath been gathered fourty churches , and 120 towns built in all the colonies of new-england . the church of christ at plymouth , was planted in new-england eight years before others . anno dom. 1630. the governour and assistants arrived with their pattent for the massachusets . anno dom. 1630. the lady arabella in new-england . anno dom. 1630. when the government was established , they planted on noddles island . anno dom. 1631. captain iohn smith governour of virginia , and admiral of new-england , dyed . anno dom. 1631. mr. mavericke minister at dorchester in new-england . anno dom. 1631. iohn winthorpe esq chosen the first time governour , he was eleven times governour ; some say nineteen times ; eleven years together ; the other years by intermission . anno dom. 1631. iohn wilson pastor of charles town . anno dom. 1631. sir r. saltingstall at water town came into new-england . anno dom. 1631. mr. rog. harlackinden was a majestrate , and a leader of their military forces . dr. wilson gave 1000 l. to new-england , with which they stored themselves with great guns . anno dom. 1633. mr. thomas hooker , mr. haynes , and mr. iohn cotton , came over together in one ship. anno dom. 1634. the country was really placed in a posture of war , to be in readiness at all times . anno dom. 1635. hugh peters went over for new-england . anno dom. 1636. connecticat colony planted . anno dom. 1637. the pequites wars , in which were slain five or six hundred indians . ministers that have come from england , chiefly in the ten first years , ninety four : of which returned twenty seven : dyed in the country thirty six : yet alive in the country thirty one. the number of ships that transported passengers to new-england in these times , was 298. supposed : men , women , and children , as near as can be ghessed 21200. anno dom. 1637. the first synod at cambridge in new-england , where the antinomian and famalistical errors were confuted ; 80 errors now amongst the massachusets . anno dom. 1638. new-haven colony began . mrs. hutchinson and her erronious companions banished the massachusets colony . a terrible earth quake throughout the country . mr. iohn harvard , the founder of harvard college ( at cambridge in new-england ) deceased , gave 700 l. to the erecting of it . anno dom. 1639. first printing at cambridge in new-england . anno dom. 1639. a very sharp winter in new-england . anno dom. 1642. harvard college founded with a publick library . ministers bred in new-england , and ( excepting about 10 , ) in harvard college 132 ; of which dyed in the country 10 ; now living 81 ; removed to england 41. anno dom. 1643. the first combination of the four united colonies , viz. plymouth , massachusets , connecticut , and new-haven . anno dom. 1646. the second synod at cambridge touching the duty and power of majestrates in matters of religion : secondly , the nature and power of synods . mr. eliot first preached to the indians in their native language . anno dom. 1647. mr. thomas hooker died. anno dom. 1648. the third synod at cambridge , publishing the platform of discipline . anno dom. 1649. mr. iohn winthorpe governour , now died. this year a strange multitude of caterpillers in new-england . thrice seven years after the planting of the english in new-england , the indians of massachusets being 30000 able men were brought to 300. anno dom. 1651. hugh peters , and mr. wells came for england . anno dom. 1652. mr. iohn cotton dyed . anno dom. 1653. the great fire in boston in new-england . mr. thomas dudley , governour of the massachusets , dyed this year . anno dom. 1654. major gibbons died in new-england . anno dom. 1655. iamaica taken by the english. anno dom. 1657. the quakers arrived in new-england , at plymouth . anno dom. 1659. mr. henry dunster the first president of harvard college now dyed . anno dom. 1661. major atherton dyed in new-england . anno dom. 1663. mr. iohn norton pastor of boston in new-england , dyed suddenly . mr. samuel sto●…e , teacher of hartford church , dyed this year . anno dom. 1664. the whole bible printed in the indian language finished . the manadaes , called new amsterdam , now called new york ; surrendred up to his majesties commissioners ( for the settling of the respective colonies in new-england , viz. sir robert carr , collonel nicols , collonel cartwright , and mr. samuel mavericke , ) in september , after thirteen dayes the fort of arania , now albania ; twelve dayes after that , the fort aw●…apha ; then de la ware castle man'd with dutch and sweeds ; the three first forts and towns being built upon the great river mohegan , otherwise called ●…udsons river . in september appeared a great comet for the space of three months . anno dom. 1665. mr. iohn indicot , governour of the massachusets dyed . a thousand foot sent this year by the french king to canada . captain davenport killed with lightning at the castle by boston in new-england , and several wounded . anno dom. 1666. the small pox at boston . seven slain by lightning , and divers burnt : this year also new-england ▪ had cast away , and taken 31 vessels , and some in 1667. anno dom. 1667. mr. iohn wilson pastor of boston dyed , aged 79 years . anno dom. 1670. at a place called kenibunck , which is in the province of meyne , a colony belonging to the heir of that honourable knight sir ferdinando gorges ; not far from the river side , a piece of clay ground was thrown up by a mineral vapour ( as we supposed ) over the tops of high oaks that grew between it and the river , into the river , stopping the course thereof , and leaving a hole two yards square , wherein were thousands of clay bullets as big as musquet bullets , and pieces of clay in shape like the barrel of a musquet . anno dom. 1671. elder peun dyed at boston . anno dom. 1672. mr. richard bellingham , governour of the massachusets in new-england . finis . books printed and sold by giles widdows at the green dragon in st. pauls church yard . folio . doctor nath. homes's works . mr. davies's rights belonging to uniformity in churches . a book of the five sences , in copper plates . quarto . mr. caryl's exposition on the 32 , 33 , and 34 chapters of the book of iob. dr. sibbs's light from heaven , discovering the fountain opened , the angels acclamatio●…s , the churches riches , the riches poverty , in four treatises . mr. barto●…s remedy for londons languishing trade . the younger brothers apology , or a fathers free power , &c. marcelia , or the treacherous friend , a tragy-comedy . written by madam boothby . large octavo . mr. stucklyes gospel glass , representing the miscarriages of english professors . mr. gales theophily . his anatomy of insidelity . his idea of iansenism both historick and d●…gmatick , in small octavo . pufendorfs elementorum iuris prudentia universalis . walker's grammar . his art of teaching . 12. and 24. frommoni●… synopsis metaphysica . hoole's greek testament . history of the bible . batavia , or the hollander displayed in brief charectars , &c. dr. collet's daily devotions , or the christians morning and evening sacrafice ; digested into prayers and meditations , with some short directions for a godly life ; and a brief account of the authors li●…e , by doctor fuller . those famous lozenges for the cure of consumptions , coughs new and old , and all other diseases incident to the lungs , are made by edmund buckworth , physitian to the queens most excellent majesty , and are sold at the green dragon in st. pauls church yard , where you may also have his famous homogenial pill . gw printer's or publisher's device strength out of weakness. or a glorious manifestation of the further progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england. held forth in sundry letters from divers ministers and others to the corporation established by parliament for promoting the gospel among the heathen in new-england; and to particular members thereof since the last treatise to that effect, / formerly set forth by mr henry whitfield late pastor of gilford in new-england. ; published by the aforesaid corporation. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a96422 of text r223436 in the english short title catalog (wing w2002). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 115 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 30 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a96422 wing w2002 estc r223436 45578505 ocm 45578505 172419 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a96422) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 172419) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2628:41) strength out of weakness. or a glorious manifestation of the further progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england. held forth in sundry letters from divers ministers and others to the corporation established by parliament for promoting the gospel among the heathen in new-england; and to particular members thereof since the last treatise to that effect, / formerly set forth by mr henry whitfield late pastor of gilford in new-england. ; published by the aforesaid corporation. gouge, william, 1578-1653. whitfield, henry, 1597-1660? eliot, john, 1604-1690. wilson, john, 1588-1667. leverich, william, d. 1677. bessey, anthony, 1609?-1657? mayhew, thomas, 1621-1657. endecott, john, 1588?-1665. french, william, 1603?-1681. allen, thomas, 1608-1673. society for propagation of the gospel in new england. [16], 40 p. printed by m. simmons for john blague and samuel howes, and are to be sold at their shop in popes head alley., london, : 1652. title within ornamental border. the dedication is signed: william steele, president. "to the reader" is signed by w. gouge and thirteeen others. includes letters from john eliot, john wilson, william leverich, anthony bessey, thomas mayhew, john endecott, william french, and thomas allen. reproduction of original in the john carter brown library. eng indians of north america -missions -early works to 1800. missions, british -new england -early works to 1800. massachuset indians -missions. wampanoag indians -missions. indians of north america -massachusetts. a96422 r223436 (wing w2002). civilwar no strength out of weakness. or a glorious manifestation of the further progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england. held forth [no entry] 1652 20970 2 15 0 0 0 0 8 b the rate of 8 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 pip willcox sampled and proofread 2007-06 pip willcox text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion strength out of weakness . or a glorious manifestation of the further progresse of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england . held forth in sundry letters from divers ministers and others to the corporation established by parliament for promoting the gospel among the heathen in new-england ; and to particular members thereof since the last treatise to that effect , formerly set forth by mr henry whitfield late pastor of gilford in new-england . published by the aforesaid corporation . cant. 8. 8. wee have a little sister , and she hath no breasts : what shall we doe for our sister , in the day that she shall be spoken for ? london , printed by m. simmons for john blague and samuel howes , and are to be sold at their shop in popes head-alley . 1652. to the supreame authoritie of this nation , the parliament of the common-wealth of england . that the fathers joy at the returning of a spend-thrift sonne , ought to have an influence upon the whole family of heaven and earth , that is called after his name , to worke their suitable affections , and conformity to himselfe , cannot be questioned by any true childe thereof . behold then , right honourable , a call thereunto , poore prodigalls , who have not only with our selves lost that rich treasure of grace and holinesse , wherewith in our common roote and fountaine we were entrusted , but also in a course of rebellion for many generations wasted the remainder of natures riches to the utmost degeneracy that an immortall rationall being is obnoxious unto , not returning a farre off , but rejoycing in the imbraces of their father , and enterteined with his flesh and bloud , who was slaine and sacrificed for them . the ayme of our walking with god here is to come up to some conformitie to them , who behold his face and doe his will in heaven : amongst them there is joy at the repentance of one sinner , and shall not wee finde sweetnesse in the first fruits of a barren wildernesse in the shining of a beame of light into the darknesse of another world , giving hope of a plentifull harvest , and a glorious day to ensue . let men take heed , lest by despising the day , and opposing the worke of the lord towards those poore sonnes of adam , notwithstanding all their zealous profession , they proclaime themselves to pursue a carnall interest ; by which they declare the enlargement of the dominion of jesus christ is of no concernment unto them . wee are by many pledges assured better things of you right honourable , and such as accompany zeale for the house of our god , and therefore the ensuing testimonialls of the progresse of the worke of the gospel being sent unto us , wee make bold humbly to present them to you ; partly that we may invite you as the friends of jesus christ , to rejoyce with him that some sheepe of his , who were lost , are found ; and partly to lay before you , as matter of your rejoycing , some such fruits of the putting forth of your authoritie , and investing us therewith for the carrying on this most glorious undertaking , as may encourage your selves and all others that love the lord jesus , to goe on through him who doth enable you unto future reall expressions of love and zeale thereunto . wee shall not need to draw forth any particulars from the ensuing narrative , to give you a taste of that spirit whereinto these poore creatures are sweetly baptized ; wee hope your delight in the worke of god will inforce a leasure , to view the whole , this in generall wee may say , that in the wildernesse are waters broken out , and streames in the desert , the parched ground is become a poole , and the thirsty land-springs of water : in the habitation of dragons where each lay , there is grasse with reeds and rushes , the lord hath powred water upon him that is thirstie , and flouds upon the dry ground ; he hath powred his spirit on the seeds of the heathen , & his blessing on their off-spring , they spring up as among the grasse , as willowes by the water-courses : one sayes i am the lords , and another calls himselfe by the name of jacob , and another subscribes with his hand unto the lord , and sirnames himselfe by the name of israel . the lord hath done a new thing , and wee know it , he hath made a way in the wildernesse , and rivers in the desert , the beast of the feild doth honour him , the dragons , and the owles because he gives waters in the wildernes , and rivers in the desert , to give drinke to his people his chosen . so that upon the report heere read unto us , wee cannot but glorifie god with those primitive beleevers , and say , then hath god also to the poore naked indians granted repentance unto life . their outward wants and streights have often been presented unto you ; wee shall not need to repeate them , blessed be the lord , and blessed be you of the lord that your hearts have been stirred up to give encouragement unto this worke , and to open a doore for the reliefe of those eminent instruments in the hand of the lord who there carry it on , who though they communicate to them spiritualls , yet are so farre from receiving of their temporalls , that they impart unto them a portion of their own dayly bread , and provision necessary from their owne subsistence . the good lord lay the weight and concernment of this worke upon your spirits , and wee no way doubt that you will in any way be wanting to the publique improvement of this blessed opportunitie , for the enlargement of the kingdome of him whom our soules doe love : there is a vexation of spirit , which through their formalitie and unbeliefe , hath encompassed many professors , that whereas they have with much seeming earnestnes cryed out for mercies ; when they have been bestowed , they have thought scorne of them : so did the jewes in the busines of their messias , and many at this day amongst our selves in the great works of the providences of god : it is so with some to this breaking forth of light amongst the indians , desiring it before it began , despising it in its very beginnings , the lord lay it not unto their charge , and keep all our spirits in an holy admiration and reverence of the powerfull efficacy of his eternall and unchangeable purposes , which through so many sinfull generations ( falling in their rebellion ) hath preserved a seed to himselfe , whereof he will take care that one graine fall not to the ground . your honors to serve you in promoting the gospel of christ . signed in the name and by appointment of the corporation . william steele , president . to the reader . christian reader ; these ensuing letters doe represent unto thee , and to the churches , the out-goings of christ , as a light to the gentiles , that the grace which brings salvation hath appeared unto them also in the furthest parts of the earth , for the accomplishment of that ancient and glorious promise ; i will give thee for a light to the gentiles , that thou may'st be my salvation to the ends of the earth , ( isa. 49. 6. ) the people of god have been greatly affected with the appearances of christ , when he hath rode forth upon a red horse to the destruction of his enemies ; for he is glorious in his apparell , even when his garments are dipt in bloud , but much more when he rides forth upon a white horse , for the conversion of soules , and goes on conquering and to conquer . wee have therefore thought fit to commend this great worke of christ unto the view of all the saints , under these following considerations . first , hereby the kingdome of christ is enlarged , and the promise made unto him in the covenant between him and his father accomplished , his dominion shall be from sea to sea , and from the floud unto the worlds end , therefore his designe is upon all the kingdomes of the earth , that he may take possession of them for himselfe , they shall all become the kingdomes of the lord and of his christ , revel. 11. 15. and the kingdome and dominion under the whole heaven , being so possessed by christ , shall be given to the saints of the most high , dan. 7. 18. our prayer is , thy kingdome come , to see the promise made unto christ fullfilled , and the prayers of the saints answered , should be matter of great rejoycing unto us , and of high praises unto god . secondly , the glorious gospel of christ is hereby propagated , which is the scepter of his kingdome , the rod of his power , which wee pray may run and be glorified . and when we consider , by how many ( even amongst us ) the gospel is rejected , for men reject the councell of god against themselves : by how many it is resisted , for there are many adversaries , and by how many the gospel is perverted , being made another gospel , by strange interpretations ; one of the great acts of sacriledge of our times , stealing the sence of the scripture from the words of the scripture . now to see the gospel lifted up as an ensigne to the nations , and they to flow unto it , should be matter of great rejoycing to the soules of those who love the gospel in sinceritie . thirdly hereby the soules of men are rescued out of the snare of the devill , in which they were before held captive at his will ; the lord hath manifested that there is a seed according to the election of grace , even amongst these also as well as other gentiles , that the lord hath visited them to take out of them a people for his name , yea that even they who in a more immediate manner among them worshipped the devill , their witches call'd in their language pawwawes , that even these should be deliver'd , satan falling from heaven like lightning before the gospel , should greatly exalt free grace in our hearts ; the great love of god , is love to soules , and our tenderest compassion should be manifested in pittying of soules , neither know wee any other ordinary way that the lord has appointed but the preaching of the gospel for the winning of soules to himselfe : that being the power of god to salvation . fourthly , hereby the fullnes of the gentiles draws neere to be accomplished , that the calling of the jewes may be hastned : the scripture speaks of a double conversion of the gentiles , the first before the conversion of the jewes , they being branches wilde by nature grafted into the true olive tree in stead of the naturall branches which are broken off . this fullnesse of the gentiles shall come in before the conversion of the jewes , and till then blindnesse hath hapned unto israel , rom. 11. 25. the second , after the conversion of the jewes , as appeares acts 15 16 , 17. after this i will returne and will build againe the tabernacle of david which is fallen downe , and i will build againe the ruines thereof , and i will set it up ; that the residue of men might seek after the lord , and all the gentiles upon whom my name is called sayth the lord . hence it appeares that there are some gentiles , upon whom the lords name is called that are a people to him , even whilst the tabernacle of david lyes in its ruines ; and when he hath built againe this tabernacle of david , that there are a residue of men , the remainder of the gentiles that shall enquire after the lord , and worship him , together with those gentiles that were formerly converted , and upon whom his name was called . the first conversion of the gentiles in its fullnesse makes way for the coming in of the jewes , the king of the east , therefore to see this worke goe on , should cause the people of god to lift up their heads , and expect that the time of the fullfilling that promise is neere . fifthly , that the lord hath blessed the labours of our brethren , who were driven out from among us : a gracious heart as he prayes for , so he cannot but rejoyce in the successe of other mens labours as well as his owne , so the worke which is gods may prosper , who ever be the instrument ; 't is enough to him . when peter gave an account to the apostles and brethren of the conversion of cornelius and his family , who were , as it were the first fruits of the gentiles , they all glortfied god , saying ; then hath god also to the gentiles granted repentance unto life , act. 11. 18. and if they could rejoyce in the conversion of the gentiles which they knew would be with the rejection of the jewes , how much more should wee rejoyce in this great worke , who may grow together upon the same good olive tree ! that when other nations who have planted in those furthest parts of the earth , have onely sought their owne advantage to possesse their land , transport their gold , and that with so much covetousnesse and cruelty , that they have made the name of christianitie and of christ an abomination , that the lord should be pleased to make use of our brethren that went forth from us to make manifest the savour of christ among the people , and to winne their soules to him ; how should wee rejoyce that the lord hath so farre prosper'd such an undertaking . it was a holy ambition in paul to preach the gospel where christ was not named , that he might not glory in another mans line : it is certainly a great honour to be instrumentall to bring soules to christ , who before never heard of his name . sixthly , this wee hope may be but the first fruits of those great nations unto christ , the lord doth not usually cause to bring forth and then shut the wombe , isa. 66. 9. let no man despise the day of small things , the lord hath opened a great doore , which we hope satan shall never be able any more to shut . such considerations as these , have filled and affected our hearts , in the reading and meditation of this great worke of the lord , and wee hope being communicated , may be a good means to awaken the godly and faithfull of this nation , to observe the presence and appearances of god amongst his people there , that wee also may say ; what shall we doe for our sister in the day that shee shall be spoken for ? shall we not be abundant in prayer , that the lord would yet further blesse their holy endevours ? shall wee not labour to strengthen their hands by ministering to them of our aboundance ? that they may not be discouraged in so eminent a service , one of the greatest workes that hath been upon the wheele in this latter age , for to contribute to the offering up of soules to christ , must needs be a sacrifice of a very sweet smelling savour unto god . this wee humbly offer unto all those that love the lord jesus in sinceritie , and remaine thine in the furtherance of the gospel , w. gouge . edm : calamy . simon ashe . wil : spurstowe . jer : whitaker . lazarus seaman . george griffith . phillip nye . william bridge . henry whitfeld . sidrach simpson . william strong . joseph caryl . ralph venning . strength ovt of weaknesse ; or a glorious manifestation of the further progresse of the gospel among the indians in nevv-england . as every worke of god tending to the rescuing of deluded soules out of the snares of the devill , so even this glorious worke of gods grace hath met with many discouragements by various kinds of objections cast abroad by divers sorts of people , and even by some that came from new-england it selfe , who having lived remote from the worke done , and either not affecting the instruments therein imployed , or not going to the places of their exercise , that they might see and heare the gracious operations of the spirit of god amongst them , may easily misreport the proceedings of gods goodnesse therein . yet neverthelesse god having called us to be exercised in a worke of this nature , wherein his glory and the salvation of so many of the lost sonnes of adam are concerned ; wee have taken up a resolution by his gracious assistance to improve the power and trust by authoritie of parliament committed to us to the utmost , least it be laid to our account amongst others the obstructors of it in the great day of the lord . but as wee meete with discouragements , so , through mercy , wee are not without incouragements of many sorts . viz. 1. this worke of gods grace growes in new-england , not onely in the places where the gospel was formerly preached to the indians ; but god hath stirred up two eminent ministers in two other parts of the countrey , to labour in the worke , not without successe answerable ; as mr william leveridge neere sandwich in the government of new plymouth , sixtie miles from the place where mr eliot teacheth , and mr richard blindman at pecoat , a place formerly subdued by the english , and is a place about the same distance from sandwich another way , an account whereof you will have in the following treatise . 2. where the act of parliament for the collection meets with gospel-spirited ministers and people , there wee finde a good account of it comparatively ; god having stirr'd up the hearts of some eminent christians to contribute in a considerable manner ; some by charging thei lands with a yearely revenue to the corporation for that end for ever : and others by sending in good summes of money , subscribing to pay yearely so much whilst they live . and one gentleman ( leaving two sonnes of tender age ) having appointed by his will , in case they dye without issue , that an estate of two hundred pound per annum , should be setled upon the corporation for ever , and the rest of his estate for the like uses in the foure northerne counties of england . 3. that god hath wrought a resolution in us of the corporation ( wherein wee trust hee will inable us to persist ) ( viz. ) to contribute our labour and paines freely to this worke , without the least diminution of the stocke . and if any desire to be satisfied what our receipts , disbursements , or manner of proceedings are , our bookes are open at coopers hall , london , betweene the houres of tenne and twelve every saturday , where they may without offence see what is given , and by whom , when brought in , and how imployed or improved . 't is very strange to see what a multitude of objections are darted against this pure piece of christianitie , yea by some , whom otherwise wee have charitable thoughts of , and bow exceedingly the worke is impeded thereby , and however through mercy wee are able to answer every one of them sufficiently , yet wee forbeare to particularize them , least wee should reflesh too much on some , our consciences telling us , that as the worke is of god , and really such as is held forth , so he onely can satisfie the spirits of men , and will doe it in due season , and in the meane time blesse his owne worke being able to carry it on , who delighteth oft times in small meanes , that his gracious operations may the more be seene . this is the fifth treatise hath been published to the world in this kinde ( but the first by the corporation ) every one of them exceediug each other , wherein a most apparant growth and progresse doth appeare amongst the poore natives . that wee have now to offer to the publique view is a farther account of that living , growing , spreading power of godlinesse amongst them . and first wee shall begin with some remarkeable passages of divine providence in a letter received from mr john eliot ( who was the first minister the lord stirred up to promote this worke ) bearing date the 28th of april 1651. to one of our selves . much honored and beloved in christ . the providence of god giving this unexpected opportunitie of sending , i thought it my duty not to omit it , that so the saints and people of god with you , especially your selfe , with the rest of the worshipfull corporation , might understand the progresse and present state of this worke of the lord among the indians , for wee meete with changes of providence and tryalls in this our day of small things . it hath pleased the lord to try them , so soone as they have but tasted of his holy wayes . for our natures cannot live without physicke , nor grace without affliction , more or lesse , sooner or later . the winter before this last past it pleased god to worke wonderfully for the indians , who call upon god in preserving them from the small pox , when their prophane neighbours were cut off by it . this winter it hath pleased god to make lesse difference , for some of ours were also visited with that disease , yet this the lord hath done for them , that fewer of them have dyed thereof , then of others who call not upon the lord . onely three dyed of it , ( but five more young and old ) of other diseases : now ( through the lords mercy ) they are well , though not without ordinary infirmities , which befall mankinde . in matters of religion they goe on , nor onely in attendance on such meanes as they have , not onely in knowledge , which beginneth to have some clearenesse in the fundamentall poynts of salvation ; but also in the practice and power of grace , both in constant care in attendance on the worship of god on sabbath dayes and lecture-dayes , especially profitting in the gift of prayer , and also in the exercise of love to such as be in affliction , either by sicknesse or povertie . i have seene lively actings of charitie out of reverence to the command o● the lord , when such as had not that principle were farre from such workes of mercy , it pleased god to try them in the time of the pox , for some of them did hazard their owne lives ( for to them it is very mortall ) in obedience to the command of the lord , to shew mercy to them that were sicke , and some were infected thereby , and fell sicke and lay with much chearefullnesse and patience under gods hand , and through the lords mercy are well againe ; others who did shew mercy in that case escaped the sicknesse to the praise of god . likewise god is pleased to try their charitie by an old paraliticke or palsie sick-man , whose owne children being prophane and tyred with the burthen of him ( his retentive power of houlding excrements being loosened ) and having a loosenesse , sometimes he is very noysome and burthensome ) they forsooke him , and he had perished , but that the lord stirred up ( by the word of his grace ) their hearts to shew mercy to him , for he was while he was sicke at six shilling a weeke charge , for wee offered twelve-pence a night to any to tend him , and for meere hyre none would abide it , but out of mercy and charitie some of the families did take care of him , and gave freely some weeks , and others were payd out of their publique money , namely , such as hath been taken off , such as have been transgressors by fine or mulct : and still he is at foure shillings a weeke charge being better in health , in so much that all their publique money is spent , and much more , and wee have collections among them for the same use . the old man who hath been and still is wise , doth wisely testifie that their love is sincere , and that they truely pray to god , and i hope so doth he , and shall be saved . i could with a word speaking in our churches have this poore man relived , but i doe not , because i thinke the lord hath done it , for the tryall of their grace , and exercise of their love , and to traine them up in works of charitie , and in the way of christ to make collections for the poore . i see how the lord provideth to further the progresse of the gospel , by these tryalls and afflictions , yea there be more passages of this winters worke , wherein the lord hath taught us by the crosse . for one of our first and principall men is dead , which though it be a great blow and damping to our worke in some respects , yet the lord hath not left the rest to discouragement thereby , nay the worke is greatly furthered , for hee made so gracious an end of his life , and imbraced death with such holy submission to the lord , and was so little terrified at it , as that it hath greatly strengthened the faith of the living to be constant , and not to feare death , greatly commending of the death of wamporas , for that was his name , i thinke he did more good by his death , then he could have done by his life : one of his sayings was , that god giveth us three mercies in this world ; the first is health and strength ; the second is food and cloaths ; the third is sicknesse and death ; and when wee have had our share in the two first , why should wee not be willing to take our part in the third ? for his part he was : i heard him speake thus , and at other times also , and at his last he so spake , and it so tooke with them , that i observe it in their prayers , that they so reckon up gods dispensations to them , his last words which he spake in this world were these ; jehova aninnumah jesus christ , ( that is ) oh , lord , give mee jesus christ ; and when hee could speake no more , he continued to lift up his hands to heaven , according as his strength lasted , unto his last breath ; so that they say of him he dyed praying ; when i visited him the last time that i saw him in this world ( not doubting but i shall see him againe with christ in glory ) one of his sayings was this : foure yeares and a quarter since , i came to your house , and brought some of our children to dwell with the english , now i dye , i strongly intreate you ( for that is their phrase ) that you would strongly intreate elder heath ( with whom his sonne liveth ) and the rest , which have our children , that they may be taught to know god , so as that they may teach their countrymen , because such an example would doe great good among them , his heart was much upon our intended worke , to gather a church among them , i told him i greatly desired that he might live ( if it were gods will ) to be one in that worke , but if he should now dye he should goe to a better church , where abraham , and isaac , and jacob , and moses , and all the dead saints were with jesus christ in the presence of god in all happinesse and glory ; he said he feared not death , he was willing to dye , and turning to the company which were present , hee spake unto them thus ; i now shall dye , but jesus christ calleth you that live to goe to naticke , that there the lord might rule over you , that you might make a church , and have the ordinance of god among you , believe in his word , and doe as hee commandeth you : with many such words exhorting them , which they could not heare without weeping . a little before his death hee spake many gracious words unto them , wherein one passage was this ; some delight to heare and speake idle and foolish words , but i desire to heare and speake onely the words of god , exhorting them so to doe likewise : his gracious words were acceptable and affecting , that whereas they used to flie and avoyde with terrour such as lye dying , now on the contrary they flocked together to heare his dying words , whose death and buriall they beheld with many teares ; nor am i able to write his storie without weeping . another affliction and damping to our worke was this , that it hath pleased god to take away that indian who was most active in carpentrey , and who had framed me an house with a little direction of some english , whom i sometime procured to goe with mee to guide him , and to set out his worke : hee dyed of the pox this winter , so that our house lyeth , not yet raised , which maketh my aboade amongst them more difficult , and my tarriance shorter then else i would , but the lord helpeth me to remember that he hath said , endure thou hardnesse as a good souldier of jesus christ . these are some of the gracious tryalls and corrections the lord hath exercised us withall , yet he hath mingled them with much love and favour in other respects ; for it hath pleased god this winter much to inlarge the abilitie of him whose helpe i use in translating the scriptures , which i account a great furtherance of that which i most desire , namely , to communicate unto to them as much of the scriptures in their owne language as i am able . besides , it hath pleased god to stirre up the hearts of many of them this winter to learne to reade and write , wherein they doe very much profit with a very little helpe , especially some of them , for they are very ingenuous . and whereas i had thoughts that vvee must have an englishman to be their schoole-master , i now hope that the lord will raise up some of themselves , and enable them unto that worke , with my care to teach them well in the reason of the sounds of letters and spelling , i trust in the lord that vvee shall have sundry of them able to reade and write , who shall vvrite every man for himselfe so much of the bible as the lord shall please to enable me to translate . besides those workes which concerne religion and learning , wee are also a doing ( according to the measure of our day of small things ) in the civill part of this worke wee have set out some part of the towne in severall streets , measuring out and dividing of lots , which i set them to doe and teach them how to doe it : many have planted apple-trees , and they have begun diverse orchards , it s now planting-time , and they be full of businesse , yet wee are doing some publicke workes ; the last weeke i appointed our lecture to be at a water which is common passage , and where the fish wee call alewives come , there wee built a bridge , and made a wyre to catch fish , and being many of them , some wee appointed to one worke , and some to another , through the blessing of god wee brought both these workes to perfection : wee also have begun a pallizadoe fort , in the midst whereof wee intend a meeting-house and schoole-house , but wee are in great want of tooles , and many necessaries , and when wee cannot goe wee must be content to creepe ; this present weeke i am going to pawtueket , the great fishing place upon merimek , where i heare sundry doe expect my coming , with a purpose to submit themselves unto the lords hand . sir , i doe earnestly beg your prayers both for mee and for this worke of the lord which he hath set mee about , john eliott . roxbury the 28th : of the 2d : 1651. the former letter of mr elliots came to hand about six moneths before the latter , and that 's the reason you have another of his followeth next after his former , whereby the reader may see and observe the constant goodnes of god in carrying on his owne worke , notwithstanding all the opposition of men . every day bringing forth as it were additionall improvements , to the praise of god , who delighteth so much in this his day of small things . worshipfull and much honoured in the lord . it is through the grace of christ , who hath called you into the fellowship of his kingdome , that you are willing to take such care and paines for the advancement and furtherance of his kingdome , and the lord fill your hearts with the consolations of his holy spirit , whose spirit hee hath set to seeke his glory in promoting the gospel of jesus christ , and because the fruite of our labours coming in with a blessing , is a great meanes to quicken the heart to be constant in that worke which the lord delighteth to prosper and blesse . it is my duty to let you understand how it pleaseth the lord to prosper and proceed in this worke of his among the indians ; for the promoting vvhereof you travaile with care and paines , that so you may goe on with the more comfort , and the better know how to direct your prayers unto the lord in that behalfe . i will not trouble you with rehearsall of such things as i have already this yeare written about unto our honoured friend mr winslowe , so farre as i can call to minde vvhat i wrote , hoping in the lord that the ships are safely arrived , and my letters come unto his hands . i know not whether i have yet mentioned our schoole , vvhich through the lords mercy vvee have begun , though vvee cannot yet be constant in it , vvee have two men in some measure able to teach the youth vvith my guidance , and inspection . and thus vvee order the schoole : the master daily prayeth among his schollers , and instructeth them in catechisme , for which purpose i have compiled a short catechisme , and vvrote it in the masters booke , vvhich he can reade , and teach them ; and also all the copies he setteth his schollers vvhen he teacheth them to write , are the questions and answers of the catechisme , that so the children may be the more prompt and ready therein : wee aspire to no higher learning yet , but to spell , reade , and vvrite , that so they may be able to vvrite for themselves such scriptures as i have already , or hereafter may ( by the blessing of god ) translate for them ; for i have no hope to see the bible translated , much lesse printed in my dayes . therefore my chiefe care is to communicate as much of the scriptures as i can by vvriting : and further , my scope so to traine up both men and youths , that when they be in some measure instructed themselves , they may be sent forth to other parts of the countrey , to traine up and instruct others , even as they themselves have been trained up and instructed . this consideration doth make mee very carefull to put on the schoole , and attend it with what diligence i can , although i cannot as yet doe in it , what i desire . there be severall providences of god appearing to worke , which make mee thinke that the most effectuall and generall way of spreading the gospel will be by themselves , when so instructed as i have above-mentioned ; as for my preaching , though such whose hearts god hath bowed to attend , can picke up some knowledge by my broken expressions , yet i see that it is not so taking , and effectuall to strangers , as their owne expressions be , who naturally speake unto them in their owne tongue . to the end therefore that they may be the better able to teach others , i doe traine them up , and exercise them therein : vvhen i am among them on the lords dayes , appointing two , each sabboth to exercise , and when they have done , then i proceed , and assuredly i finde a good measure of abilitie in them , not onely in prayer ( wherein they exceed my expectation ) but in memory to rehearse such scriptures as i have read unto them and expounded ; to expound them also as they have heard mee doe , and apply them . and now also the schoole-master taking the care of catechizing the children , i leaving that to him doe catechize the men , examining and trying their knowledge , which yet i am wary in doing , least i should dampe and discourage the weake . these things i attend with the more intention , because it seemeth to mee god will imploy these first instructed to instruct others , of which i have had sundry experiences , some i shall instance ; it pleased mr winthrop ( son unto our late honoured governour now at rest ) to advise mee to send two discreete men to the greatest and most potent sachem among the naragansets , to answer such questions as they might propound , and to stirre them up to call on god . i did accordingly , and sent him a present by them ; but the proud sachem did little lesse then despise the offer , though hee tooke the present ; so they thought they should have returned without successe ; but when they came among the people , especially such as were a little more remote from the great and proud ones , they received them with great gladnesse ; one company taking one of ours among them , others taking the other of our men amongst them ; they asked them many questions , expressed their readinesse to call upon god , if they had any to teach them : expressing likewise that they did not expect their sachems would pray to god , because they vvere so proud : by which i doe perceive that the lord is preparing a plentifull harvest , and not onely by this , but by many other evidences . there is a great countrey lying betweene conectacott and the massachusets , called nipnet , where there be many indians dispersed , many of which have sent to our indians , desiring that some may be sent unto them to teach them to pray unto god . and sometimes some of our best men doe goe to severall places for a little while , and returne againe , and not without successe . these things being so , the worke which vvee now have in hand will be as a patterne and copie before them , to imitate in all the countrey , both in civilizing them in their order , government , law , and in their church proceedings and administrations ; and hence great care lyeth upon mee to set them right at first , to lay a sure foundation for such a building , as i foresee will be built upon it , and in this matter i greatly need pray : the order of proceeding with them , is first to gather them together from their scattered course of life , to cohabitation and civill order and government , and then to forme them ( the lord having fitted them ) into visible church-state , for the guidance whereof , i have instructed them , that they should looke onely into the scriptures , and out of the word of god fetch all their wisedome , lawes , and government , and so shall they be the lords people , and the lord above shall reigne over them , and governe them in all things by the word of his mouth . sundry of these which pray unto god have formerly subjected themselves unto the english ; so that in this government among themselves they doe reserve themselves in that poynt to owne them as their superiours , to make appeales unto them as neede may require , and experience for these many yeares shew , that though they have so subjected themselves , yet the onely benefit they have is protection : as for hearing and determining their causes , the difference of language , and paucitie of intepreters prohibits , and if their causes come , they be so longsome , and yet of small importance , that it is of necessitie , that either they must have no government , as hitherto it hath been , or else they must have it among themselves . besides , all or many of their differences and causes they usually brought to mee , which was not convenient , and i was willing to avoyde : themselves also found great need that some should be over them , to judge their causes , and end differences , and much desired it . therefore upon the sixt day of the sixt moneth of this present yeare ( their pallizadoe fort being finished ) they had a great meeting , and many came together from diverse parts , though sundry were hindred and came not at that time , where , with prayer to god i read and expounded to them the 18th of exodus , ( which i had done severall times before ) and finally they did solemnly choose two rulers among themselves , they first chose a ruler of an hundred , then they chose two rulers of fifties , then they chose ten or tithing men ( so i call them in english ) for so they were called ( as is reported ) in england , vvhen england did flourish happily under that kinde of government . and lastly , for that dayes worke every man chose who should be his ruler of ten , the rulers standing in order , and every man going to the man he chose , and it seemed unto mee as if i had seene scattered bones goe , bone unto his bone , and so lived a civill politicall life , and the lord was pleased to minister no small comfort unto my spirit , when i saw it . after this worke was ended , they did enter into covenant with god , and each other , to be the lords people , and to be governed bythe word of the lord in all things . the words of which covenant are these in english . wee doe give our selves and our children unto god to be his people , hee shall rule us in all our affaires , not onely in our religion , and affaires of the church ( these wee desire as soone as wee can , if god will ) but also in all our workes and affaires in this world , god shall rule over us . isa. 33. 22. the lord is our judge , the lord is our law-giver , the lord is our king , hee will save us ; the wisedome which god hath taught us in his booke , that shall guide us and direct us in the way . oh jehovah , teach us wisedome to finde out thy wisedome in thy scriptures , let the grace of christ helpe us , because christ is the wisedome of god , send thy spirit into our hearts , and let it teach us , lord take us to be thy people , and let us take thee to be our god . this act of forming themselves into the government of god , and entring into this government is the first publique record among the indians , and for ought i know the first that ever was among them : and now our next worke is to prepare them for church-estate , to which end i doe instruct them , that the visible church of christ is builded upon a lively confession of christ , and covenanting to walke in all the administrations of the publique worship of god , under the government and discipline of jesus christ . i doe therefore exhort them to try their hearts by the word of god to finde out what change the lord hath wrought in their hearts , and this is the present vvorke vvee have in hand . give mee leave ( much honoured friends ) to goe a little backe in my relation , that i might be more particular , because these letters i prepared in the sixt moneth after they had chosen their officers , as i was propounding and teaching them the above-written covenant , for that i did often before wee did solemnely accomplish it , that so they might doe it as an act of knowledge and faith . now let mee relate the order of our proceeding : having againe and againe read this covenant to them , and instructed them in the meaning of it , it pleased god to wrack mr webbers ship at conahasset , though the lord dealt favourably ; most goods were saved , though much spoyled : this was on the first day of the 7th moneth , wherefore at a lecture at natik on the 10th of the same moneth , i informed them of the plentifull supply which the lord had made your selves his instruments to send unto them for the furtherance of this our worke , and also how the lord had frowned upon it , and undoubtedly it was a fruit of sinne , and therefore the lord called them to repentance , and make peace with god : besides wee were beginning a great worke of civill cohabitation and governement , and they wanted wisdome to carry on such a worke , and the lord had promised , if any want wisdome aske it of god , who gives liberally , citing that of james which i had formerly preached on . moreover , wee were in preparation for a church-state , and that was a great matter to seeke the lord in ; and lastly , they having chosen rulers , and intending to enter into a covenant , to promise unto god to be his people , and to be ruled in all things by his word . gods appointment is that such a covenant should be entred into , in a solemne day of fasting and prayer , and all these causes concurred , to put us on unto that worke . now though wee never yet had kept such a day unto the lord , yet i had instructed them therein , for in the spring wee had a generall day of humiliation in all the churches ; and thereupon they moved this question ; why the english often fasted and prayed , and i never yet taught them so to doe : to which i did answer , by that of christ unto the disciples , but told them , that when wee set upon the great vvorkes of god to be his people , governed by his word , and to gather a church , then they should be called of god unto it , &c. and now it came to passe , my motion they deliberated on with some conference ( as their manner is ) and finally did consent unto it , then i told them , it was needfull they should pray and teach that day ; sundry of them and wee agreed , that all such as vvere called to be rulers should exercise that day , or so many as wee had time for their exercise . before that day came , even then when it was appointed cutshamoquin , the chiefe sachem , and therefore chosen the chiefe ( for hee is constant in his profession , though doubtfull in respect of the throughnesse of his heart ) was in the countrey neere narragan set , about appeasing some strife among some sachems . in which journey some of those bad indians and cutshamoquin with them did buy much strong water at gortons plantation , and had a great drinking , from which the wiser sort did withdraw themselves , but cutshamoquin was in it , though not unto drunkennesse , yet his act was scandalous . before vvee solemnly appeared before god , and made the above-written covenant , i advised with mr cotton about it , and his counsaile was to add these words in the beginning : wee are the sonnes of adam , wee and our forefathers have a long time been lost in our sinnes , but now the mercy of the lord beginneth to finde us out againe ; therefore the grace of christ helping us , wee doe give our selves and our children , &c. when the day came , this act of cutshamoquin being broken out , wee suffered not him to teach ; onely he began the day with confession of his sinne , and made a short prayer , wherein he confessed , satan acted in his heart , begged pardon , and that the spirit of god might dwell in him , and act in him for time to come , and so ended . then another of them began with prayer , and for his text tooke that in the 7th of luke 36. to the end , ( though they doe not know the booke , chapter , or verse , but distinguish my lectures by the first materiall word in it ) christ being invited by symon the pharisee , the woman washt his feete with her teares , &c. at vvhich symon stumbling , christ spake the parable of the two debtors , both freely forgiven , with the application , all which he repeated pretty well , and after his teaching he prayed againe and ended . the second tooke for his text the lords prayer , because it is , said he , a day of prayer . the third tooke for his text the 7th of matthew 19. to the end , every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut downe , &c. and upon that parable of the two builders , on the rocke the first , the other on the sand , &c. by this time the day was well up , then i taught out of the 9th of ezra 3. & 9. where i described a day of fasting , and the right carriage of it ; yet by the parable of a nut , i shewed that outward acts are as the shell , which is necessary , but a broken and believing heart is the kernell , and so ended the forepart of the day . after a little respite ( in which time a question came to mee , if it were lawfull to take a pipe of tobacco ? ) we met againe , the first took his text , joh. 3. 16. 22. and his preface was , i reade or rehearse this , and let every one reade it in his owne heart . the second took his text , matth. 13. 24. to 31. from the parable of him that sowed good seed , and the enemie came and while they slept sowed tares , &c. the third took his text , luke 3d. 4 , 5 , 6. ver. prepare yee the way of the lord , make his paths straight , &c. by this time night drew on , then i took for my text , deut. 29. and the 1. to 16. where israel entred into covenant with the lord : and finally our covenant in the forerecited words i expressed , and they joyntly consented unto ; first the rulers , then all the people , then was the collections for the poore , and by dark night wee finished our worke . thus have i briefly described that blessed day wherein these poore soules solemnely became the people of the lord : this was on the 24th day of the 7th moneth , 1651. upon the 8th of the oct. moneth , which was our next lecture ( for it is in that place but once in a fortnight , i houlding a lecture each other weeke still at any other place ) it pleased our governour with many others attending him , to visit our poore workes and day of small things , where they viewed our house , our fort , our bridge , advised about a place for a mill , &c. ) at the season they came unto our lecture , and observed the carriage and behaviour of things and men : among other things one of our indians did ( as we are wont ) exercise , which they tooke so much notice of , and were so farre affected with , as that it pleased the governour to advice me to write the substance of that which he spake , which is as followeth ; his text was matth. 13. 44 , 45 , 46. againe , the kingdome of heaven is like vnto treasure hid in a feild , the which when a man hath found , he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath , and buyeth the feild : 45. againe , the kingdome of heaven is like unto a marchant-man seeking goodly pearles : 46. who when he had found one pearle of great price , he went and sould all that he had and bought it . the substance of these words he did twice rehearse , then for instruction he first propounded what is this treasure which is hid in a feild ? he answered it is repentance for sinne , faith in christ , and pardon of sinne and all grace , as also praying to god , the worship of god , and his appointments , which are the meanes of grace , on which he dilated , shewing what excellent pearles these are , exhorting all to account so of them , and on this point he did much insist : secondly , he asked what is the feild where these pearles are to be found ? he answered the church of christ , which they did desire to constitute in this place , and to that end come thither to dwell : thirdly , he asked what is it to sell all that a man hath to buy this feild ? he answered , to part with all their sinnes , and to part with all their old customes , and to part with their friends and lands , or any thing which hindereth them from coming to that place , where they may gather a church , and enjoy all these pearles ; and here he insisted much to stirre them up , that nothing should hinder them from gathering together into this place where they might enjoy such a mercy . then he proceeded to the second parable , and his first question was , who is the marchant man , that seeketh goodly pearles ? he answered , it is all you indians which pray to god , and repent of sinne , and come to heare the word of god , you come to seeke for excellent pearles ; and here also he insisted : his second question was , what is this pearle of great price ? now in answer to this question he did not pitch it on christ alone , and shew the worth and price of christ : but he did pitch it on faith in jesus christ , and repentance for sinne , and stood upon the excellency and necessitie thereof . and this was the greatest defect i observed in his exercise , which seeing i under take to relate that which none but my selfe understood , i dare not but truely relate , because the lord heard all , and i must give an account of this relation before him : his next question was , what is meant by all the riches he had ? he answered , his sinnes , his evill customes , his evill manners , in which he formerly tooke much pleasure ; and here he dilated also : lastly he asked how did he sell them all , and buy the pearle ? he answered , by casting away & forsaking all his sinnes , mourning and repenting of them , praying to god , and believing in jesus christ . and here he fervently dilated , and so ended ; and this according to the best of my memory and observation , is the substance of what he delivered . whereby you may observe the manner of my teaching them , for they imitate mee , as for our method of preaching to the english by way of doctrine , reason , and use , neither have i liberty of speech , for that way of teaching being very unskilfull in their language , nor have they sufficient abilitie of understanding to profit by it , so well as by this way , whereof you have herein a little taste . jo : eliot . the next letter good reader ( for me place them according to their severall dates ) is one that came from mr john wilson that reverend holy man , who is pastor of the church of christ at boston in new england , who accompanying the governour , together with mr eliot and sundry others to their new towne built by the converted indians , where they purpose by gods permission to cohabite together , that so they may enjoy all those ordinances the lord jesus hath left unto his church . now what mr wilson there saw , heard , and observed , that he hath written over to us , and we have published for thy information and consolation . honoured and ever deare sir . touching the worke of god among the indians , for ought i heare or see from them that are most conversant therein , as mr eliot , mr mahew , and mr leverich , with whom i have made diligent enquiry ; it doth prosperously succeed to their great encouragement , and ours in the lord . there was here some few weekes since , the prime indian at marthas vineyard with mr mahewe ( humanequinn ) a grave and solemne man , with whom i had serious discourse , mr mahewe being present as interpreter between us , who is a great proficient both in knowledge and utterance , and love , and practice of the things of christ , and of religion , much honoured and reverenced , and attended by the rest of the indians there , who are solemnely covenanted together , i know not how many , but between thirtie or fortie at the least , and receive none into their fraternitie , or combination , but those which give good proofe of their upright desires , to their conscience , in their professions and conversations , who when mr mahewe cannot be with them ( as at many set times he is ) doth in the weeke time instruct himselfe from mr mahews mouth , and prepare for their instruction on the lords day , which they conscionably observe , and have their constant solemne meetings together : this man where he was , had communion on the lords day with mr eliots indians neere dorchester mill , unto whom he preached or declared what he had learned himselfe from the scripture , some two houres together , with solemne prayer before and after , and then ended with a psalme , such as at home is wont to be sung among his usuall hearers . the lords day after he was in our assembly , the boate then being ready to carry him home by the next opportunitie , and truely my reverence to him was such , as there being no roome i prayed our brethren to receive that good indian into one of their pewes , which they did forenoone and afternoone , and at meale , i perceived by him that he had understanding of what he heard . mr leverich being lately here and at my house , ( who also preached at our new church ) i conferred with him about the beginnings and progresse of the lords worke , among his neighbouring indians at sandwich , and did heare from him , what did my heart good . and therefore when he tooke his leave of me i requested him that he would doe me the favour at his returne home , to send me a briefe story of that good hand of god which was there upon them , ab origine , which i thanke him he did soone after , and i thought not amisse to inclose it , as it came to me , being written with his own hand , not doubting but it would adde unto your rejoycing in the lord . about a fortnight since , there was a lecture to be of mr eliot , at naticke , the new indian towne , where he useth frequently to preach to them , besides what he doth neere home ( on either side ) and many times doth keepe the lords day with them , whereof having some notice , and that the governour mr endicot intended then to be there , my cosin rawson and i with some other , did prepare to ride thither , the governour and his sergeants lying at dedham , which is within seaven or eight miles of the towne , and we at mr jacksons neere watertowne mill ) in like distance in the next morning after we had been some houres there where we found mr eliot , and by that time we had viewed all things , the governour came with about twentie horsemen from dedham , and made a like view , after which the lecture or sermon began in the fort , which the indians have made of whole trees very hansome and firme , which is neere a faire house which the indians have built after the english manner high and large ( no english-mans hand in it , save that one day or two they had an english carpenter with them to direct about the time of rearing , with chimneys in it : in which mr eliot & those which accompany him use to lye , and the indian schoole-master was there teaching the children who doth reade and spell very well himselfe , and teacheth them to doe the like ( besides writing ) and as there is a large roome below , so there is a like chamber above , in a corner whereof mr eliot hath a little roome inclosed , and a bed & bed-sted therein , and in the same chamber the indians doe as in a wardrope hang up their skinnes , and things of price , as counting them there to be very safe , as well when the dores be open , as when they be locked ; they have laid out three long faire streets there , two on this side the river , and one on that , and have severall house-lots apportioned severally to every one , which doe or be to inhabite there , and in many of them there are fruit-trees already planted , and they are building english houses for themselves , meane while living in wigwams , whereof there is good store neere the hill side , at present there being a goodly plaine from the towne towards dedham ) over the river ( that is , charles river ) they have made a firme high foote-bridge archwise to walks to and fro , having heaped on the bottome tymbers huge stones , the more to fortifie it , and it was a great encouragement to them , that the last yeare , ( when a like bridge made by the english in the new dedham village called medefield , some foure or five miles from them ) was throwne downe by the force of the flouds or ice , yet theirs did stand firme and upright . but to returne to the fort , and to the busines of the day , that is round and capacious , and they have prepared there a large canopie of matts upon poles for mr eliot and the chiefe of his company to sit under , and other sorts for themselves and other hearers . the saneps or men by themselves and the squaes or women by themselves , besides the english then present , ( which were about thirtie ) there were i thinke not fewer then a hundred men women and young ones ; among the indians there be some greater proficients in knowledge , and of better utterance by farre then their fellowes , grave and serious men , whom mr eliot hath trained up ( or the lord rather by his instructions and directions ) to instruct and exhort the rest of the indians in their lords day and other meetings , when he cannot come to them himselfe . there be some five of these , one of them was prepared before we came , and appointed to begin this exercise : the further relation of the manner of this indians behaviour in preaching , together with the substance of that sermon being before set downe by mr eliot may be never omitted : other particulars in order to the exact description of the indian fort and buildings in mr eliots letter is defective are here supplyed . this man being of middle age , and clad all in english apparell ( as most if not all others of them are ) sitting in the midst , on a stoole , under the shelter , did begin with prayer very solemnely , standing up for some halfe quarter of an houre , then sitting downe spake unto them of the two parables , concerning the feild wherein the treasure hid , and the wise marchant selling all for the pearle ; wee understood him not ( save mr eliot ) excepting now and then a word or two , he discoursed to them some three quarters of an houre at the leaft , with great devotion , gravitie , decency , readines and affection , and gestures very becomming , and sundry mentions he made of jesus christ , specially in the beginning , and towards the ending , as if he were the scope of all , and the rest of the indians ; diverse old men and women , and the younger did joyne and attend with much reverence , as if much affected therewith ; then he ended with prayer as he beganne . then mr eliot prayed and preached in the indian language for some houre more , about coming to christ , and bearing his yoake . this text was translated by him from the scripture into english , speaking with much authoritie , and after his latter prayer the indian schoole-master read out of his booke one of the psalmes in meeter , line by line , translated by mr eliot into indian , all the men and women , &c. singing the same together in one of our ordinary english tunes melodiously . i should have said that after mr eliots sermon there were two or three grave indians that propounded to mr eliot , each of them a question , very pertinent to the matter he handled about the yoake of christ , and coming to christ , which he answered , interpreting unto us both their questions , and the summe of his owne answers . after this the lord did stirre up my heart to make an exhortation to the indians , which mr eliot expounded to them , and also the governours speech , which god did stirre him up too unto the same purpose , declaring our joy to see such beginnings , and warning them of the great danger if they should decline from what they had already come unto , either in their knowledge , affection , or christian practice , incouraging them against what might dampe or deterre . then all of us taking us to our horses left mr eliot and them together , the governour and his company to lye at dedham , and the rest of us when wee had rid two or three miles with them did returne into our owne way towards our former lodging , having been every one of us much refreshed in our spirits in what we saw , & were informed of , viz. of god amongst them . not long before this , travelling with mr eliots brother i conferred in the way seriously with him about these indians , for he useth to accompany his brother , and is a right godly and diligent man , desiring to know what solidity he found by experience in them . who did acquaint mee that there was difference between them as between the english , some being lesse serious then others , and lesse spirituall ; but that there was a considerable company of solide ones that were constant and forward in good duties , as well on the weeke dayes as on the lords . and that he had purposely sometimes in the darke walked the round , as it were alone , and found them in their severall families as devout in prayer , &c. as if there had been any present to observe : and that carried it very modestly , utterly refusing to receive any reliefe from mr eliots table , choosing rather to live on the provisions at home , which came in by their owne labour ; and when once mr eliots owne provisions failed ( hee being detained among them sundry dayes beyond his intent ) they soone tooke notice , and of their owne accord did bring unto him varietie of the best which they had themselves , and he professed unto mee that upon all his best observation , there was a very hopefull beginning amongst them of the grace & kingdome of our lord jesus . the lord vouchsafe to be the omega among them as well as the alpha of this blessed change . your most loving friend , and brother in christ , john wilson . boston : 27 : 8ber 51. as mr wilson was stirred up in himselfe to send us the relation of his owne observations upon his journey with mr eliot , so he having received some precious lines from an able minister of the gospel , viz. mr leverich of sandwich in the government of new plymouth , whom the lord had stirred up to labour also in the conversion of the indians : the eares seeming as it were white unto harvest , and the labourers but very few , he adventures to put in his sickle , not without hopefull successse , as will appeare in his following lines . and for the discouragements mentioned in his letter , know that divers of his people having cast off all the ordinances of god in his church , at last came to be seduced by every idle spirit that came amongst them , to be led into such fancies as we are ashamed to mention . and so this good man upon this occasion turned to the indians , where he meets with an abundant blessing upon his endeavours . reverend sir . i salute you in the lord , i shall trouble you onely with two things , first , the mooving causes inducing mee to set upon this worke : secondly , with what successe i have hitherto been entertained , by the blessing of god upon my weake endeavours . for the first of these , i suppose it s not unknowne to your selfe , amongst many others , what singular exercise i have had in these parts , and what singular conflicts i have met withall in my travails amongst our owne countreymen , divers of them transported with their ( though not singular ) fancies , to the rejecting of all churches and ordinances by a new cunning , and i perswade my selfe one of the last but most pernicious plot of the devill to undermine all religion , and introduce all atheisme and profanenesse , if it were possible , together with which , i have observed a spirit of pharisaisme and formalitie too , too evidently creeping upon and strongly possessing others generally , besides other discouragements i shall forbeare to mention , which considered divers of our brethren , together with my selfe , upon consultation had together , were resolved to moove together else whether , where wee might hope for more and better encouragement , as touching our communion , if god so pleased : but were disswaded by divers our honoured friends , both by their letters and more private councells , unto whom we gave way , at least for the present : not long after having an hopefull indian in my house , he propounds to mee a motion of teaching the indians neere us . and sometime after mr eliot invites mee to the same worke by his letters : then i thought with my selfe i must stay , and began to tast the motion with more affection , resolving , that if god would please to fit up the roomes of others with the accesse of such forlorne creatures , and bring in such as wandred in the high wayes , lanes , and hedges ; and call in the lame , and hale , and blind , in stead of those contemners , it would be a mercy ; and by no other respects in this world was my breast inclined unto this worke , and to attend god in it . as touching the second , for matter of successe and incouragement , i cannot but reckon this one , and that not the least , that though the indian tongue be very difficult , irregular , and anomalous , and wherein i cannot meete with a verbe substantive as yet , nor any such particles , as conjunctions , &c. which are essentiall to the severall sorts of axioms , and consequently to all rationall and perfect discourses , and that though their words are generally very long , even se squipe dalia verba , yet i finde god helping , not onely my selfe to learne and attaine more of it in a short time , then i thinke i could or did of latine , greeke , or hebrew , in the like space of time , when my memory was stronger , & when all known rules of art are helpfull to fasten such notions in the minde of the learner ; but also the indians to understand mee fully ( as they acknowledge ) so farre as i have gone . i am constrained by many ambages and circumlocutions to supply the former defect , to expresse my selfe to them as i may . the next encouragement i may not without ground omit to mention is this , that it pleaseth god to helpe some of these poore creatures to looke over and beyond the examples of some of our looser sort of english , which i looke upon as a great stumbling blocke to many . it 's to be lamented that the name of god so generally professed by those looser sort of english , should be so generally polluted by them , and blasphemed by heathens , through the occasion of their loosenes and deniall of the power of godlinesse , yet god gives some of theirs a spirit of discerning between precious and vile , and a spirit of conviction , to acknowledge ( oh that ours would lay it to heart ) there is no difference between the worst indians , and such english , saying , they are all one indians , yea and further , to put a like difference between such indians amongst themselves here and elsewhere , as appeare to be more serious in their inquiries after god , and conscientious according to their light , and such others that are more slight , and meere pretenders to religions . thirdly , for more particular observations . 1. god hath brought some of them to a sence of their sinnes , and a feare of his justice . here i shall insert an example or two , one of them being to repeate such principles i had begun to traine them in , in a catechisticall way ( for my penury confines mee to this method at present , and i hope it may be never the worse for them ) was a good while before he could speake , having his countenance sad before ( and as i have understood since a weeke together after our former exercise ) and in speaking the teares all the while trickling downe his cheekes : after being demanded by mee what was the matter of his sadnesse , he answers mee , he did now understand that god was a just god , and for himselfe he had been very wicked , even from a childe . and another , whom i used as my interpreter now and then in teaching them , falls suddenly and publiquely into a bitter passion , crying out , and wringing his hands , out of the like apprehension of his condition , as he told mee afterwards , and i finde no one of them ( daring men ) to speake of their good hearts , but some more some lesse sensible of the contrary . secondly , god hath brought some of them to some evangelicall conviction , one acknowledging that though he and others leave their former evills , and should keepe gods commandements , yet without christ they must goe to hell . thirdly , two or three of them have complained of the hardnesse of their hearts , and are questioning of remedies . fourthly , speaking to them of the mercy of god in christ , one of them tells publiquely it did him more good to heare of christ , then to heare of all earthly good things , i would faine hope for seeds of faith in such . fifthly , two of them i deale withall , particularly for personall evills , by name for the sinne of fornication , which they were carried away into , which my indian acquainting my selfe with after our exercise i spake unto , shewing them the evills of this sinne , and aggravating of it by the knowledge they now had of god , &c. and exhorting them to repentance , and to seeke mercy in christ ; whereupon one of them fell into bitter weeping , presently the other though his heart was shut up at present , yet not long after , and with longer continuance sayd , i have observed in others a sence of temptations , spirituall bondage , which they expressed naturally thus ; one saith that he and the devill were all one souldiers , and this in sadnesse of spirit and speech : another laying his hands upon his knees and hammes , complaines he was as a man tyed in cords , and prayes to god to be unloosed , and in generall they are observed divers of them to pray with much affection , mourning ; in so much that they are in this respect a wonderment to their companions , who enquired what is the matter , why they doe so , &c. a fourth encouragement to mee is this , i finde the devill bestirring himselfe , and betaking of himselfe to his wonted practice of stirring up oppositions against this worke by his instruments , as fearing the ruine of his kingdome , their countrymen manifesting their hatred , threatning they shall not plant , hunt , &c. as before ; yea the controversie or enmitie rather arises between parents and children , &c. lastly , and not long before i was last with you in the bay upon a second day in the morning before they went away , there came to me to the number of twentie of them , voluntarily professing one by one their desire to feare god , promising that they would leave their sins ( some intermixing acknowledgements of their sins and ignorance : and one that english and indians knew shee had been very wicked ) hereunto calling jehovah to witnes ; and this to doe all their dayes , as long as they live : some bringing their children , and causing them to make the like profession ; whereupon i was the more stirred towards them in my spirit ( though i acknowledge i was loath to make an absolute engagement ) to promise them i would endevour to be as helpfull to them as i could in teaching them : which when i had done , they gave mee thankes publiquely ; and since this , they living some seaven miles from us , have built a wigwam of purpose neere our towne to receive them when they come on the lords dayes ; and truely sir , they are so attentive in hearing , that it grieves me i cannot speake to them as i desire , they seeming to be hungry , and i wanting bread for them . and thus sir , you have a naked narration of our proceedings , with the events fallen out by gods providence within not many moneths . it is i believe a day of small things , and so lookt at by our english many of them , who surely would have perished in their darknesse , if all others should have contemned them as they these , i pray god they perish not in the light , however i am resolved to bable to them as i may , considering that out of the mouthes of babes god ordaines praise , and found strength to still the enemie , &c. the beginnings of gods great works are often in great obscuritie , where he appoints the end to be glorious . also i remember one sowes and another reaps , which where ever they be , such as are faithfull shall rejoyce together . i doubt not sir , of your fervent prayers ( which i doe further beg of you and others that know how to pitty lost ones ) for my selfe and poore indians , that the lord will prosper our endeavours this way , and water them with his abundant blessings in jesus christ , that the day-spring from on high may visit such poore soules as are in darknesse , and the shadow of death , and bring them to life in jesus christ . william leverich . sandwich this 22th of the 7th . 1651. the next letter is a testimoniall from a private hand of what mr leverich mentions in his to mr wilson , where we may see some fruits of his labours testified by a neighbour of his at sandwich , which is fiftie miles from that place , where mr eliot hath taught other indians for divers years : but we doe not a little rejoyce to heare that mr leverich is engaged in this worke , because he is a grave learned knowing and a prudent christian , one indeed from whom by gods blessing we may expect much good . concerning the indians i have seene and heard more this sommer then ever i did before , i have seene some indians crave a blessing before meate , and returne thankes after meate , pray morning and evening , some of them doe frequent our meetings , they come constantly eight or tenne miles every saturday , and the monday they returne home againe , while our exercise doth last , they doe attend diligently , but understand but little , but when that is done mr leverich and they doe put questions one to another , and mr leverich hath an indian , that speakes good english , and he is interpreter . there is a man that lives neere us , that comes from an island that is called martins vineyard , where is a minister that speakes good indian , he doth preach to them every weeke , he hath told me that that minister told him , that there are some of them indians , that are able to give a better reason of their faith , then some of the members of their church ; some of them will preach , and they have private meetings , and keepe very good orders . anthoney bessey . sandwich 22th september . 1651. the next letter we present thee withall good reader , is one from mr mayhew , whom god hath honoured with abundant successe in making his labours the instrumentall meanes to turne many of the heathen from their evill wayes to the lord our god . this he not onely wrote to mr john whitfield , who is a minister in winchester , but also to a member of our corporation , being the same narrative word for word for ought we discerne , wherein appeareth a mighty progresse in godlines since our last treatise published by mr henry whitfield upon his comming hither from new england . god not onely daily adding to their number such as in charity we conceive appertain to his election : but stirred them up ( being neere two hundred persons ) to enter into a more close way of the gospel , declaring themselves to be the worshippers of the everliving god . with many other things ministring much consolation to every christian heart , to see these very powwawes fall off from the worship of devills , and embrace the glad tydings of salvation . reverend and dearly beloved in christ jesus . sir , what you have done in the indian busines , and concerning my selfe in particular , doe give good testimony of your holy desires to further the worke of the lord amongst them . the good providence of god in bringing you unto us , and the free engaging of your selfe in this worke of the lord , and that upon the best ground , did fully perswade my heart of your faithfullnesse therein , and of an inward blessing from god upon us thereby ; although i should never have seene a returne in outward supplies , as now through mercy i have , as an acceptable and very helpfull fruit of christian goodnes and bounty , received from your selfe and christian friends , that the lord hath stirred up both to pray earnestly , and contribute freely for the promoting of the worke of the lord in my hand amongst the poore indians . sir , assure your selfe , and let all our beloved friends know , that what is done by you together in this behalfe , doth not onely strengthen my hands , and give me advantage to be more helpful to the indians , but also is a further encouragement unto my heart from the lord to doe to the utmost of my power in this service he hath called me unto , and wherein he hath afforded me his gracious presence unto this day ; and not onely in supporting me therein , but also in some remarkeable passages of his power and mercy amongst the indians , those miserable captives , something whereof your selfe have been an eye witnes unto ; and have already heard , yet now being further advantaged through the grace of god appearing with us , and knowing it will be acceptable to your selfe , and our dearely beloved christian friends , that long for and rejoyce in the gracious appearance of jesus christ in his kingly soveraigntie and power , where he hath not formerly been knowne , i shall by the helpe of god certifie you how the lord hath carried on his own worke with us since your departure from us . it pleased the lord who had drawne the indians from the pawwaws to worship himselfe , whereat the pawwaws were much discontented , yet now to perswade two of themselves to run after those that followed hard after god , desiring that they might goe with them in the wayes of that god whose name is jehovah ; and they came much convinced of their sinnes that they had lived in , and especially of their pawwawing , saying , i throw it from mee with hatred of it , being sorry that ever i medled with it . and now i have heard of jehovah , by his helpe i put it under my feete , and hope to trample it downe in the dust with the devill and pawwawnomas ( or imps ) i throw it into the fire , and burne it . thus they fully made knowne unto all both by word and gesture , and by more such like expressions they then used , not onely their indignation against it , but that they would never make use of it more . one of them did then discover the bottome of his witchcraft , confessing that at first he came to be a pawwaw by diabolicall dreames , wherein he saw the devill in the likenesse of foure living creatures ; one was like a man which he saw in the ayre , and this told him that he did know all things upon the island , and what was to be done ; and this he said had its residence over his whole body . another was like a crow , and did looke out sharply to discover mischiefes coming towards him , and had its residence in his head . the third was like to a pidgeon , and had its place in his breast , and was very cunning about any businesse . the fourth was like a serpent , very subtile to doe mischiefe , and also to doe great cures , and these he said were meere devills , and such as he had trusted to for safetie , and did labour to raise up for the accomplishment of any thing in his diabolicall craft , but now he saith , that he did desire that the lord would free him from them , and that he did repent in his heart , because of his sinne . the other said his conscience was much troubled for his sinne , and they both desired the lord would teach them his wayes , have mercy upon them , and pardon their sinnes , for jesus christ his sake : and truely it did give to us who were present a great occasion of praising the lord , to see those poore naked sonnes of adam , and slaves to the devill from their birth to come toward the lord as they did , with their joynts shaking , and their bowells trembling , their spirits troubled , and their voyces with much fervency , uttering words of sore displeasure against sin and satan , which they had imbraced from their childhood with so much delight , accounting it also now their sinne , that they had not the knowledge of god . secondly , that they had served the devill , the enemy both of god and man . thirdly , that they were so hurtfull in their lives , and were also thankfull that now through the blessing of god they had an opportunitie to be delivered out of that dangerous condition . the indians did all much rejoyce to see the pawwaws turne from their wicked wayes to serve the lord . not long after the pawwaws had forsaken their old way , on a lecture day after exercise diverse indians desired to become the servants of the lord , amongst whom was a pawwaw , called tequanonim , who was of great esteeme and very notorious ; for he as they said , and in their ignorance conceived , never did hurt to any , but alwayes good , endeavouring the good and preservation of the indians ; whereunto also he was accompted by them to be strongly provided . and as himselfe said he had been possessed from the crowne of the head to the soal of the foote with pawwawnomas , not onely in the shape of living creatures , as fowles , fishes , and creeping things , but brasse , iron , and stone . it was therefore the more to be acknowledged the worke of god , that he should forsake this way , his friends , his gaine , to follow the lord , whose wayes are so despisable in the eyes of devillish minded men . this pawwaw declaring by what meanes the lord tooke him off this devillish trade , said that he had heard some things from my father , who tooke occasion to discourse with him about the way of true happinesse , that he should never forget , blessed be god , his counsell had so good an effect , as i hope it hath on many others . it pleased the lord who will have all the gods of the earth to be terrible unto him ; for he meeting mumanequem in the wood by accident , told him that he was glad he had an opportunitie to speake his minde unto him , for he had many searchings of heart about his pawwawing , and did thinke it was not a good way , and that god was angry with him for it ; for said he my wife hath been a long time sicke , and the more i pawwaw for her , the sicker she is ; and this doth agree with an observation of the indians of this island , viz. that since the word of god hath been taught unto them in this place , the pawwaws have been much foyled in their devillish taskes , and that instead of curing have rather killed many ; but in a word the fruit of this and all other meanes was a publique manifestation of hatred to his former wayes , wondering he was yet alive who was so sinfull , and that he desired to be better , and to believe in christ , for whose sake onely , he did believe his sinnes could be pardoned , and that he did desire to heare the word of god . this man hereby hath made those of his own house to be his enemies ; his wife , his children , and most of his friends and kindred , who remaine obstinate still , whereby he meets with many troubles & temptations : one of his brethren being very sicke did earnestly desire that he would pawwaw for him , which he refused , his brother told him that he might keep it private , but he still refused , telling him that notwithstanding that , if he should answer his desire , he should breake his covenant , and sinne against god ; and therefore would not . there came pressing in at the same time about fiftie indians , desiring to joyne with the worshippers of god in his service . it would be too long for mee to set downe what every one said before they entred into covenant , onely this i may not omit , that all of them came confessing their sinnes , some in speciall the naughtinesse of their hearts , others in particular , actuall sinnes they had lived in : and also they all desired to be made better , and to attend unto the word of god , to that end looking onely to christ jesus for salvation . i observed also that they generally came in by families , bringing also their children with them , saying , i have brought my children too , i would have my children serve god with us , i desire that this son and this daughter may worship jehovah , and if they could but speake , their parents would have them say something , to shew their willingnesse to serve god : and when the commandements were repeated , they all acknowledged them to be good , and made choice of jehovah to be their god , promising by his helpe to walke according to his counsells : and when they were received by them that were before in this generall covenant , it was by lowde voyces giving thankes to god that they were met together in the wayes of jehovah : this is all before the end of the yeare 1650. and now through the mercy of god there are an hundred ninetie-nine men , women , and children , that have professed themselves to be worshippers of the great and everliving god . there are now two meetings kept every lords day , the one three miles , the other about eight miles off my house : hiacomes teacheth twice a day at the nearest , and mumanequem accordingly at the farthest , the last day of the weeke they come unto me to be informed touching the subject they are to handle : and the lord doth much assist them , blessed be the name of the lord . i have also undertaken to keepe by the helpe of god two lectures amongst them , which will be at each once a fortnight : and i hope it will be by the blessing of god very profitable unto them . this winter i intend , if the lord will , to set up a schoole to teach the indians to reade , viz. the children , and also any young men that are willing to learne , whereof they are very glad . i am also endeavouring their cohabitations with all convenient speed , that so they may be more helpfull one to another ; and also the better advantaged to carry on that worke they have set upon to gods glorie , and their owne comfort . and what i have written concerning the pawwawes , and the fiftie indians , that were admitted to those that worshipped god in one day : there were diverse english both eye and eare witnesses thereof , as well as my selfe , and wee could not but acknowledge much of the lords power and goodnesse to be visible amongst them , who without being driven by power , or allured by gifts , were so strongly carried against those wayes they so much loved , to love the way that nature hates . let us therefore magnifie the lord , who alone doth this , and seeke unto him to doe more and more still , that so one generation may praise his works to another , and that so both wee and them may abundantly utter the memory of his great goodnesse and power , in that new song , revelations 5. 9. untill that wee all meete together in heaven , and sing glorious praises unto him that sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lambe for ever and ever . in whom i heartily recommend you unto god , desiring to be recommended by you , and in him to rest . yours to be commended in and for the lord jesus . thomas mayhew . from the vineyard this 16th of october . 1651. the next letter you meete withall came from the present governour of the massachusets , directed to the president of our corporation ; and another of the members thereof , which we thought good to publish , that every christian reader may partake in the same consolation , wherewith he and we are comforted ; and joyne with us in prayer to the lord of the harvest , that he would provide more labourers to enter upon this soule-saving worke , and enlarge the hearts of all his people in this nation towards the same . much honoured and beloved in the lord jesus . i esteeme it not the least of gods mercies that hath stirred up the hearts of any of the people of god to be instrumentall in the inlarging of the kingdome of his deare sonne here amongst the heathen indians , which was one end of our comming hither , and it is not frustrated . it was prophesied of old , and now begins to be accomplished , psal. 2. 8. neither can i but acknowledge the unspeakeable goodnesse of god that gives us favour in the sight of our countrymen to helpe on with so large a hand of bountie , so glorious a worke , provoked thereunto by your worthy selves , the chiefe actors of so good a designe , let mee ( with leave ) say confidently , you will never have cause to repent it ; for the worke is gods , and he doth own it , the labour there hath been yours , and your master will reward it . i thinke religion and conscience binde mee to seeke unto god for you , and to praise him with you , for what is alreadie begun . the foundation is layd , and such a one that i verily believe the gates of hell shall never prevaile against . i doubt not but the building will goe on apace , which i hope will make glad the hearts of thousands . truely gentlemen , had you been eare and eye-witnesses of what i heard and saw on a lecture-day amongst them about three weekes since , you could not but be affected therewith as i was . to speake truely i could hardly refraine teares for very joy to see their diligent attention to the word first taught by one of the indians , who before his exercise prayed for the manner devoutly and reverently ( the matter i did not so well understand ) but it was with such reverence , zeale , good affection , and distinct utterance , that i could not but admire it ; his prayer was about a quarter of an houre or more , as wee judged it ; then he tooke his text , and mr eliot their teacher tould us that were english the place , ( there were some ministers and diverse other godly men there that attended mee thither ) his text was in matthew 13. 44 , 45 , 46. he continued in his exercise full halfe an houre or more as i judged it , his gravitie and utterance was indeed very commendable , which being done mr eliot taught in the indian tongue about three quarters of an houre as neere as i could guesse ; the indians , which were in number men & women neere about one hundred , seemed the most of them so to attend him ( the men especially ) as if they would loose nothing of what was taught them , which reflected much upon some of our english hearers . after all there was a psalme sung in the indian tongue , and indian meeter , but to an english tune , read by one of themselves , that the rest might follow , and he read it very distinctly without missing a word as we could judge , and the rest sang chearefully , and prettie tuneablie . i rid on purpose thither being distant from my dwelling about thirty-eight or fortie miles , and truely i account it one of the best journeys i made these many yeares . some few dayes after i desired mr eliot briefely to write mee the substance of the indians exercise , which when he went thither againe , namely , to naticke , where the indians dwell , and where the indian taught , he read what he remembred of it first to their schoole-master , who is an indian and teacheth them and their children to write , and i saw him write also in english , who doth it true and very legible , and asked him if it were right and he said yea , also he read it unto others , and to the man himselfe , who also owned it . to tell you of their industry and ingenuitie in building of an house after the english manner , the hewing and squaring of their tymber , the sawing of the boards themselves , and making of a chimney in it , making of their groundsells and wall-plates , and mortising , and letting in the studds into them artificially , there being but one english-man a carpenter to shew them , being but two dayes with them , is remarkeable . they have also built a fort there with halfe trees cleft about eight or ten inches over , about ten or twelve foote high , besides what is intrencht in the ground , which is above a quarter of an acre of ground , as i judge . they have also built a foote bridge over charles river , with groundsells and spurres to uphold it against the strength of the flood and ice in the winter ; it stood firme last winter , and i thinke it will stand many winters . they have made drummes of their owne with heads and brases very neatly and artificially , all which shewes they are industrious and ingenuous . and they intend to build a water-mill the next sommer , as i was tould when i was with them . some of them have learnt to mow grasse very well . i shall no further trouble you with any more relation at this time concerning them . but a word or two further with your patience concerning other indians . the worke of god amongst the indians at martins vineyard , is very hopefull and prosperous also . i mist of mr mayhew their teacher , who was lately at boston , and therefore cannot give you a particular account thereof at this present time ; yet i cannot but acquaint you what other motions there are touching other indians . there came to us upon the 20th of this instant moneth , at the generall court one pummakummin sachem of qunnubbágge , dwelling amongst or neere to the narragansets , who offered himselfe and his men to worship god , and desired that some english may be sent from the massachusets government to plant his river , that thereby he may be partaker of government , and may be instructed by the english to know god . wee shall i hope take some care and course about it , and i hope wee shall have more helpe to carry on that worke also ; for there are some schollers amongst us who addict themselves to the study of the indian tongue . the lord in mercy recompence it into your bosomes , all that labour of love vouchsafed to the poore indians , which are the hearty prayers and earnest desire of ; much honoured . your loving friend in all service of christ , john endecott . boston the 27th of the eight . 1651. the next thing we present the reader withall is a private passage from one in new england to his godly friend here , who was so much affected therewith , as he found out our treasurer of the corporation , by name mr richard floyd at the meremaide in cheapside , and desired it might be published to the world amongst other things , when we should publish and print what we received of like nature . and how ever it is but briefe in it selfe , yet full of sweetnesse and plainnes of spirit which we offer to thy view . the best news i can write you from new england is , the lord is indeed converting the indians , and for the refreshing of your heart , and the hearts of all the godly with you . i have sent you the relation of one indian of two yeares profession , that i tooke from his owne mouth , by an interpreter , because he cannot speake or understand one word of english . the first question was ; q. how did you come first to any sight of sinne ? a. his answer was , before the lord did ever bring any english to us , my conscience was exceedingly troubled for sinne , but after mr mahew came to preach , and had been here some time , one chiefe sagamore did imbrace the gospel , and i hearing of him , i went to him , and prayed him to speake something to mee concerning god , and the more i did see of god , the more i did see my sinne , and i went away rejoycing , that i knew any thing of god , and also that i saw my sinne . q. i pray what hurt doe you see in sinne ? a. sinne , sayth he , is a continuall sicknesse in my heart . q. what further evill doe you see in sinne ? a. i see it to be a breach of all gods commandements . q. doe you see any punishment due to man for sinne ? a. yea , sayth he , i see a righteous punishment from god due to man for sinne , which shall be by the devills in a place like unto fire ( not that i speake of materiall fire , ( sayth he ) where man shall be for ever dying and never dye . q. have you any hope to escape this punishment ? a. while i went on in the way of indianisme i had no hope , but did verily believe i should goe to that place , but now i have a little hope , and hope i shall have more . q. by what meanes doe you look for any hope ? a. sayth he , by the satisfaction of christ . i prayed the interpreter , to tell him from mee that i would have him thinke much of the satisfaction of christ , ( and so he told him ) i prayed him to returne mee his answer . a. i thanke him kindly for his good counsell , it doth my heart good , sayd he , to heare any man speak of christ . q. what would you thinke if the lord should save you from misery ? a. if the lord , said he , would save me from all the sinne that is in my heart , and from that misery , i should exceedingly love god , and sayth he , i should love a man that should doe mee any good , much more the lord , if he should doe this for mee . q. doe you thinke that god will doe you any good for any good that is in you ? a. though i beleeve that god loves man that leaves his sinne , yet i beleeve it is for christs sake . q. doe you see that at any time god doth answer your prayers ? a. yea , sayth he , i take every thing as an answer of prayer . q. but what speciall answer , have you taken notice of ? a. once my wife being three dayes and three nights in labour , i was resolved never to leave praying , till she had deliverance , and at last god did it , and gave her a sonne , and i called his name returning , because all the while i went on in indianisme i was going from god , but now the lord hath brought mee to him backe againe . by this time captaine gooking came to us , and he asked him this questions : q. what he would thinke if he should finde more affliction and trouble in gods wayes , then he did in the way of indianisme . a. his answer was , when the lord did first turne mee to himselfe and his wayes , he stripped mee as bare as my skinne , and if the lord should strip mee as bare as my skinne againe , and so big saggamore should come to mee , and say , i will give you so big wampom , so big beaver , and leave this way , and turne to us againe : i would say , take your riches to your selfe , i would never forsake god and his wayes againe . this is a relation taken by my selfe , william french . the last letter we offer to the readers view , is a letter directed to one of our selves from mr thomas allen , who came lately from new england , and is now setled in the ministery at norwitch in norfolke , wherein he beareth witnes to the reallitie and truth of this worke of the lord in new england begun upon the indians , against all such that raise up false reports against the same , or such as labour to weaken the same , by lessening the number of such as are wrought upon by the power of the gospel preached to them . honored sir ; it seemes that some of late have been so impudently bold ( which i cannot sufficiently wonder at ) as to report and publiquely affirme , that there was no such thing as the preaching and dispersing of the gospel amongst the natives in new england : verily sir , i doe beleeve that the devill himselfe ( who is the father of lyes ) would not , yea durst not have uttered such a notorious untruth as that was . now although i confesse i have not been present at the places where the indians are wont to meete , to heare such as doe preach unto them , by reason of my bodily weaknes , and indisposition to travell so farre into the wildernesse , yet thus much i can testifie ( if my testimony may be of any use ) being lately come over from new-england ; that there are divers persons in severall places , who doe take paines , and labour in that worke there , viz. not onely mr eliot of roxbury , who hath preached among them for many yeares up & downe in the jurisdiction of the massachusets ; and mr mahew , who for a good while hath taken paines amongst the indians at an island called martins vineyard ; but of late also mr leveridge in the jurisdiction of plymouth , and mr blynman , who lives now in a new plantation in the pequotts countrey . as for the successe of the preaching of the gospel unto the natives , i have heard mr eliot affirme , that he is so well perswaded of the worke of grace in some of them , as that he could comfortably joyne in church-fellowship with them : mr mahew also ( who came to see mee a little before my coming from thence ) told me that after mr whitfeilds coming thence ( for he had been upon that island , as he came to the bay , and was present also with mr mahew amongst the indians ) there were neer upon one hundred ( i think he said ninety and odd ) persons of them more who came in to heare him preach unto them , and some pawaws also , and one of some eminency amongst them , who did acknowledge his evill in such doings , and made a declaration of the manner how he came at the first to be a pawaw , the which also mr mahew did relate unto mee . sir , that there is such a work in hand in new-england as the preaching of the gospel unto the natives there , all the magistrates and ministers and people in that place ( who know any thing ) will be readie to attest , and therefore such as dare affirme the contrary , may as well say , that the sunne doth not shine at noone day , when the skie is cleere , and doe indeed deserve a publique witnesse to be borne against them , for such a publique , and so notorious an untruth ; the good lord humble them deeply for it , if it be his good will , and pardon it to them through his grace in christ . thus sir , not having further at this present to be troublesome unto you , desiring an interest in your earnest prayers for mee , beseeching the lord to let his presence and blessing be with you , and upon your great and weighty businesses , i take leave , resting your humble servant in the lord , thomas allen . norwich 8d . 11m . 1651. the corporation to the reader . thus having presented thee christian reader with a view of those things that god hath brought to our hands , which we of the corporation conceive our selves bound in duty to publish to the world , looking upon it as one meanes to advance the work in the hearts of gods people , and to stirre them up thereby to contribute more freely towards the carrying on the same : the reason wherefore we have published so many testimonialls , and shall insert more , is because too many that come from thence labour to blast the worke , by reporting here that there is no such worke a foote in the countrey : or if it be it is but for the loaves , & if any be truely converted , 't is not above five or seaven at most ? these things as they are very grievous to us to heare , so we take god to witnes , that as we are in sincerity exercised in a great deale of care and travell to carry on the worke : so we publish to the world no more then what we have received , and beleeve to be really true . and if these testimonies related in the foregoing discourse , be not sufficient to satisfie any still doubting spirit , there are some eminent gentlemen come from thence , who are ready to resolve them in the truth hereof , as mr edward hopkins , late governour of conectacutt , mr francis willowby , ( and others ) a late magistrate of the massachusets . besides if any shall repaire to coopers hall , we shall be willing to shew them the originall copies we have received , which we have transcribed for the presse : the time for any to repaire thither is saturday every weeke between the houres of ten and twelve in the morning , where our corporation sit , and where we shall gladly take paines to satisfie the doubts of any : and thinke nothing too much wherein we may be serviceable to the lord jesus in a worke having so much tendency to his glory in the propagation of his kingdome . signed in the name and by the appointment of the said corporation by william steele esquire , president . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a96422e-320 arma diaboli gentes erant ; fide autem gerrium vulneratus , caput quo● habebat , amist amb. in psal 118. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . cor. 16. 9. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . tim. 2. 25. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . nazian. brightman in cant. 8. 8. mede in apoc cap. 7. p. 56. the light appearing more and more towards the perfect day. or, a farther discovery of the present state of the indians in new-england, concerning the progresse of the gospel amongst them. manifested by letters from such as preacht to them there. / published by henry whitfeld, late pastor to the chuch [sic] of christ at gilford in new-england, who came late thence. whitfield, henry, 1597-1660? this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a96415 of text r206427 in the english short title catalog (thomason e624_3). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 130 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 27 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a96415 wing w1999 thomason e624_3 estc r206427 99865588 99865588 117834 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a96415) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 117834) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 96:e624[3]) the light appearing more and more towards the perfect day. or, a farther discovery of the present state of the indians in new-england, concerning the progresse of the gospel amongst them. manifested by letters from such as preacht to them there. / published by henry whitfeld, late pastor to the chuch [sic] of christ at gilford in new-england, who came late thence. whitfield, henry, 1597-1660? mayhew, thomas, fl. 1651. eliot, john, 1604-1690. [8], 46, [2] p. printed by t.r. & e.m. for john bartlet, and are to be sold at the gilt cup neer st. austins gate in pauls church-yard, london : 1651. contains letters by thomas mayhew and john eliot. with an initial leaf which begins "the lord, who is wonderful in councel, .. ", signed: joseph caryl. the final leaf is blank. another issue (wing w1999a) has "church" in title spelled correctly. a variant has "h. whitfeld" on the title page. annotation on thomason copy: "feb: 18. 1650". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng indians of north america -massachusetts -early works to 1800. massachuset indians -missions -early works to 1800. wampanoag indians -missions -early works to 1800. a96415 r206427 (thomason e624_3). civilwar no the light appearing more and more towards the perfect day. or, a farther discovery of the present state of the indians in new-england, conce whitfield, henry 1651 24875 23 0 0 0 0 0 9 b the rate of 9 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2009-01 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2009-01 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the lord , who is wonderful in councel , and excellent in working , hath so wrought , that the scorching of some of his people with the sun of persecution , hath been the enlightning of those who were not his people , with the sun of righteousnesse . this present narrative gives testimony , that our dear brethren who with-draw from the heat of trouble in old england , have been used as instruments in the lords hand to draw som ( i might say many ) of the poor heathens to behold and rejoyce in the light of the everlasting gospel in new-england . surely 't is cause of greater glorying that any of those heathens have found the way of life and salvation among our brethren , then that our brethren have found place and safety ( yea , then though they should finde the richest merchandize of gold and silver ) among those heathens . and how much doth it become christians to let heathens see that they seek them more then theirs ; that the gaining of them to christ is more in their eye , then any worldly gain . joseph caryl . the light appearing more and more towards the perfect day . or , a farther discovery of the present state of the indians in new-england , concerning the progresse of the gospel amongst them . manifested by letters from such as preacht to them there . published by henry whitfeld , late pastor to the chuch of christ at gilford in new-england , who came late thence . zeph. 2. 11. the lord will famish all the gods of the earth , and men shall worship him , every one from his place , even all the iles of the heathen . london , printed by t. r. & e. m. for john bartlet , and are to be sold at the gilt cup , neer st. austins gate in pauls church-yard . 1651. to the right honorable the parliament of england and the councel of state . right honorable , how abundantly the lord hath enlarged the hearts , and raised the resolutions of this present parliament to serve him , the many good things , and great things done by you , sufficiently witnesse , and will be acknowledged , at least in another generation . it is not the smallest in the eyes of those that look up to god for you , both in old england and new , that you have so readily contributed your power , upon the first notice of the manifestation of gods gracious work upon the indians , by an act published by you , for promoving the same . in order whereunto i crave leave in all humility to represent ( having lived some yeers in the countrey , and lately came thence ) how happily the lord carrieth on his work there , which i have done in this small treatise following . and for your more full satisfaction , give leave to remove such false surmises and aspersions , suggested on purpose to retaed the work . some are heard to question the affections of new-england towards the parliaament , and present state ; to which i must answer , that the magistrates , ministers , and generally the people of new-england , so farre as i know or have observed , or can learn , have been faithful and cordial to the parliament from the first , and do own this present government , and common-wealth , giving in this as a reall argument , in being your honours remembrancers at the throne of grace , both praying to god for you in your straits , and praising god for the enlargment of his good hand upon you . others endeavour more directly to prejudice the work , by suggesting that the charity of the wel-affected hath been abused , in that there is no such work , or that there is a greater noise made of it in the world then there is cause ; to this i can safely answer , that there hath been , i beleeve in no mans observation , greater faithfulnesse found in any businesse , both for truth of relation in what hath passed , or disposing what hath been contributed ; the persons that are concerned in it , whether they be the corporation established by you , or that have the managing of it in new-england , being persons of known integrity , and much honoured of all that know them , in this very respect ; most of these accounts i have seen , both what monies have been received and disbursed , both what , how , and to whom . these also are ready to give your honours satisfaction about this , if need require , and it will be an ease , and an honour to them to be called to such an account . and now the way being thus cleared , i proceed to make it my humble request to your honours , that you would be pleased to accept of this my humble acknowledgment , and thankful remembrance of what you have already done ; and that it would not be troublesome to you to be intreated , and stirred up by my meannesse , to proceed in the continuance of your favour , as to the whole country , so especially towards this work , that your hands may be still held up to the farther advance , and perfecting these happy beginnings . and as you have given it feet , so you would give it wings , that it may get above al difficulties , which may be cast in the way . truly the work is honorable , and worthy your care , and inmost affections , and to be laid in your bosomes , that it may feel the warmth and influence of your favour , and best respects , it tending so much to the good of the souls of these poor wild creatures , multitudes of them being under the power of satan , and going up and downe with the chains of darknesse ratling at their heels . this i may also say for your honours encouragement , there is farre greater cause of promoting this work then formerly , there being more persons , and places which have received the gospel amonst them . our lord christ and his truth gets ground , and the devil ioseth , they daily break from him , and renounce him , and all his cursed works of darknesse , as you will find in this following narrative . and lastly , let me adde but this , the lord hath given the uttermost ends of the earth to jesus christ for his inheritance , let therefore your hands go on ( noble worthies ) to help him in taking the possession of his own , who hath kept you in yours with an out-stretched arme . but i shall be no farther troublesome to your honours ; the most wise and strong god , for christs sake , strengthen your hearts and hands , sit amongst you in your daily assemblings , and help you to guide the ship of this common-wealth , under your care , in these tossing and troublesome times , that there may be peace and safety found for such as are quiet in the land ▪ and let me have the favour to be looked upon by you , as your honours to serve you in the things of jesus christ , henry whitfeld . christian reader . i have adventured to put this smal treatise in thy hand , and to give some account of the publishing of it , conceiving it a means to advance that common comfort , which all good christians do share in with the angels of heaven , about the conversion of sinners to god . this will appear by shewing there is a doore of hope opened for the poore indians , of whom it may be thou hast not yet heard ; i thought also by relating the truth of things , as they stand at present , concerning the indians you have heard of , and gods dealing with them , i might undeceive such as are either apt , or do beleeve , that things reported of them are but a fable , and a device or engine used by some to cheat good people of their money , and so discourage them from yeelding any help towards this great work . the lord forgive them this great sinne , that have raised these evill reports . vnderstand therefore ( good reader ) that my selfe intending ( by gods help ) my returne into my native countrey ; it pleased the lord by his providence , before we could come to the place where we were to take ship for england , that , by reason of contrary winds , we were faine to put in at an iland called martins vineyard , which is the most southerly iland that lies in that tract of land called new england , where there is a small plantation , and a church gathered , where we stayed about ten dayes , in which time i had the more leasure and opportunity to informe my selfe of the state of the indians there ; having heard formerly that divers of them began to taste the knowledge of christ : for this end i had recourse to mr. mahu , who is the pastor of the church , and having attained a good understanding in the indian tongue , and can speak it well , hath laid the first foundation of the knowledge of christ amongst the indians there by preaching unto them ; who gave me full information of what i desired ▪ i had also speech with some of the indians ( mr. mahu being my interpreter . ) above the rest my desire was to speak with the indian who now preacheth unto them every lords day twice , whose name is hiacoomes , who seemed to me to be a man of a prompt understanding , of a sober and moderate spirit , and a man well reported of for his conversation both by the english and indians . i thought him to be about 30 yeers of age ; with this man i had often speech , and i asked him divers questions about christian religion , and about his own estate before god . i remember once i asked him these questions . 1. whether he had found sorrow for sin , as sin . 2. whether he had sorrowed for his sins as they had pierced christ . 3. whether he had found the spirit of god as an inward comforter to him ; vnto all which he gave me a very good satisfactory and christian answer . after this i had the opportunity to go to a private meeting of the indians ( of which you shall understand more in the letter following ) with mr. mahu , where having spent three or foure houres in questions and answers , which passed too and fro between the indians and my self ; at our parting i desired that one of them would desire a blessing upon what they had heard for their edification , which was accordingly done ; for they chose out a young man who prayed a quarter of an houre , and somewhat more , with great reverence and affection , as farre as i could judge by his voyce and outward deportment : master mahu also told me that he had many pertinent and significant expressions in his prayer ; so that god hath poured on some of them the gift , and i hope the spirit of prayer . the next day we rode to the indian lecture , where mr. mahu preached and catechised their children , who answered readily and modestly in the principles of religion ; some of them answered in the english some in the indian tongue . thus having seen a short model of his way , and of the paines he took , i made some enquiry about mr. mahu himself , and about his subsistance , because i saw but small and slender appearance of outward conveniences of life , in any comfortable way ; the man himself was modest , and i could get but little from him ; but after , i understood from others how short things went with him , and how he was many times forced to labour with his own hands , having a wife and three small children which depended upon him , to provide necessaries for them ; having not halfe so much yeerly coming in , in a setled way , as an ordinary labourer gets there amongst them . yet he is chearfull amidst these straits , and none hear him to complain . the truth is , he will not leave the work , in which his heart is engaged ; for upon my knowledge , if he would have left the work , and imployed himself otherwhere , he might have had a more competent and comfortable maintenance . i mention this the rather , because i have some hope , that some pious minde , that reads this , might be inwardly moved to consider his condition , and come to his succor for his encouragement in this great work . at my parting from this iland i desired mr. mahu that he would take the pains to write me the story of gods dealing with the indians , from the first time of their coming thither , to this present time ; which he accordingly did , and i received before my going out of the countrey ; which letter of his to me , finding many remarkable passages in it , i thought fit to publish it , that the lord might have the glory of his free grace , in regard of these poor heathens who seeme to be the dregs and refuse of adams lost posterity ; and to put an edge upon the prayers and prayses of gods people , the fruit of which will returne into their owne bosomes . and if there be a right set of spirit in you , you will blesse god for such as present such kinde of matter to you , and do put an opportunity into your hands , whereby you may any way be instrumental to promote the kingdome of our lord christ . the letter written with his own hand followeth . sir , you being by especial providence of god , brought amongst us , and while you were here looking into the present mercy of god that these indians were blessed with , you found an occasion farther to enquire what the former dispensations of god have beene to bring them hitherto . now assuring my self that it is from your desire that the lord may be glorified in the salvation of these poor indian souls , i shall , by the assistance of god , declare the truth , and that which shall , by his grace , administer also a ground of prayer to be put unto the god of all blessings in jesus christ for us ; and i hope , unto any , whom the lord shall call to the like service , a blessed experience of the lords workings , turning all things , yea seeming hinderances , to the furtherance of the work of grace amongst them . now for your satisfaction you may please to know that this work amongst the indians had its first rise and beginning in the yeere 1643. when the lord stirred up the heart of an indian , who then lived neer to the english plantation , whose name is hiacoomes , a man of a sad & a sober spirit , unto whose wi●wam or house some of the english repairing , & speaking to him about the way of the english , he came to visit our habitations and publike meetings , thinking that there might be better wayes and means amongst the english , for the attaining of the blessings of health and life , then could be found amongst themselvs : yet not without some thoughts and hopes of a higher good he might possibly gain thereby , at which time i took notice of him , and had oft discourse with him , inviting him to my house every lords day at night . about this time it so fell out , that this indian went with some english men to a little iland , where meeting a surly sagamore whose name was pake ponesso , who reproached him for his fellowship with the english , both in their civil and religious wayes , railing at him for his being obedient to them : hiacoomes replyed that he was gladly obedient to the english , neither was it for the indians hurt he did so ; upon which the sagamore gave him a great blow on the face with his hand ; but there being some english men present , they would not suffer the sagamore to strike him again . the poor indian thus wronged , made this use of it , and said , i had one hand for injures , and the other for god , while i did receive wrong with the one , the other laid the greater hold on god . there was a very strange disease this yeare amongst the indians , they did run up and down till they could run no longer , they made their faces as black as a coale , snatched up any weapon , spake great words , but did no hurt ; i have seen many of them in this case . the indians having many calamities fallen upon them , they laid the cause of all their wants , sicknesses , and death , upon their departing from their old heathenish ways , only this man held out , and continued his care about the things of god : and being desirous to read , the english gave him a primer , which he stil carries about with him . year 1644 now whilst hiacoomes was feeling after god , he met with another tryall ; for going into an indian house where there were many indians , they scoffed at him with great laughter , saying , here comes the english man , who by their noyse awaked his old enemy pakeponesso , who was asleep , who joyning with the other indians , told him , i wonder ( said he ) that you that are a young man , having a wife and two children , should love the english and their wayes , and forsake the pawwawes ; what would you do if any of you should be sick ? whither would you go for help ? i say , if i were in your case there should nothing draw me from our gods and pawwawes . at this time he replyed nothing , but told a friend of his that he then thought in his heart that the god in heaven did know and heare all the evill words that pakeponesso spake . thus the changing of his way caused much hatred to him , neither was there so much as the least appearance of any outward argument amongst us , that might weigh against it . after this there fell a great judgment of god on this sagamore ; for in the night when he and his company were in the * wigwam , it beginning to raine , he and a young man stood up upon the floor of planks which lay about two foot from the ground , to put a matt over the chimnie , there came a great flash of lightning , and after it thunder not very loud , yet full of the vengeance of god , which killed the young man out-right , and strook pakeponesso down dead for a long time , and he fell off from the floore of planks along upon the ground with one legge in the fire , and being much burned , it was took out by some that lay in the other side of the indian house . now hiacoomes as himself saith ) did remember his former thoughts of god , and then thought god did answer him , and that he was brought more to rejoyce in god , and rest more upon him . year 1645 now in these times , as i did endeavour the good of these heathens by discourse with diverse of them , so in particular with hiacoomes , who did communicate that knowledge he had amongst those he could ; for some of them could not endure the light he brought ; some were more attentive to hear , and more ready to follow the truth , yet they did not well behold the majesty of the lord by these personal particular works ; at last the lord sent an universal sicknes , and it was observed by the indians , that they that did but give the hearing of good counsel , did not taste so deeply of it , but hiacoomes and his family in a manner not at all . year 1646 this put the indians who dwell about six miles from us , upon serious consideration of the thing , being much affected , that he which had exposed himself to such reproaches and troubles , should receive more blessings then themselves ; hereupon they sent a messenger to hiacoomes , who was with him about the break of day , and delivering his message , told him that he was come to pray him to go presently to myoxeo the chief man of that place , and he should have a reward for his labour ; for the indians were very desirous to know from him all things that he knew , and did , in the wayes of god ; so he being glad of the opportunity , went with the messenger , and when he came , there were many indians gathered together , amongst which was towanquatick the sagamore ▪ then after many requests ( the general whereof was this , that he would shew his heart unto them , how it stood towards god , and what they must do ) he shewed unto them all things he knew concerning god the father , sonne and holy ghost ; myoxeo asking him how many gods the english did worship , he answered one god , whereupon myoxeo reckoned up about 37. principal gods he had , and shall i ( said he ) throw away these 37. gods for one ? hiacoomes replyed , what do you think of your self ? i have throwne away all these , and a great many more some yeers ago , yet am preserved as you see this day ; you speak true said myoxeo ; therefore i will throw away all my gods too , and serve that one god with you . hiacoomes told them all , he did fear this great god only , and also in a speciall manner that the son of god did suffer death to satisfie the wrath of god his father , for all those that did trust in him , and forsake their sinnes , and that the spirit of god did work these things in the hearts of men , and that himself did feare this great god only , was sorry for his sinnes , desiring to be redeemed by iesus christ , and to walk in gods commandments ; this , with many truths more he shewed unto them , as adams transgression , and the misery of the world by it , and did conclude , that if they had such hearts as he , they should have the same mercies . he reckoned up to them many of their sins , as having many gods , going to pawwawes ; and hiacoomes told me himself , that this was the first time that ever he saw the indians sensible of their sins ; formerly they did but hear it as a new thing , but not so nearly concerning them , for they were exceeding thankful , saying , also now we have seen our sins . thus it pleased the lord to give both light and courage to this poore indian ; for although formerly he had been a harmlesse man amongst them , yet , as themselves say , not at all accounted of , and therefore they often wondered that he which had nothing to say in all their meetings formerly , is now become the teacher of them all ; i must needs give him this testimony , after some yeers experience of him , that he is a man of a sober spirit , and good conversation , and as he hath , as i hope , received the lord jesus christ in truth , so also i look upon him to be faithful , diligent , and constant in the work of the lord , for the good of his own soul and his neighbours with him . now , after these things it pleased god to move the heart of towanquatick , encouraged by some others amongst them , to desire me to preach unto them . at my coming , this man spake thus unto me ; that a long time agon they had wise men , which in a grave manner taught the people knowledge ; but they are dead , and their wisdome is buried with them , and now men live a giddy life , in ignorance , till they are white headed , and though ripe in yeeres , yet then they go without wisdome to their graves . he told me that he wondered the english should be almost thirty yeers in the country and the indians fools still ; but he hoped the time of knowledge was now come ; wherefore himself with others desired me to give them an indian meeting , to make known the word of god to them in their own tongue ; and when he came to me to accomplish his desire thereabout , he told me that i should be to them as one that stands by a running river filling many vessels , even so should i fill them with everlasting knowledge ; so i undertook to give them a meeting once a moneth ; but as soone as the first exercise was ended , they desired it oftner then i could well attend it , but once in a fortnight in our setled course . he hath also since told me the reason why he desired me to preach to them , as that he was greatly desirous to have the indians grow more in goodnesse , to have their posterity inherit blessings when he was dead ; and himself was desirous to put the word of god to his heart , to repent , and throw away his sins , and to be better , and after he was dead , to inherit a life in heaven . now there be three things in this beginning that were greatly inquired into . 1. earthly riches , what they should get . 2. what approbation they should get from other sagamores and governors . 3. how they should come off from the pawwawes ; but in neither of these could they finde that which might give motion to a carnal minde ; for the first kept off many , i have had much discourse with several of them about it , wherein they have strongly stood for their own meetings , wayes and customes , being in their account more profitable then ours , wherein they meet with nothing but talking and praying . the second also remaines an obstacle , the sagamores generally are against the way . the third is the strongest cord that binds them to their own way , for the pawwawes by their witchcraft keep them in feare , many of the indians got over the two first difficulties , and in some measure the third ; now there were about twelve which came to the meeting as it were halting between two opinions , others came to hear and see what was done , for although they had heard and seen something of the one god of heaven , yet such was their unspeakable darknesse , their captivity in sin , and bondage to the pawwawes , that they hardly durst for feare take the best way , for though a few of them were better enlightned , yet the heathen round about stuck fast in their old brutishnesse . year 1647 we had not long continued the meeting , but the sagamore towanquatick met with a sad tryal , for he being at a weare where some indians were a fishing , where also was an english man , as he lay along upon a matt on the ground asleep , by a little light fire , the night being very dark , an indian came down , as being ready fitted for the purpose , and being about six or eight paces from him , let flie a broad headed arrow , purposing by all probability to drench the deadly arrow in his heart blood , but the lord prevented it ; for notwithstanding all the advantages he had , instead of the heart he hit the eye-brow , which like a brow of steele turned the point of the arrow , which ▪ glancing away , slit the top of his nose to the bottome . a great stirre there was presently , the sagamore sate up , and bled much , but was not much hurt through the mercy of god ; the darknesse of the night hid the murtherer , and he is not discovered to this day . the next morning i went to see the sagamore , and i found him praising god for his great deliverance , both himself and all the indians , wondering that he was yet alive . the cause of his being shot , as the indians said , was for his walking with the english ; and it is also conceived , both by them and us , that his forwardnesse for the meeting was one thing , which ( with the experience i have had of him since ) gives me matter of strong perswasion that he beares in his brow the markes of the lord jesus . after this , through the mercy of god , we proceeded on with the meeting , to the rejoycing of some indians , and the envie of the rest , who derided and scoffed at those that did follow the lecture , and in their way of wickednesse blaspheming the name of god , which damped the spirits of some of them for a time in the wayes of god , and hindering others from looking thitherward , but the lord gave courage and constancy to some of them , especially to hiacoomes and towanquatick who was hurt with the arrow , who were not ashamed of the way of god . year 1648 and hereupon they made farther progresse in the way of god , for without any knowledge thereof , they appointed a meeting , and there came some younger men , and brought with them the ancient men of their kindred and acquaintance to speak for them , whereof the very old man that your self saw and heard at the meeting , was one , who began the meeting with a relation of the old customes of the ancient heathen , preferring them before those wayes of their own they were now in , yet acknowledging they were farre inferior to those wayes of god they had now begun : then twelve of the young men went and took sacochanimo by the hand one by one and told him that they did love him , and would go with him in gods way , and some of them made a long speech to him to this purpose ; and the old men encouraged them in their way , & desired them never to forget those promises they had now made ; then one of the young men told me the ground of their meeting , viz. they were sorry to see that the meeting did go on no more strongly , and that there were no more at it , and that they were desirous to strengthen themselves in the way of god , to have good hearts , and one heart , and to walk together in love in the wayes of god . so after they had eaten together the victuals of their own providing , and we had sung part of a psalme in their own language , and i had prayed with them , they returned with the manifestation of much joy and thankfulnesse ; and this i can say , they are generally constant in the way of god , and i have great hopes of some of them , blessed be his name . year 1649 after this it pleased the lord to stirre up the hearts of the indians to appoint another meeting , and many indians being met , they fell to a great discourse about the pawwawes power to kill men , and there were many stories told of the great hurt they had done by their witchcraft many wayes ( here you must know , that though the indians many of them were brought by the knowledge they had of god , to renounce the pawwawes help in time of sicknesse or otherwise , yet they found it hard to get from under the yoake of cruelty that they and their forefathers had so long groaned under ; for i know some , that then groaned under it , acknowledged they did see that in god which would free them from it , if they had but confidence to trust in him . then the question was asked , who is there that doth not fear the pawwawes ? answer was made by some who favoured them , there is not any man which is not afraid of the pawwawes ; then looking upon hiacoomes , who was one that protested most against them , told him that the pawwawes could kill him ; he answered they could not ; they asked him againe , why ? he told them , because he did beleeve in god and trust in him , and that therfore all the pawwaws could not do him any hurt ; then they all wondered exceedingly when he spake thus so openly . then divers of them said one by one , though before i was afraid of the pawwawes , yet now , because i hear hiacoomes his words , i do not fear them , but beleeve in god too . then the meeting at this time was carried on , and hiacoomes is desired by the indians to reckon up their sins unto them ; he presently found 45. or 50. and as many good duties ; his work was very well liked , and in the conclusion twenty two indians were found to resolve against those evils , and to walk with god , and attend the word of god . year 1650 but i may not here forget an indian called hummanequem , who exceeded all the rest , to the wonderment of the indians ; he with much sorrow , hatred , and courage , related about twenty of his own sins , and professed to follow the one god against all opposition ; he told them he was brought into this condition by hiacoomes his counsel from the word of god , which at first he said he liked not , afterwayes laid it by him as a thing to be considered , not knowing well what to do ; at last , looking over things again , he came to this resolution which you have now heard ; i confesse this action makes me think he spake more then from a natural principle , considering that the man hath been since an earnest seeker of more light both publike and private ; as also for refusing the help of a pawwaw which lives within a bow shoot of his doore , when his wife was three dayes in travel , and waited patiently upon god , till they obtained a merciful deliverance by prayer . and whilst we were making progresse in the work of the lord on a lecture day , an indian stood up , and said he had been a sinner , and committed many evill things , but now was sorry for them , and did repent , desired to forsake his sins , and to walk in gods way . then he went to the sagamore towanquetick , and took him by the hand , saying , i do love you , and do greatly desire to go along with you for gods sake ; the like also he said to some others , and then came to me in like manner , saying , i pray love me , and i do love you , and am desirous to go with you for gods sake ; so he was received with many thanks , and since i know him to be diligent and laborious . i confesse i marvelled to see them act with such a spirit , but i considered , it was sutable to their own meeting in 48. now the indian accompanied his friend that suddenly lost his two sons ; he i say remaining still in his obstinacy , is also found out , and feeles the wrath of god , being stricken with a dead palsie , all one side of him , but his eye and eare ; the dead palsie is a strange and unwonted disease amongst the indians ; i have beene sometimes with him ; when i spake to him , he fetched many sighs ; he is at this day a living and a dead monument of the lords displeasure , having hurt himself most , and done them most good he hated . another thing is a remarkable combate between two indians and a pawwaw , who , on the lords day after meeting , came in very angry , saying , i know the meeting indians are lyars ; you say you care not for the pawwawes ; then calling two or three of them by name , and railing at them , told them that they were deceived , for the pawwawes could kill all the meeting indians if they did set about it ; with that one of the young men replyed with much courage , saying , it is true , i do not fear the pawwawes , neither do i desire any favour at their hands , pray kill me if you can . and hiacoomes told him also that he would be in the midst of all the pawwawes of the iland that they could procure , and they should do their utmost they could against him , and when they did their worst by their witchcrafts to kill him , he would without feare set himself against them , by remembring jehovah ; he told him also that he did put all the pawwawes under his heel , pointing unto it ; which answers did presently silence the pawwawes devillish spirit , and had he nothing to say , but that none but hi●●oomes was able so to do . i have observed the wise disposing hand of god in another providence of his ; there have not as i know , any man , woman or child died of the meeting indians since the meeting began , untill now of late the lord took away hiacoomes his child which was about five dayes old ; he was best able to make a good use of it , and to carry himself well in it , and so was his wife also ; and truly they gave an excellent example in this also , as they have in other things ; here were no black faces for it as the manner of the indians is , nor goods buried with it , nor hellish howlings over the dead , but a patient resigning of it to him that gave it ; there were some english at the burial , and many indians to whom i spake something of the resurrection , and as we were going away , one of the indians told me he was much refreshed in being freed from their old customes , as also to hear of the resurrection of good men and their children to be with god . there are now by the grace of god thirty nine indian men of this meeting , besides women that are looking this way , which we suppose to exceed the number of the men , though not known by open entrance into covenant as the men , but are now near it . these in general have the knowledge of the fundamental points of religion ; your self when you were with us , had some tryal of it ; it was a great while my maine work to administer light in general to them ; and there now , through mercy , appears some life , hoping that some of them have received this great mercy of god in christ . this is a great incouragement to me , as also that their hearts are engaged in the way of the lord for the salvation of their own souls upon gods ends . one of these meeting indians said ( and i hope feelingly ) that if all the world , the riches , plenty , and pleasures of it were presented without god , or god without all these , i would take god . and another said , that if the greatest sagamore in the land should take him in his armes , and proffer him his love , and riches and gifts to turn from his way , he would not go with him from this way of god . i heard one of them of his own accord ( and to the same purpose ) in complaining against head knowledge and lip prayers , without heart holinesse , loathing the condition of such a man , saying , i desire my heart may taste the word of god , repent of my sinnes , and leane upon the redemption of the lord jesus christ . some of them having a discourse with vzzamequin a great sachem or governour on the maine land ( coming amongst them ) about the wayes of god , he enquired what earthly good things came along with them , and demanding of them what they had gotten by all they had done this way ? one of them replyed , we serve not god for cloathing , nor for any outward thing . i have observed many such like passages ; but my occasions at present will not permit me to set them down , i only bring you those things which are most ready in my minde . the last thing that i took special notice of , is , the receiving of the five men when your self was present , into the meeting indian number , one of them ( the young man you saw ) was sent at first about two or three months before by one of the greatest pawwawes upon the iland to learn and spy what was done at the meeting , and carry him word , but at the last he learned so much as he then openly profest to hate the pawwawes and their witchcrafts , and that he did repent of his sinnes , and desired to go with the meeting indians in gods ways ; another said he desired to joyn with the meeting indians that he might have a renewed good heart , the other were much like affected , only one of them reckoned up the commandments , and as he proceeded he protested against the sins forbidden , and professed obedience to the duties commanded ; the last answered the question put to him by your self , viz. by what power they did think to do this ? who answered , first , by his good desire ; and secondly , by the help and blessing of jesus christ . just now whilst i am a writing , there comes an indian unto me , and tels me his minde in these words , i shall long for your returne back again out of the bay , that we may hear the good word of god ; the former sins of my heart in the time of my youth i now remember ; when i hear the word of god , and when i walk in the woods alone , i have much talk with god , and great repentance for my sins , and now i throw behind me all my strange gods , and my heart goes right to god in prayer . the way that i am now in ( through the grace of god ) for the carrying on of this great work , is by a lecture every fortnight , whereunto both men women and children do come ; and first i pray with them , teach them , chatechise their children , sing a psalm , and all in their own language . i conferre every last day of the week with hiacoomes about his subject matter of preaching to the indians the next day , where i furnish him with what spiritual food the lord is pleased to afford me for them , wherein god hath much assisted him for his own and their spiritual good and advantage , who is diligent and conscionable to hold forth the grace of christ to the indians . for this purpose your servent and frequent prayers together with all those who rejoyce in advancing the scepter of christ , are by me earnestly desired , and for me that i may preach him amongst the heathen , to the praise of the excellency of his own power , and not mine ; and that the indians in this small beginning , being gods husbandry , and gods building , may be a fruitful glorious spreading vine , and builded together for an habitation of god through the spirit , unto whom i commend you in jesus , and in him rest from great harbor in martins vineyard sept. 7. 1650 yours in the lord to be commanded , thomas mayhow . now to speak somewhat farther of the proceeding of the things of christ amongst the indians of mattacusets and thereabouts since the last books came forth ; somewhat i saw and understood concerning those indians which are under the care of mr. eliot , unto whom i repaired at my coming from martins vineyard , who acquainted me with the state of things amongst the indians as they were at present ; at which time i rode with him to the water-town indians , and heard him preach to them , and catechize their children in the indian tongue ; who wrote also by me to mr. winslow , the agent of the countrey ; which letter , together with some other sent since the last publication by the presse , the corporation of new england desired me that they might be joyned and printed with this written by master mahu ; which letters here follow . much honoured sir , your very loving acceptance of my letters doth engage me very much unto you , but especially your cordial rejoycing in the progresse of this work of the lord among these poor indians . sir , i shall first answer some material things in your letter . first , for that opinion of rabbi-ben-israel which you mention , i would intreat you to request the same godly minister ( nay i hope he hath already done it ) to send to him to know his grounds , and how he came to that intelligence , when was it done , which way were they transported into america , by whom , and what occasion , how many , and to what parts first , or what steps of intimation of such a thing may there be . i had some thoughts in my heart to search the original of this people , that i might finde under what covenant and promise their fore-fathers have been , for the help of my faith ; for jehovah remembers and giveth being to ancient promises . what had become of us sonnes of japhet , if the lord had not remembred that ( and such like ancient promises ) god shall perswade japhet to dwell in the tents of shem. if these people be under a covenant and promise as ancient as shem and eber , it is a ground of faith to expect mercy for them . now this i have thought , that it seemeth to me as clear in the scripture , that these are the children of shem as we of japhet , and shem was a great man in the church , and to whom abraham paid tythes ; for i beleeve he was melchisedceck ; yea it seemeth to me probable that these people are hebrews , of eber , whose sonnes the scripture sends farthest east ( as it seemeth to me ) and learned broughton put some of them over into america , and certainly this country was peopled eastward from the place of the arks resting , seeing the finding of them by the west is but of yesterday : now eber was also a great man in the church ; abraham the hebrew , saith the text ; and how often in the scriptures doth the lord use that blessed word of grace and covenant , i am the god of the hebrewes ? besides there be sundry prophesies in scripture , unto the goings down of the sunne ; and let it be considered whether america be not to be accounted among the places that are the goings down of the sunne unto those places where those promises were promulgated ; and when the lord inlarged the promise to jacob ( as the light and extent of grace hath ever been encreasing and enlarging ) he promised to make him a nation and a multitude of nations , which so farre as we regard a litteral accomplishment , is in part accomplisht in the nation of the jewes , and the other part remaineth ( as it may seem ) to be accomplisht in the lost israelites scattered in the world , principally , if not wholly , amongst the sons of japhet and shem ; and our god who can and will gather the scattered and lost dust of our bodies at the resurrection , can and will finde out these lost and scattered israelites , and in finding up them , bring in with them the nations among whom they were scattered , and so shall jacobs promise extend to a multitude of nations indeed ; and this is a great ground of faith for the conversion of the easterne nations , and may be of help to our faith for these indians ; especially if rabbi ben-israel can make it appeare that some of the israelites were brought into america , and scattered here , or if the lord shall by any meanes give us to understand the same . these meditations upon scripture grounds do minister comfort & encouragement to my heart with others also , as , that all languages shall see his glory , and that all nations and kingdoms shall become the kingdoms of the lord iesus ; and this i desire to do , to look unto scripture grounds only ; oh this precious this perfect word of god! you intimate also how zealously worthy mr. owen did prosecute this work ; the lord reward him , and the lord accept him in all his holy labours . likewise you intimate how acceptable this work is to the parliament , that blessed assembly , whom the lord christ hath delighted to make instrumental to begin to set up the longed for , prayed for , and desired kingdome of the lord jesus ; for we may see in some measure the accomplishment of that prophesie of christ , luke 21. 25. the peaceable summer beginning to arise out of these distressed times of perplexity , all those signes preceding the glorious coming of christ are accomplishing , and a thick black cloud is gathered , a cloud of blood , confusion , heresies and errors , and the thickest and most portentous black part of that cloud is the toleration of the most grosse and convicted impieties under the pretence of conscience , which misapplication of the sword of authority ( if it should awhile prevaile ) cannot be innocent , and will undoubtedly prolong the storme and delay of the reigne of christ ; but notwithstanding all this black cloud , who seeth not the glorious coming of the lord jesus breaking through this cloud , and coming with power and great glory ? he is king of kings and reigneth over kings ; for where justice reignes , christ doth reigne ; and that antichristian principle for man to be above god , whether the pope in the church , or monarches in the common-wealth , is thrown to the ground . he that is above the law , is above the word ; and he that is above the word , is above christ ; christ reigneth not over such as be above his law : but behold , now christ reigneth , and gloriously breaks forth in the brightnesse of his coming , and will in his time scatter all this thick black cloud , yea the thickest of it . now this glorious work of bringing in and setting up the glorious kingdome of christ , hath the lord of his free grace and mercy put into the hands of this renowned parliament and army ; lord put it into all their hearts to make this designe of christ their main first and chiefest endeavour , according to the word , seek first the kingdom of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof , and all other things shall be added . and when the lord jesus is about to set up his blessed kingdome among these poore indians also , how well doth it become the spirit of such instruments in the hand of christ to promote that work also , being the same businesse in some respect which themselves are about by the good hand of the lord . surely sir , your chief work of this nature now is to follow this indian work which sticks in the birth for want of means . you would marvel if i should tell you how they long to come into a way of civility by co-habitation , and by forming government among themselves , that so they being in such order might have a church and the ordinances of christ among them ; but want of a magazine of all sorts of tools and materials for such a work , is the present impediment . the lord is wiser then man , and his time is best ; i will not say any thing now for farther direction about what is requisite for the work which the lord is preparing their hearts unto ; my former letters have said enough that way , partly to you , and partly to mr. pelham , whose letters i hope you have seen as containing sundry things necessary for your view ; and i doubt not but your wisdome will readily adde what is lacking in what i have projected ; only let me say this , that i dayly still see more evidence that that is the very way which the lord would have us take at present . let me , i beseech you , trouble you a little farther with some considerations about this great indian work which lyeth upon me , as my continual care , prayer , desire and endeavour to carry on , namely for their schooling and education of youth in learing , which is a principal means for promoting of it for future times ; if the lord bring us to live in a towne and society , we must have speiial care to have schools for the instruction of the youth in reading , that they may be able to read the scriptures at least . and therefore there must be some annual revenew for the maintaining of such schoolmasters and dames ; besides , i do very much desire to translate some parts of the scriptures into their language , and to print some primer in their language wherein to initiate and teach them to read , which some of the men do much also desire , and printing such a thing will be troublesome and chargable , and i having yet but little skill in their language ( having little leasure to attend it by reason of my continual attendance on my ministry in our own church ) i must have some indians , and it may be other help continually about me to try and examine translations , which i look at as a sacred and holy work , and to be regarded with much fear , care , and reverence ; and all this is chargable ; therefore i look at that as a special matter on which cost is to be bestowed , if the lord provide means , for i have not means of my own for it . i have a family of many children to educate , and therefore i cannot give over my ministry in our church whereby my family is sustained to attend the indians to whom i give , and of whom i receive nothing , nor have they any thing to give : so that want of money is the only thing in view that doth retard a more full prosecution of this work unto which the lord doth ripen them apace . moreover , there be sundry prompt , pregnant witted youths , not vitiously inclined , but well disposed , which i desire may be wholly sequestred to learning , and put to schoole for that purpose , had we means ; and i suppose ten pounds per annum to be paid in england , will maintaine one indian youth at schoole , and halfe ascore such gifts or annuities would by the blessing of god greatly further this work so farre as concerns that particular . i had thought to have set down some of their questions , wherby you might perceive how these dry bones begin to gather flesh and sinnews ; but partly i have them not ready , for i have not leasure to set them down at present , and they soone slip my memory , and i did it in all my last letters , and may do it again , if the lord will , hereafter . and therefore thus much at present , being cald off to hasten to seale up my letters , the lord jesus blesse you , sanctifie and keep you in all your labours and travels , and accept you , and all your works , and return you again unto us in due season here to see gods blessing with your eyes upon those poore souls , for whose sakes you have laboured , and the lord supply your absence to all yours ; and so commending you to the lord and to the word of his grace which is able to sanctifie and save you , i rest boxburg , this 8. of the 5. 49. your 〈◊〉 brother and fellow labourer for the good of the poor indians : john eliot . worthy and much esteemed in the lord . it is no small encouragement unto my spirit , not only to go on unweariably in this enterprize which the lord hath set my heart upon , but also to expect a great blessing therein ; only i must intimate two redundances , one is page 8. where there is a great ( i ) redundant which maketh the sence untrue ; but if left out , the sence is both good and true ; for ( i ) was not the nominative case or efficient of that verb , or act of intreating mr. mahu to teach them , but it was the indians act , and so i said , and so is the sence if that ( great i ) be left out . a second redundancie is page 17. ( though misfigured and no matter ) where you put the title of evangelist upon me , which all men take , and you seeme so to put it for that extraordinary office mentioned in the new testament ; i do beseech you to suppresse all such things , if ever you should have occasion of doing the like ; let us speak and do , and carry all things with all humility ; it is the lord who hath done what is done , and it is most becoming the spirit of jesus christ to lift up christ , and our selves lie low ; i wish that that word could be obliterated if any of the books remain . now seeing it is so great a comfort to you to hear how the lord is pleased to carry on this work , i shall relate unto you some passages , whereby you may see in what frame they be ; i had , and still have , a great desire to go to a great fishing place , namaske upon merimak ; and because the indians way lyeth beyond the great river which we cannot passe with our horses , nor can we well go to it on this side the river , unlesse we go by nashaway , which is about , and bad way , unbeaten , the indians not using that way ; i therefore hired a hardy man of nashaway to beat out a way and to mark trees , so that he may pilot me thither in the spring , and he hired indians with him and did it ; and in the way passed through a great people called sowahagen indians , some of which had heard me at pautuket and at nashaway , and had carried home such tydings , that they were generally stirred with a desire that i would come and teach them ; and when they saw a man come to cut out a way for me that way , they were very glad ; and when he told them i intended to come that way the next spring , they seemed to him full of joy , and made him very welcome . but in the spring , when i should have gone , i was not well , it being a very sickly time , so that i saw the lord prevented me of that journey ; yet when i went to pautuket another fiishing place , where from all parts about they met together , thither came divers of these sowahegen indians , and heard me teach , and i had conference with them ; and among other things , i asked whether sowahegen indians were desirous to pray to god ; they answered ; yea , i asked how many desired it ; they answered wamu , that is , all , and with such affection as did much affect those christian men that i had with me in company . the chief sachim of this place pautuket , and of all mermak in papassaconnoway , whom i mentioned unto you the last yeere , who gave up himself and his sonnes to pray unto god , this man did this yeer shew very great affection to me , and to the word of god ; he did exceeding earnestly , importunately invite me to come and live there and teach them ; he used many arguments , many whereof i have forgotten : but this was one , that my coming thither but once in a yeere , did them but little good , because they soone had forgotten what i taught , it being so seldome , and so long betwixt the times ; further he said , that he had many men , and of them many nought , and would not beleeve him that praying to god was so good , but if i would come and teach them , he hoped they would beleeve me ; he farther added , that i did , as if one should come and throw a fine thing among them , and they earnestly catch at it , and like it well , because it looks finely , but they cannot look into it to see what is within it , and what it is within , they cannot tell whether something or nothing , it may be a stock or a stone is within it , or it may be a precious thing ; but if it be opened , and they see what is within it , and see it precious , then they should beleeve it ( so said he ) you tell us of praying to god , ( for so they call all religion ) and we like it well at the first sight , and we know not what it is within , it may be excellent , or it may be nothing , we cannot tell , but if you would come unto us , and open it unto us , and shew us what it is within , then we should beleeve that it is so ▪ excellent as you say , when we see it opened ; such elegant arguments as these did he use , with much gravity , wisdome and affection ; and truly my heart much yearneth towards them , and i have a great desire to make our indian towne that way ; yet the lord by the eye of providence seemeth not to look thither , partly because there is not a competent place of due encouragement for subsistence ; which would spoyle the work ; and partly because our indians which are our first and chief materials in present view , are loth to go northward , though they say they will go with me any whether ; but it concerneth me much not to lead them into temptation of scarity , cold and want , which may damp the progresse of the gospel ; but i rather think where ever i begin the first towne , ( if i live ) i must begin more townes then one , or oh that the lord would raise up more and more fit labourers into this harvest : another indian , who lived remote another way , asked me if i had any children ? i answered yea ; he asked how many ? i said sixe ; he asked how many of them were sonnes ? i told him five ; then he asked whether my sonnes should teach the indians to know god as i do ? at which question i was much moved in my heart , for i have often in my prayers dedicated all my sonnes unto the lord to serve him in this service , if he will please to accept them therein ; and my purpose is to do my uttermost to traine them up in learning , whereby they may be fitted in the best manner i can to serve the lord herein , and better preferment i desire not for them then to serve the lord in this travel ; and to that purpose i answered him , and my answer seemed to be well pleasing to them , which seemed to minister to my heart some encouragement , that the lords meaning was to improve them that way , and he would prepare their hearts to accept the same . there is another aged sachem at quabagud threescore miles westward , and he doth greatly desire that i would come thither and teach them , and live there ; and i made a journey ▪ thither this summer , and i went by nashaway ; but it so fell out that there were some stirres betwixt the nazaganset and monahegen indians , some murder committed , &c. which made our church doubtful at first of my going , which when the nashaway sachem heard , he commanded twenty armed men ( after their manner ) to be ready , and himself with these twenty men ; besides sendry of our neer indians went along with me to guard me , but i took some english along with me also , so that hereby their good affection is manifested to me , and to the work i have in hand ; here also i found sundry hungry after instruction , but it pleased god to exercise us with such tedious raine , and bad weather , that we were extreme wet , insomuch that i was not dry night nor day from the third day of the week unto the sixth , but so travelled , and at night pull off my boots , wring my stockins , and on with them again , and so continued ; the rivers also were raised , so as that we were wet in riding through ; but that which added to my affliction was , my horse tyred , so that i was forced to let my horse go empty , and ride on one of the mens horses which i took along with me , yet god stept in and helped ; i considered that word of god , 2 tim 2 , 3. endure hardship as a good souldier of christ ; with many other such like meditations , which i think not meet to mention now . and i thank the lord , neither i nor my company took any hurt , but the lord brought us in safety and health home again . because ▪ both mr. pelham and your self do so heartily , and with such good affection send commendations and greetings unto our indians which pray unto god , i will tell you what a good occasion was ministred unto me , through the goodnesse of god , by a question which one of them propounded the next meeting as i remember ) after i had received my letters , and i must first tell you the occasion of the question . there had been at that time some strange indians among them which came to see them who prayed to god , as one from martins vineyard , who is helpful to mr. mahu to tell him words , &c. and i think some others , when those strangers came , and they perceived them to affect religion , and had mutual conference about the same , there was very great gladnesse of heart among them , and they made these strangers exceeding welcome ; hereupon did the question arise , namely what is the reason , that when a strange ▪ indian comes among us whom we never saw before , yet if he pray unto god , we do exceedingly love him : but if my own brother , dwelling a great way off , come unto us , he not praying to god , though we love him , yet nothing so as we love that other stranger who doth pray unto god . this question did so clearly demonstrate that which the scripture calleth love of the brethren , that i thought it was useful ; first , to try others of them , whether they found the same in their hearts ; i therefore asked them , how they found it in theis hearts ? and they answered , that they all found it so in their hearts , and that it had been a matter of discourse among themselves , wondring at it , what the reason of it should be , which was no small comfort and encouragement unto my spirit ; then in my answer i asked them what should be the reason that the godly people in england , 3000. miles off , who never saw them , yet hearing that they pray to god , do exceedingly rejoyce at it , and love them , and send them tokens of their love , and then i reckoned up what had been sent them , and mentioned some names to them , and farther told them that their love was so great unto them , that they would send them over a great deale more ; and in special , i hoped they would send us such materials as be requisite to make a towne , and mentioned some such things as i have named in the catalogue i sent to you ▪ and asked them if they could tell the reason of it ; they answered no ; this being the same with their question ; and then i shewed the unity of spirit , &c. and thus you see the occasion and way of communicating the good will and love of the saints in england unto them , so as that they might taste a spiritual blessing , and finde some edification of their souls by those outward blessings which they received . and whereas some , ( as i am informed ) who came from us to england , are no better friends to this work then they should , and may speak slightly of it : i do intreat that such may be asked but this question ; did they so much regard to look after it here , as to go three or four miles to some of our meetings , and to observe what was said and done there ? if not , how can they tell how things be ? if they say they were , i desire to know what they except against ? if they say the indians be all nought because such as come loytering and filtching about in our townes are so ; wish them to consider how unequal that judgment is , if all the english should be judged by the worst of them ; and any should say they be all such , this were to condemne the righteous with the wicked . had i leasure , i would insert a few more of their questions , that you might perceive how flesh and sinewes begin to gather upon these dry bones ; but i cannot at this time attend it ; the present work of god among them is to gather them together to bring them to political life , both in ecclesiastical society and in civil , for which they earnestly long and enquire , and some aged ones say , oh that god would let me live to see that day ; i allude to that in ezekiel , not because i have any light to perswade me these are that people there mentioned , only they be dry and scattered bones , if any be in the world ; and the work of god upon all such dry bones i beleeve will be in many things symmetricall ; but the work of the day is to civilize them , and it will be very chargeable , and because in your letters to mr. cotton , you desired that he and i should speak with the commissioners what was fitting to send over for this work , we could not speak with the commissioners of other colonies , nor write to have any seasonable return , nor could we communicate the state of the businesse unto them , but what was feasible we have done . now dear sir , it may be you will desire to know what kinde of civil government they shall be instructed in ; i acknowledge it to be a very weighty consideration ; and i have advised with mr. cotton and others about it , and this i propound as my general rule through the help of the lord ; they shall be wholly governed by the scriptures in all things both in church and state ; they shall have no other law-giver ; the lord shall be their law-giver , the lord shall be their judge , the lord shall be their king , and he will save them ; and when it is so the lord reigneth , and unto that frame the lord will bring all the world ere he hath done , but it will be more difficult in other nations who have been adulterate with their antichristian or humane wisdome ; they will be loth to lay downe their imperfect own star-light of excellent lawes , in their conceits , for the perfect sun-light of the scripture , which through blindnesse they cannot see . england long since had happy experience of it , and it is often in my heart to desire they would pitch there in this present great change they are about ; this is certaine , that all formes and lawes of mans invention will shake , be unsetled ; and many will doubt of subjecting to any way man can devise ; and they will never rest till they come up to the scriptures , and when they produce scripture grounds for all they do , it will answer and satisfie all godly consciences , and awe the rest , and stop their mouths unlesse they will cavill against divine wisdome . it is the very reason why the lord in this houre of temptation will bring nations into distresse and perplexity , that so they may be forced to the scriptures ; the light whereof hath sole authority to extricate them out of their deep perplexities ; and therefore all governments are and will be shaken , that men may be forced to pitch upon the firme and unshaken foundation , the word of god ▪ this is doubtlesse the great designe of christ in these later dayes ; oh that mens eyes were open to see it , and when the world is brought into this frame , then christ reigneth ; and when this is , government shall be in the hands of the saints of the most high . but i forget my self ; this is not my present work , it is my desire and prayer ; my work is to endeavour the setting up christ kingdome among the indians . sir , you tell me of one that will publish reasons to prove ( at least ) some of the ten tribes are in america , it would be glad tydings to my heart ; and when mr. dudley heard of it , he said that captaine cromwell , who lately dyed at boston , told him that he saw many indians to the southward circumcised ; and that he was oft conversant among them , and saw it with his eyes , and was undoubtedly certaine of it ; this is captaine cromwels testimony , and it seemeth to be one of the most probable arguments that ever i yet heard of ; unlesse the lord shall please to clear it up that they are some of those dry bones which ezekiel speaketh of . mr. mahew , who putteth his hand unto this plough at martins vineyard , being young , and a beginner here , hath extreme want of books ; he needeth commentaries and common places for the body of divinity , that so he might be well grounded and principled ; if therefore the lord bring any meanes into your hand , i desire you would ( by the help of some godly divine ) send him over such books as may be neceassry for a young scholer ; i will name no books , he needs all ; i beseech you put some weight upon it , for i desire he might be furnished in that kinde , and other supplies will be needful for him . and for my self i have this request ( who also am short enough in books ) that i might be helped to purchase my brother weld his books , the summe of the purchase is ( 34. livre. ) i am loth they should come back to england when we have so much need of them here , and without ready money there i cannot have them ; if therefore so much money might be disbursed for me , it would be a blessing to me , but it is on condition that all his books here be comprehended , else i will not give so much for them . one thing more i shall mention , viz. if the work go on , and you send us means , then this may be considerable , which some have advised me , whether it might not be good to send me over a carpenter or two young men-servants ; but if you should approve it , i desire they may be godly , and well conditioned , of a good spirit , for they must be imployed among the indians , and if they should be naught , and of an ill disposition they might do a great deal of hurt , but if they be honest & meek and well spirited , it may be a great furtherance of the work , i wholly leave it to your wisdom . having some leasure by the ships delay i will insert a few questions which they have propounded . viz. if a man know gods word , but beleeve it not ; and he teach others , is that good teaching ? and if others beleeve that which he teacheth , is that good beleeving , or faith ? upon this question i asked them , how they could tell when a man knoweth gods word that he doth not beleeve it ? they answered me , when he doth not do in his practice answerable to that which he knoweth . if i teach on the sabbath which you have taught us , and forget some , is that a fin ? and some i mistake and teach wrong , is that a sin ? do all evill thoughts come from the devill , and all good ones from god ? what is watchfulnesse ? how shall i finde happinesse ? what should i pray for at night , and what at morning , and what on the sabbath day ? what is true repentance , or how shall i know when this is true ? how must i wait on god ? shall we see christ at the day of judgment ? can we see god ? when i pray for a soft heart , why is it still hard ? can one be saved by reading the book of the creature ? this question was made when i taught them , that god gave us two books , and that in the book of the creature , every creature was a word or sentence , &c. you said god promised moses to go with him , how doth he go with us ? when such die as never heard of christ , whether do they go ? when the wicked die , do they first go to heaven to the judgment seate of christ to be judged , and then go away to hell ? what is the meaning of the word hebrews ? why doth god say , i am the god of the hebrews ? when christ arose , whence came his soul ? when i answered from heaven ; it was replyed , how then was christ punished in our stead ? or when did he suffer in our stead , afore death , or after ? when i pray every day , why is my heart so hard still , even as a stone ? how doth god arise , and we worship at his feet , what meaneth it ? this was when i preached out of psal. 132. why did they eate the passeover , with loynes girt , and shooes on their feet ? what meaneth , arise o lord into thy resting place ? what meaneth , hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , and they blessed ? what meaneth , thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbours ? if one purposeth to pray , and yet dieth before that time , whether goeth his soul ? if i teach on the sabbath something that some other englishman taught me , the indians do not like it , if it be not that which you have taught , is this well ? why must we be like salt ? if i do not love wicked men , nor good men , am i good ? what meaneth that , love enemies and wicked men ? doth god know who shall repent , and beleeve , and who not ? when i answered in the affirmative , then it was replyed , why then did god use so much meanes with pharaoh ? what meaneth that his wife shall be like a vine , and his children like young plants ? what meaneth , that blessed are they that mourn ? when i see a good example , and know that it is right , why do i not do the same ? what meaneth lifting up hands to god ? whot anger is good , and what is bad ? do they dwell in severall houses in heaven , or altogether , and what do they ? how do you know what is done in heaven ? if a child die before he sinne , whether goeth his soul ? by this question , it did please the lord , clearly to convince them of original sin , blessed be his name . if one that prayes to god sins like him that prayes not , is not he worse ? and while they discoursed of this point , and about hating of wicked persons , one of them shut it up with this , they must love the man and do him good , but hate his sin . why do english men so edgerly kill all shakes ? may a man have good words and deeds and a bad heart , and another have bad words and deeds , and yet a good heart ? what is it to eate christ his flesh and drink his blood , what meaneth it ? what meaneth a new heaven and a new earth ? much honoured and respected in the lord jesus . your faithful and unwearied paines about the lords work for the good of his dear children here , and for the furtherance of the kingdome of christ among these poor indians , shall doubtlesse be had in remembrance before the lord , not through merit , but mercie . by former letters sent by mr. saltonstall ; i informed you of the present state of the indian work , and though i might adde farther matters , yet i shal forbear , only this , still they continue constant , and earnestly desire to set upon the way of cohabitation & prepare for their enjoyment of that great blessing to gather a church of christ among them ; and since the writing of my last a nipnet sachem hath submitted himself to pray unto the lord , and much desireth one of our chief ones to live with him and teach him and those that are with him . you wrote ( i thank you ) much encouraging to lose no time , and follow the work , though i borrow materials , but i durst not do so , the work is great , as i informed you in my former letters ; and i fear , lest it should discourage you , nor would i be too hasty to run before the lord do clearly ( by scripture rules ) say go ; nor on the other side would i hold them too long in suspence , there may be weaknesse that way to their discouragement , but it is the lords work , and he is infinite in wisdome , and he will suit the work in such a time and place as shall best attain his appointed ends and his great glory . touching the way of their government , i also intimated the purpose of my heart , that i intend to direct them according as the lord shall please to help and assist to set up the kingdome of jesus christ fully , so that christ shall reigne both in church and common-wealth , both in civil and spiritual matters ; we will ( through his grace ) fly to the scriptures , for every law , rule , direction , form , or what ever we do . and when every thing both civil & spiritual are done by the direction of the word of christ , then doth christ reigne , and the great kingdome of jesus christ which we weight for , is even this that i do now mention ; and by this means all kingdomes and nations shall become the kingdomes of christ , because he shall rule them in all things by his holy word ; humane wisdome in learned nations will be loth to yeeld to christ so farre , much lesse will princes and monarches readily yeeld so farre to stoop to christ , and therefore the lord will shake all nations , and put them into distresse and perplexity , and in the conclusion they will be glad to stoop to christ . but as for these poore indians they have no principles of their own , nor yet wisdome of their their own ( i meane as other nations have ) wherein to stick ; and therefore they do most readily yeeld to any direction from the lord , so that there will be no such opposition against the rising kingdome of jesus christ among them ; yet i foresee a cloud of difficulties in the work , and much obscurity and trouble in some such respects , as i think not meet to mention , only by faith i do see through this cloud : i beleeve the faithful promises of christ shall be accomplisht among them , and the lord jesus shall reigne over them gloriously , oh my heart yearneth over distressed perplexed england , and my continual prayer unto the lord for them is , that he would be pleased to open their hearts and eyes , and let them see their opportunity to let in christ , and to advance his kingdome over them ; yea , my hope is , that he will not leave tampering with them untill he hath brought it to passe ; oh the blessed day in england when the word of god shall be their magna charta and chief law book ; and when all lawyers must be divines to study the scriptures ; and should the gentile nations take up moses policie so farre as it is morall and conscionable , make the scriptures the foundation of all their lawes , who knoweth what a door would be opened to the jewes to come in to christ ; i wrote likewise by my last to intreat for some encouragement to master mahu who preacheth to the indians , and that some monies may be laid out in book for him ; for young sholars in new-england are very poor in books , as he is in extreme want . dear sir , be helpful in prayer to our work , and above all gathering , gather prayers ; i mean , put the saints in minde that they pray much about it , as they do both there and here . truly sir , the spirit of prayer that is daily going about this matter , is a very great encouragement for all our meetings , through mercie , ring of it ; i would intimate some more questions which they have propounded since my last , for they are fruitful that way , but partly i fear i shall want time , yet my heart saies , it may comfort you , and therefore i will set down a few , so many as i have noted down since may last . if but one parent beleeve what state are our children in ? how doth much sinne make grace abound ? i having made use of that text . if so old a man as i repent , may i be saved ? the wisdome of god drew forth this question next to interpret the former . when we come to beleeve , how many of our children doth god take with us , whether all only young ones , or at what age ? what meaneth that , let the trees of the wood rejoyce ? what meaneth that , that the master doth not thank his servant for waiting on him ? what meaneth that , we cannot serve two masters ? can they in heaven see us here on earth ? do they see and know each other ? shall i know you in heaven ? do they know each other in hell ? when english-men choose magistrates and ministers , how do they know who be good men , that they dare trust ? seeing the boody sinneth , why should the soule be punished , and what punishment shall the body have ? if all the world be burnt up , where shall hell be ? what is it to beleeve in christ ? what meaneth , that christ meriteth eternal life for us ? what meaneth that , covet not thy neighbours house , & c ? what meaneth that , the woman brought to christ a box of oyle , and washt his feet with tears & c ? what meaneth that of the two debtors , one oweth much ; another but little ? if a wicked man prayeth , and teacheth , doth god accept , or what saies god ? at what age may maids marry ? if a man be wise , and his sachem weak must he yet obey him ? we are commanded to honour the sachem , but is the sachem commanded to lovve us ? when all the world shall be burnt up , what shall be in the roome of it ; an old wonans question yester day ? what meaneth god , when he sayes , yee shall be my jewels ? this was asked from my text last time , exod. 19. 5. for so i rendred the word peculiar treasure . you may perceive many of the questions arise out of such texts as i handle , and i do endeavour to communicate as much scripture as i can ; the word of the lord converteth , sanctifieth and maketh wise the simple ; sometimes they aske weaker questions then these , which i mention not , you have the best ; and when i am about writing , i am more careful in keeping a remembrance of them ; it may be the same question may be again and again asked at several places , and by several persons ; the lord teach them to know christ , whom to know is eternal life ; i shall intreat your supplications at the throne of grace , under the tender wing whereof i leave you , being forced by the time , and rest roxbury this 29. of the 10th 49. your respectful and loving brother and fellow-labourer in the indian work ▪ john eliot . much honoured and beloved in christ , &c. i heard of the health and welfare of your family not long since , though the sharpnesse and depth of snowes this later part of winter did more shut up and hinder intercourse then ever i knew in new-england i shall principally attend to give you intelligence about the indians , touching whom , i know not that you are like to have intelligence by others ; the lord hath shewed them a very great testimony of his mercy this winter , in that when formerly the english had the pox much , they also had the same ; but now though it was scattered in all or most of the townes about them , yet the lord hath preserved them from it ; and that which maketh this favour of god the more evident and conspicuous , is this ; that there is a company of profane indians that ▪ lately are come to a place near wamouth , not farre from our indians , who do not onely refuse to pray unto god , but oppose and apprehend that they were sent thither , if not by the policie of some pawwaws , yet by the instigation of sathan , on purpose to seduce the younger sort from their profession , and discourage others ; and indeed they being so neer , had that effect evidently in some of the younger sort . now it pleased god that this company of wicked indians , were smitten with the pox , and sundry cut off , and those which were cut off , were of the worst and mischievous of them all ; which providences , all the good indians do take a great notice of , and doth say that the lord hath wrought a wonder for them ; and it seemeth to me that the lord hath blest this good providence of his to be a strong ingagement of their hearts to the lord . the work of the lord through his grace doth still go on as formerly , and they are still full of questions , and mostly they now be , to know the meaning of such scriptures as i have translated and read , and in a poor measure expounded to them , they long for to proceed in that work which i have in former letters mentioned ; namely to cohabit in a towne , to be under the government of the lord , and to have a church and the ordinances of christ among them ; this spring the lord seemed to put some of them upon such streights , about a convenient place of planting , as if his providence had meant to call us to a present setting upon the work , but partly by reason of the undetermination about the place where , but principally for want of means , wherewith it is yet deferred , though i see a necessity to speed it forward , for they have been now long in the expectation , and if i should still fail them , it would both discourage them , and embolden their adversaries to despise the work ( for all the country of indians are in an expectation of it ) yea by this delay that hath been , sathan hath taken this advantage to my great grief ; that whereas at my first preaching at nashawog sundry did imbrace the word , and called upon god , and pau wauing was wholly silenced among them all ; yet now , partly being forty miles of ; and principally by the slow progresse of this work , sathan hath so embolned the pawwawes , that this winter , ( as i hear to my grief ) there hath been paw-wauing again with some of them . the reason why there is still a delay of laying the foundation of the work is this , because we must see first whether any supply is like to be had from england ( for our sins and bad times may disappoint our greatest hopes ) and if any , what measure , that we may by that be guided what foundation and beginning to make ; their condition and the necessary frame of this work requireth a liberall stock to begin withall , and liberall supply to carry it on ; and therefore to begin the work before the lord hath discovered his providing providence this way , by the rule of prudence may not be ; nor can i manifest unto the church that god doth call me to that work , untill i may lay before them , ( at least some ) present means to begin the work , and some probable hopes of supply ; and untill that be done , the church hath no rule to give me up to that work ; nor i a rule to require it ; only i do ( through the lords help ) continually go on to teach them , as for these three yeers and a half i have done , instructing them , and preparing them as well as i can against such time as the lord , who hath promised to guide us by his eye and voyce , shall manifestly call us to go forward with that work which we wait to see accomplished . i forbear to mention any thing about the materials requisite , and manner of proceedings , having done that in my former letters , by the first ship especially , and also by the second ; both which ve●●●ls i trust the lord hath brought in safe to you long ere this time i was in great hopes to have heard some encouragement by fishing ships , but not one being this yeere come , nor tydings any other way , we are put to sad thoughts how it may fare with england , but we cease not to pray continually in that behalf , and this expectation of mine is one ingagement of my heart to be the more earnest both for england and for your self also . roxbury this 18. of the 2d 1650. your loving friend and brother in our lord jesus john eliot . much respected and beloved in our lord jesus . god is greatly to be adored in all his providences , and hath evermore wise and holy ends to accomplish that which we are not aware of ; and therefore although he may seem to crosse our ends with disappointments after all our pains and expectations , yet he hath farther and better thoughts then we can reach unto , which will cause us to admire his love and wisdome , when we see them accomplished ; and yet he is gracious to accept of our sincere labours for his name , though he disappoint them in our way , and frustrate our expectations in our time ; yea , he will fulfill our expectations in his way , and in his time , which shall finally appeare to the eye of faith , a better way then ours , and a fitter time then ours ; his wisdome is infinite . for the work of the lord among the indians , i thank his majesty he still smileth on it , he favoureth and blesseth it ; through his help that strengthneth me , i cease not in my poor measure to instruct them ; and i do see that they profit and grow in knowledge of the truth , and some of them in the love of it , which appeareth by a ready obedience to it ; and to testifie their growth in knowledge , i will not ( though i could do it if need were ) trouble you with their questions ; but i will only relate one story which fell out about the fifth month of this yeere ; two of my hearers travelled to providence and warwick where gorton liveth , and there they spent a sabbath , and heard them in some exercises , and had much conference with them ; for it seemeth they perceiving that they had some knowledge in religion , and were of my hearers ; they endeavour to possesse their minds with their opinions . when they came home , the next lecture day , before i began the exercise , the company being not fully come together , one of them asked me this question ; what is the reason , that seeing those english people , where he had be●● , had the same bible that we have ▪ yet do not speake the same things ? i asked the reason of his question ; he said , because his brother and he had been at providence and at warwick , and he perceived by speech with them , that they differ from us ; he said they heard their publike exercise , but did not understand what they meant , ( though the man understandeth the english language pretty well ) but afterwards said he , we had much speech ; i asked him in what points ; and so much as his brother and he could call to minde , he related as followeth . first , said he , they said thus , they teach you that there is a heaven and a hell , but there is no such matter ; i asked him what reason they gave ; he answered , that he said there is no other heaven , then what is in the hearts of good men ; nor no other hell , then what is in the hearts of bad men ; then i asked , and what said you to that ; saith he , i told them , i did not beleeve them , because heaven is a place whether good men go after this life is ended ; and hell is a place whether bad men go when they die , and cannot be in the hearts of men ; i approved of this answer . i asked what else they spake ? he answered , they spake of baptism , and said , that they teach you that infants must be baptized , but that is a very foolish thing ; i asked him what reason they gave ? he said , because infants neither know god nor baptisme , nor what they do , and therefore it is a foolish thing to do it ; i asked him what he said to that ? he said , he could not say much , but he thought it was better to baptize them while they be young , and then they are bound and engaged ; but if you let them alone till they be grown up , it may be they will flie off , and neither care for god nor for baptisme ; i approved of this answer also , and asked what else they spake of ? he said farther , they spake of ministers , and said , they teach you that you must have ministers , but that is a needlesse thing . i asked what reason they gave ? he said , they gave these reasons , first , ministers know nothing but what they learn out of gods book , and we have gods book as well as they and can tell wha● god saith . again , ministers cannot change mens hearts , god must do that , and therefore there is no need of ministers . i asked him what he said to that ? he said , that he told them , that we must do as god commands us , and if he commands to have ministers , we must have them . and farther i told them , i thought it was true , that ministers cannot change mens hearts ; but when we do as god bids us , and hear ministers preach , then god will change our hearts . i approved this answer also i asked what else they spake of ? he said , they teach you that you must have magistrates , but that is needlesse , nor ought to be . i asked what reason they gave ? he said , that they gave this reason , because magistrates cannot give life , therefore they may not take away life ; besides , when a man sinneth , he doth not sinne against magistrates , and therefore why should they punish them ? but they sinne against god and therefore we must leave them to god to punish them . i asked him what he said to that , he answered , i said to that as to the former , we must do as god commands us ; if god command us to have magistrates , and commands them to punish sinners , them we must obey . i approved this also . i asked farther what they said ; then both of them considered a while , and said , they could remember no more , only they said somewhat of the parliament of england , which they did not understand . and by such time as we had done this conference , the company was gathered together , and we went to prayer , and i did solemnly blesse god who had given them so much understanding in his truth , and some ability to discerne between truth and error , and an heart to stand for the truth , and against error ; and i cannot but take it as a divine testimony of gods blessing upon my poor labours ; i afterwards gave him an answer to his first question , viz. why they having the same bible with us , yet spake not the same things ? and i answered him by that text , 2 thes. 2. 10 , 11. because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved , for this cause god shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye . this text i opened unto them ; i will adde no more at present to manifest their proficiency in knowledge . the present work of the lord that is to be done among them , is to gather them together from their scattered kinde of life ; first , unto civil society , then to ecclesiastical , and both by the divine direction of the word of the lord ; they are still earnestly desirous of it ; and this spring that is past , they were very importunately desirous to have been upon that work , and to have planted corne in the place intended ; but i did disswade , and was forced to use this reason of delay , because i hoped for tools , and meanes from england , whereby to prosecute the work this summer . but when ships came , and no supply , you may easily think what a damping it was ; and truly my heart smote me , that i had looked too much at man and meanes , in stoping their earnest affections with that barre which proved a blank . i began without any such respect , and i thought that the lord would have me so to go on , and only look to him for help , whose work it is ; and when i had thus looked up to the lord , i advised with our elders and some other of our church , whose hearts consented with me ; then i advised with divers of the elders at boston lecture , and mr. cottons answer was , my heart sayeth , go on , and look to the lord onely for help , the rest also concuring ; so i commended it to our church , and we sought god in a day of fasting and prayer about it , ( together with other causes ) and have been ever since a doing , according to our abilities ; and this i account a favour of god , that that very night , before we came from our place of meeting , we had notice of a ship from england whereby i received letters , and some encouragement in the work from private friends ; a mercy which god had in store , but unknown to some , and so contrived by the lord , that i should receive it as a fruit of prayer . the place also is of gods providing , as a fruit of prayer ; for when i , with some that went with me , had rode to a place of some hopefull expectation , when we came to it , it was in no wise sutable ; ● went behind a rock , and looked to the lord , and committed the matter to him ; and while j was travelling in woods , christian friends were in prayer at home ; and so it was , that though one of our company fell sick in the woods , so that we were forced home with speed ; yet in the way home , the jndians in our company , upon enquiry describing a place to me , and guiding us over some part of it , the lord did both by his providence then , and by after more diligent search of the place , discover that there it was his pleasure we should begin this work . when grasse was fit to cut , j sent some jndians to mow , and others to make some hay at the place , because we must oft ride thither in the autumn when grasse is withered and dead , and especially in the spring before any grasse is come , and there is provision for our horses ; this work was performd well , as i found when i went up to them with my man to order it . we must also of necessity have an house to lodge in , meet in , and lay up our provisions and clothes , which cannot be in wigwams . i set them therefore to fell and square timber for an house , and when it was ready , i went , and many of them with me , and on their shoulders carried all the timber together , &c. these things they chearfully do ; but this also i do , i pay them wages carefully for all such works i set them about , which is a good encouragement to labour . i purpose , god willing , to call them together this autumne to break and prepare their own ground against the spring , and for other necessary works , which are not a few , in such an enterprize . there is a great river which divideth between their planting grounds and dwelling place , through which , though they easily wade in summer , yet in the spring its deep , and unfit for daily passing over , especially of women and children ; therefore i thought it necessary , that this autumne we should make a foot bridge over , against such time in the spring as they shall have daily use of it ; i told them my purpose and reason of it , wished them to go with me to do that work , which they chearfully did , and with their own hands did build a bridge eighty foot long , and nine foot high in the midst , that it might stand above the floods ; when we had done , i cald them together , prayed , and gave thanks to god , and taught them out of a portion of scripture , and at parting i told them , i was glad of their readinesse to labour , when i advised them thereunto ; and in as much as it hath been hard and tedious labour in the water , if any of them desired wages for their work , i would give it them ; yet being it is for their owne use , if they should do all this labour in love , i should take it well , and as i may have occasion , remember it ; they answered me , they were farre from desiring any wages when they do their own work ; but on the other side they were thankful to me that i had called them , and counselled them in a work so needful for them , whereto i replyed , i was very glad to see them so ingenuous . this businesse of praying to god ( for that is their general name of religion ) hath hitherto found opposition only from the pawwawes and profane spirits ; but now the lord hath exercised us with another and a greater opposition ; for the sachems of the country are generally set against us , and counter-work the lord by keeping off their men from praying to god as much as they can ; and the reason of it is this , they plainly see that religion will make a great change among them , and cut them off from their former tyranny ; for they used to hold their people in an absolute servitude , insomuch as what ever they had , and themselves too were at his command ; his language was , as one said ( omne meum ; ) now they see that religion teaches otherwise , and puts a bridle upon such usurpations ; besides their former manner was , that if they wanted money , or if they desired any thing from a man , they would take occasion to rage and be in a great anger ; which when they did perceive , they would give him all they had to pacifie him ; for else their way was to suborne some villain ( of which they have no lack ) to finde some opportunity to kill him ; this keeps them in great awe of their sachems , and is one reason why none of them desire any wealth , only from hand to mouth , because they are but servants , and they get it not for themselves ; but now if their sachem so rage , and give sharp and cruell language , instead of seeking his favour with gifts ( as formerly ) they will admonish him of his sinne ; tell him that is not the right way to get money ; but he must labour , and then he may have money , that is gods command , &c. and as for tribute , some they are willing to pay , but not as formerly . now these are great temptations to the sachems , and they had need of a good measure both of wisdome and grace to swallow this pill ▪ and it hath set them quite off ; and i suppose that hence it is , that ( i having requested the court of commissioners for a ge●eral way to be thought of to instruct all the indians in all parts , and i told the indians that i did so , which they would soon spread ; and still in my prayers , i pray for the monohegens , narragansets , &c. ) the monohegen indians were much troubled lest the court of commissioners should take some course to teach them to pray to god ; and vnkus their sachem went to hartford this court ( for there they sate ) and expressed to elder goodwin his feare of such a thing , and manifested a great unwillingnesse thereunto ; this one of our commissioners told me at his coming home . this temptation hath much troubled cutshamoquin our sachem , and he was raised in his spirit to such an height , that at a meeting after lecture , he openly contested with me against our proceeding to make a town ; and plainly told me that all the sachems in the countrey were against it , &c. when he did so carry himself , all the ●ndians were filled with fear , their countenances grew pale , and most of them slunk away , a few stayed , and i was alone , not any english man with me ; but it pleased god ( for it was his guidance of me , and assistance ) to raise up my spirit , not to passion , but to a bold resolution , telling him it was gods work i was about , and he was with me , and i feared not him , nor all the sachems in the country , and i was resolved to go on do what they can , and they nor he should hinder that which i had begun , &c. and it pleased god that his spirit shrunk and fell before me , which when those indians that tarried saw , they smiled as they durst , out of his sight , and have been much strengthned ever since ; and since i understand that in such conflicts their manner is , that they account him that shrinks to be conquered , and the other to conquer ; which alas i knew not , nor did i aime at such a matter , but the lord carried me beyond my thoughts and wont ; after this brunt was over , i took my leave to go home , and cutshamoquin went a little way with me , and told me that the reason of this trouble was , because the indians that pray to god , since they have so done , do not pay him tribute as formerly they have done ; i answered him that once before when i heard of his complaint that way , i preached on that text , give unto caesar what is caesars , and unto god what is gods ; and also on rom. 13. naming him the matter of the texts ( not the places of which he is ignorant ) but he said its true , i taught them well , but they would not in that point do as i taught them ; and further he said , this thing are all the sachems sensible of , and therefore set themselves against praying to god ; and then i was troubled , lest ( if they should be sinfully unjust ) they should both hinder and blemish the gospel and religion ; i did therefore consult with the magistrates and mr. cotton and other elders ; mr. cottons text by gods providence , the next lecture gave him occasion to speak to it , which i fore-knowing advised some that understood english best , to be there ; and partly by what they heard , and by what i had preached to the like purpose , and told them what mr. cotton said , &c. they were troubled , and fell to reckon up what they had done in two yeers past , a few of them that lived at one of the places i preached unto ; i took down the particulars in writing , as followeth . at one time they gave him twenty bushels of corne , at another time more then sixe bushels ; two hunting dayes they killed him fifteen deeres ; they brake up for him two acres of land , they made for him a great house or wigwam , they made twenty rod of fence for him , with a ditch and two railes about it , they paid a debt for him of 3. li. 10. s. only some others were contributors in this money ; one of them gave him a skin of beaver of two pound , at his returne from building , besides many dayes works in planting corne altogether , and some severally ; yea they said , they would willingly do more if they would govern well by justice , and as the word of god taught them ; when i heard all this , i wondred , for this cometh to neere 30. livre. and was done by a few , and they thought it not much if he had carried matters better ; and yet his complaint was , they do nothing ; but the bottome of it lieth here , he formerly had all or what he would ; now he hath but what they will ; and admonitions also to rule better , and he is provoked by other sachems , and ill counsel , not to suffer this , and yet doth not know how to help it ; hence arise his tentations , in which i do very much pity him . having all this information what they had done , and how causelesse his complaint and discontent was , i thought it a difficult thing to ease his spirit , and yet clear and justifie the people , which i was to endeavour the next day of our meeting after the former contestations , therefore i was willing to get some body with me ; and by gods providence , elder heath went with me , and when we came there , we found him very full of discontent , sighing , sower looks , &c. but we took no notice of it . i preached that day out of the fourth of matthew , the temptations of christ ; and when i came at that temptation , of the devils showing christ the kingdomes and glories of the world , thereby to tempt him from the service of god , to the service of the devill ; i did apply it wholly to his case , shewing him the devill was now tempting him , as he tempted christ ; and sathan sheweth him all the delights and dignities , and gifts and greatnesse that he was wont to have in their sinfull way ; satan also tels him he shall lose them all if he pray to god , but if he will give over praying to god he shall have them all again ; then i shewed him how christ rejected that temptation , and exhorted him to reject it also , for either he must reject the temptation , or else he will reject praying to god ; if he should reject praying to god , god would reject him . after our exercise was ended , we had conference of the matter , and we gave him the best counsel we could ( as the lord was pleased to assist ) and when we had done , elder heath his observation of him was , that there was a great change in him , his spirit was very much lightned , and it much appeared both in his countenance and carriage , and he hath carried all things fairly ever since . but the temptation still doth work strongly , in the countrey the sachems opposing any that desire to submit themselves to the service of the lord , as appeareth sundry wayes ; some that began to listen , are gone quite back ; i meane sachems and some people that have a mind to it , are kept back ; this last lecture day one came in and submitted himself to call on god , and said he had been kept back this half yeer by opposition , but now at last the lord hath helped and emboldned him to break through all opposition . thus sathan seeketh to beat off these poore creatures from seeking after the lord by opposing the highest powers they have against the lord and this work of his , knowing that the light of the gospel and kingdome of jesus christ ( if it once get footing ) will scatter and dissipate that darknesse whereby his kingdome is maintained ; but i beleeve verily that the lord will bring great good out of all these oppositions , nay i see it already , ( though i see not all , i beleeve more then i can see ; you who can know the thoughts of gods love to his people , it is yet a secret ) but this i see , that by this opposition the wicked are kept off from us , and from thrusting themselves into our society , at least sundry are , who else might croud in among us and trouble us ; besides it is become some tryall now , to come into our company and call upon god ; for besides the forsaking of their pau-waus , ( which was the first triall ) and their old barbarous fashions and liberty to all sinne , and some of their friends and kindred , &c. now this is added , they incurre the displeasure of their sachems , all which put together , it cannot but appear there is some work of god upon their hearts , which doth carry them through all these snares , and adde to this , that if upon some competent time of experience , we shall finde them to grow in knowledge of the principles of religion , and to love the wayes of the lord the better , according as they come to understand them , and to yeeld obedience to them , and submit to this great change , to bridle lust by lawes of chastity , and to mortifie idlenesse by labour , and desire to traine up their children accordingly ; i say if we shall see these things in some measure in them , what should hinder charity from hoping that there is grace in their hearts , a spark kindled by the word and spirit of god that shall never be quenched ; and were these in a fixed cohabitation , who could gain-say their gathering together into a holy church-covenant and election of officers ? and who can forbid that they should be baptized ? and i am perswaded that there be sundry such among them , whom the lord will vouchsafe so far to favour and shine upon , that they shall become a church , and a spouse of jesus christ , and among whom the pure and holy kingdome of christ shall arise , and over whom christ shall reigne , ruling them in all things by his holy word . but though this trouble and oppsition is turned ( and shall be more ) unto a spiritual gaine , yet it behoveth us not to be secure , and regardlesse of our safety ; for if the adversary should discerne us naked and weak , and see an opportunity , who knoweth what their rage and sathans malice may stirre them up unto to work us a mischief ? nay , it is our duty to be vigilant , and fortifie our selves the best we can , thereby to put the enemy out of hope to hurt us , and to prevent them from attempting any evill against us , if it be the will of god ; and to that end we purpose ( if the lord will ) to make a strong palizado ( wanting means of doing better ) and if we cannot get any guns , powder , shot , swords , &c. we will make us slings , bowes , and other engines , the best the lord will please to direct us for our safety ; and when we have used the best meanes we can , i hope the lord will help us to trust in his great name , to make that our strong tower to flie unto . i see the lord delighteth to appear himself in the work , and will have us content our selves with little , low , poor things , that all the power and praise may be given to his great name ; our work in civilizing them will go on the more slowly for want of tools ; for though i have bought a few for them , we can do but little , for alas a few will set but a few on work , and they be very dear too ; had i store of horses this autumne either to lend them or sell them at moderate prizes , we should prepare ( by gods blessing ) good store of ground for corne against next yeere ; and had i wherewith to buy corne to carry up to the place , and have it in a readinesse to supply them , that so they might tarry at their work , and not be shut off through necessity to go get food , that also would be a great furtherance ; and had we but means to maintaine a discreet diligent man to work with them , and guide them in work , that also would much further the work ; and many such things i could propound as very requisite unto the work , but i lay my hand upon my mouth , i will say no more , i have left it with the lord , who hath hitherto appeared , and he will appear for his own eternal praise in shining upon the day of our smal things in his due season . the blessing of god upon this work doth comfortably , hopefuly , & successefuly , appear in the labours of my brother mahu at martins vineyard , insomuch that i hope they also will be after awhile ripe for this work of civility and cohabitation , if once they see a successeful pattern of it , and i doubt not but they will ( as these do ) ere long , desire church-fellowship , and the ordinances of gods worship ; the cloud increaseth , and the lord seemeth to be coming in among them ▪ they are very desirous to have their children taught , which is one argument that they truly love the knowledge of god ; as on the contrary , it is a great ground of doubt of the truth of grace in that mans heart , when he hath not an heart to take care to traine up his children in the truth and in the practise of all godlinesse , but this care is in them , and it is pity it should not be furthered by all meanes ; i have intreated a woman living neer where they dwell , to do that office for their children , and i pay her for it ; but when they go to their plantation , we shall be in a streight for help that way ; the indians so well like the parties who performeth that service , that they intreat them to go with them , which i look at as a finger of god ; they are i hope a godly couple , and might be a blessing to them , had we meanes to encourage them unto so difficult an enterprize , for it is a great matter to go and live among such a people ; but in that case also , i look up to the lord , and leave it with his holy care and wisdome ; and if the lord move any hearts to help in this work , i desire that the care of their schooling may be among the chiefest cares . if the lord please to prosper our poor beginnings , my purpose is , ( so for as the lord shal enable me to give attendance unto the work ) to have schoole exercises for all the men by daily instructing of them to read and write , &c. yea if the lord affords us fit instruments , my desire is , that all the women may be taught to read ; i know the matter will be difficult every way , for english people can only teach them to read english ; and for their own language we have no book ; my desire therefore is to teach them all to write , and read written hand , and thereby with pains taking , they may have some of the scriptures in their own language ; i have one already who can write , so that i can read his writing well , and he ( with some paines and teaching ) can read mine ; i hope the lord will both inlarge his understanding , and others also to do as he doth ; and if once i had some of themselves able to spell aright , write and read , it might further the work exceedingly , and will be the speediest way . sir , when i had gone thus farre in my letters , by a ship that came in , you wrote unto our governour touching the two libraries , my brother welds and mr. jenners , and of the willingnesse of the corporation to discharge for them , for which cause i do humbly thank the worshipful corporation , all the christian and much respected gentlemen my loving friends . and sir , i thank you for all your faithful pains in this work , and the more i am obliged thereunto , because herein i am like to partake of the fruit of your labours , the lord jesus give you a full reward . whereas you require the catalogue of both libraries , it shall be done ( if god will ) but i am to go into the countrey to the indians now , and have much businesse , therefore know not whether i can do it by this ship , if i can i will . this last court of commissioners sate at hartford conecticot , so that i could not speak with them , but this course i took by our governours advice ; our general court gave him with some other , power to give instructions to our commissioners ; therefore all my requests i did write unto him , and he gave them in his instructions to our commissioners , so they went strong . sir , i have done at present , mr. whitfeld will informe you farther in any particulars if need be : the lord of heaven blesse and assist you in all your wayes , and i beg your prayers for me still , and so rest roxbury this 21 of the 8th . 50 yours in our lord jesus . john eliot . the conclusion . and now ( loving reader ) having brought thee along through these divine dispensations of gods merciful dealing with the indians , i shall briefly acquaint thee with the workings of my own thoughts under the apprehension of these things . first , i see plainly the fulfilling of that divine truth and promise spoken of by david , psal. 138. 2. thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name , i. e. the word in the gospel brought and preached to men . the lord hath made this word the only outward instrumental means to bring home these wandring sinners ; to this word they have attended from the first ; from this they have received their light ; unto this they have given up themselves ; without this they will not stirre ; from this they will not depart ; from hence they have their peace , and have seen good dayes under the kingdome of our lord christ . secondly , the lord hath now declared one great end he had of sending many of his people to those ends of the earth ; for besides that the lord hath made that land a place of rest , and a little sanctuary to them in these troubleous times , and hath made it a place where mamany , very many have been brought home to christ , even amongst themselves ; so now apparently in the conversion of many of the heathens , who sing and rejoyce in the wayes of the lord . thirdly , when i looked on my dear native country ( in the bulke and masse of them ) there is one above doth know , that my heart melteth towards it , desiring the lord to give me grace to sorrow in secret for millions of them , who were never yet acquainted with what many of these poore indianns have felt and found of the things of christ , and that multitudes of such who hold forth a profession of christian religion , yet fall short of them , in regard of their belief and practise . here i helped my self by comparing the one with the other , and that in divers particulars . 1. these indians are found ( to speak of such whose hearts the lord hath opened by his word and spirit ) to prize ordinances , and such as bring the light to them , even that poor indian , whose best clothing is a simple skin about him , of whom you read in the first letter , yet they honour him for his works sake , and for those gifts , piety , and modesty they see in him ; here ministers of christ are despised , though many of them are eminent for parts , wisdome , and known integrity . 2. these indians are plain-hearted , seek for christ to enjoy him for himself ; they receive the truth in the love of it , and obey it without shifting or gain-saying ; here men have their own ends to tend to in matter of religion , take up the forme , and let the power lie , as not serving their turn , have evasions to get from under the authority of the truth , and the majesty of the rules of christ ; here is rending and tearing of wits , whilst we wrangle one another out of the truth , till love and peace be lost . 3. these indians are industrious and pursue the things of their salvation , rest they cannot , have it they must , what ever it cost them , bearing up strongly against all opposition : we have weak and bed-rid dispositions , sunk down into a sottish and sensuall way ; in many the kingdome of hell suffers violence , and none can withstand them , but thither they will . 4. these mourn and weep bitterly , and are pained under the sight and sense of their sins , when convinced of them ; that some of them have been known to have wet with their teares the places weere they have stood . we here for the most part , the lord knowes , live with dry eyes , and hard hearts , and sleight spirits . 5. they are careful and constant in duties of worship , both in private and family prayer , hearing the word , observation of the sabbath , meet often together , and will pray together as occasion serves , converse lovingly together , are teachable , patient , and contented . o that there were such hearts in us ! o that their example did not shame multitudes of us who are fearfully guilty of omitting what the very light of nature cals for from us ! for this my heart is sad , fearing that if the lord do not mightily step in , the next generation will be betrayed to ignorance of the truth as it is in jesus , to delusions and profanenesse , and be rendred odious to all our neighbour nations ; and that these indians will rise up in judgment against us and our children at the last day . brethren , the lord hath no need of us , but if it please him , can carry his gospel to the other side of the world , and make it there to shine forth in its glory , brightnesse , power and purity , and leave us in indian darknesse . and concerning these indians , who have tasted how gracious the lord is , though it cannot be expected but that the devil should be like himself , by the counter-working of this blessed work , both by himself and his instruments , so as to cause many of them to totter , back slide , and fall away from what they have professed ; yet i have ground to conceive and hope , that there is such a candle lighted amongst the indians in those parts which shall not be put out till christ comes to judgment , for the accomplishment of which he shall not cease to pray , who is your loving friend in all christian duties . henry whitfeld . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a96415e-550 some call it marthaes vineyard . by this name they call their kings and governors . * an indian house or wigwam is made with smal poles like an arbour covered with mats , and their fire is in the midst , over which they leave a place for the smoak to go out at . though i have written this passage to mr. winslow in my letter to him , which is printed , yet it is not so full a story as here , and therfore i have added it . this man when i was in the iland i often saw and spake with , seeing also the skar upon his eye-brow and nose . although i was present at this meeting from the beginning to the end , yet it was done without my privity or putting them on upon it , but it came meerly from themselves . this was towanqueticks eldest sonne . gen. 10. vide ainsw. 〈◊〉 loc. ezek. 11. 16. a true discourse of the present estate of virginia and the successe of the affaires there till the 18 of iune. 1614. together with a relation of the seuerall english townes and forts, the assured hopes of that countrie and the peace concluded with the indians. the christening of powhatans daughter and her mariage with an english-man. written by raphe hamor the yonger, late secretarie in that colony. hamor, ralph, d. 1626. 1615 approx. 132 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 40 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a02606 stc 12736 estc s105997 99841722 99841722 6322 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a02606) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 6322) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1142:13) a true discourse of the present estate of virginia and the successe of the affaires there till the 18 of iune. 1614. together with a relation of the seuerall english townes and forts, the assured hopes of that countrie and the peace concluded with the indians. the christening of powhatans daughter and her mariage with an english-man. written by raphe hamor the yonger, late secretarie in that colony. hamor, ralph, d. 1626. [8], 69, [3] p. by iohn beale for william welby dwelling at the signe of the swanne in pauls church yard, printed at london : 1615. the last leaf is blank. last paragraph on i2v begins "sir thomas dale". variant (earlier state): paragraph begins "but i". reproduction of the original in the university of michigan. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng pocahontas, d. 1617 -early works to 1800. indians of north america -virginia -early works to 1800. virginia -history -colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -early works to 1800. 2003-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-12 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-01 olivia bottum sampled and proofread 2004-01 olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a trve discovrse of the present estate of virginia , and the successe of the affaires there till the 18 of iune . 1614. together . with a relation of the seuerall english townes and forts , the assured hopes of that countrie and the peace concluded with the indians . the christening of powhatans daughter and her mariage with an english-man . written by raphe hamor the yonger , late secretarie in that colony . alget , qui non ardet . printed at london by iohn beale for william welby dwelling at the signe of the swanne in pauls church-yard . 1615. to the trvly honorable , and right worthy knight , sr. thomas smith , gouernour of the east india , muscou●a , north-west passages , somer islands companies , and treasurer f●r the first colony in virginia . honourable sir : haui●g in the time of my residence in virginia ( as it is true my imployment then inuited mee thereunto ) collected for my owne vse and benefit , some few occurrents and accidents , which are obuious in all new imployments , a thing which perhaps but few regard there to busie themselues with , and fewer heer to peruse : i resolued indeed only to delight my selfe , and som who i am bound to be thankefull vnto in that kinde with the vnworthy view of them , the rather , because i haue seen many publications & impressions of those affairs , by those , whose books i should be proud to beare after them : but such is the peruersenes of mankinde , such their incredulity of euery thing , saue what their eies tell them to b● true : yea , such their backwardnes in the pursuit of horable enterprises , that though there should bee no end of writing , but euery day should drawe foorth his line , and euery line his reall encouragement , as mine may in the state of the co●ony , as it now standeth , it were hard to say whether one of so many thousands as abound in england , might be thereby moued to ioine with others right worthyly disposed to become a har●y and deuoted furtherer of an action so noble , as is this , which thing if i faile in effecting , i shall not loose much labour , since when i vndertook this taske , i imagined no such thing : but meerly my owne delight and content . it shall be reward enough for me to expresse my indeauours there , though not equall with the best , yet not idly mispent . i labour not to seduce or betray any to an action or imployment , wherein once personally ingaged , they should haue any cause to blame me , neither would i force the helpe of any mans purse , more then voluntary , if i could beyond my art , vse such effectuall perswasions . there are enough in my opinion , and those the worthyest of england already vnited , as the way is now laid downe , to perfect this businesse , whose indeuours , if they proceed without , black slyding , and therein persist some fewe yeers longer , shall be requited and paid with such treble interest , as it shall not repent him that is now most cold in the pursuit , to haue refused more competitors to be sharers in the returnd profit . your noble selfe sir , euer emulous of vertue , and honourable enterprises , should shine to the world more noble in the vpholding of this imployment , though it apeared , as in the beginning , full of discouragement , which neuerthelesse , i know your self rests so assured is now more neer , then euer to perfection . your innate and habituall vertue needs no spurre , your honourable indeauours well witnesse the same : would god ( as is yours ) al mens offrings , though not so ample , were so free , so hartely sacrificed : then cou●d they not thus long haue wanted their rewards , perhaps for no other ●nd detained , but to make others , a thing which god professeth to loue and delight in , more chee●ful giuers . accept ( worthy sir ) this vnworthy treatise , the b●st t●stimony of my gratuity , which as yet my disabilities may render . trueth shall shroud and patronize it , from the maleuolent detracting multitude ; whose blame though it incurre their shame and imputation , it scorns , and returns vnto them . my zeale to the action , though i may seeme to haue forsaken it , giues mee the heart to publish , what i know to the world : to your s●lfe particularly your own worth , and de●arts to me , irrequitable , graunt but that fauourable acceptation , which euer accompanies your worth ; and i shall euer acknowledge my selfe wholy yours , in hope wherof i conclude with my seruice , & rest at your commaund to be disposed off ; ralph hamo● . to the reader . ignorant , or enuious , if you be readers : ●t is not to satisfie the best of you that i now write , a more seasonable time i must take to imbarque my selfe in so rough a sea and come off safe : onely his ●uthoritie ( who hath power to compell my selfe and duety ) hath commaunded me to satisfie his aff●ctions ( couetous of the dignitie and truth of this pious plantation ) with these particulars : that they are got abroade ▪ and become publike , was no purpose in their first conception though some respect haue made them so now : a naked and vnstrudied discourse , i acknowledge , without notes reserued but in m●morie ) to helpe it : yet thus much i doe a●ow , that it hath duety and truth to make good all other the wants , and imperfections of it : i will l●bour in no further excuse . concer●ing the virginie pious worke it selfe , how it hath thriued vnder the commaund both of sir thomas gates knight , gouernour , and sir thomas dale knight , and marshall of the collonie , these three yeeres and more : let me say , if ( setting aside thine owne ouerwe●●ing and singularity ) thy vnhoodded eye , can now at length looke vpon it ( after so many yeeres of her patience a●d passions ) thou wilt easily acknowledge , whose finger hath the al●●●-●uidance of it , and then ( i doubt nothing ) be●le●sed to here thy selfe intreated ( out of those gre●t ●lenties and hauings which god hath lent thee ) to spare a little-little portion to the ful setl●ng and finishing vp a sanctum sanctorum an holy house , a sanctuary to him , the god of the spirits , of all flesh , amongst such poore and innocent seduced sauages as we treate off , on whom let our hopes be , that it hath vouchsafed him now to be sufficiently reuenged for their forefathers ingratitude and treaso●s , and now in his appointed time to des●●d in m●rcie , to lighten them that sit in darkenes , and in the shaddow o● death , and to direct their feete in the waies of peace . sure yong though in yeeres and knowledge i may be said to be , yet let me remember , to thee perhaps much knowing ▪ reader , what the wisest man that euer writ or speake ( excepting him that was both god and man ) hath said , that such who bring others vnto righteousnesse shal themselues shine as the stars in the firmament . and doubtlesse i doe beleeue , euen amongst the rest of my articles , when these poore heathens shall be brought to entertaine the honour of the name , and glory of the gospell of our blessed sauiour , when they shall testifie of the true and euerliuing god , and iesus christ to be their saluation , their knowledge so inlarged and sanctified that without him they confesse their eternal death : i do beleeue i say ( and how can it be otherwise ? ) that they shal breake out and cry with rapture of so inexplicable mercie : blessed be the king and prince of england , and blessed be the english nation , and blessed for euer be the most high god possessor of heauen and earth , that sent these english as ●ngels to bring such glad tidings amongst vs. these will be doub●lesse the empaticke effects and exultation of ●his so christian worke , and may these nothing moue ? alas let s●●bal●at and tobiah ▪ papists and plai●es , ammonites and horonites , the seumme and dregges of the people , let them mocke at this holy businesse , they that be filthie , let them be f●lthie still , and let such swine wallow in the mire , but let not the rod of the wick●d fal● vpon the l●t of the righteous , let not them shrinke backe , and call in their helpes from this so glorious enterprise , w●ich the prophet isaiah cals the declaring of god to the left hand , but let them that know the worke , re●oice and be glad in the happie successe of it , proclaiming that it is the euerliuing god that raigneth in england , and vnto the ends of the world . excuse me ( curteous reader ) if caried beyond my purpose , i declaime passionately in this passiue and innocently despised worke , which i am sure is so full of goodnesse , and haue bin almost sixe yeeres a suffer and eye witnes of his now well nigh at chieu●d happinesse , the full and vnstaind reportory of euery accident whereof euen from his beginning , together with the causes of the backwardnes , in prosperity thus ●og , touching at the miraculous deliuery of the scattered company , cast vpon the bermudas , when those for●unate islands like so many faire neriades which receiued our wrackt company , with the death of that pure and noble hearted gentleman sir george sumers diing there my purp●se is shortly at large to publish , that at length some one escaped leaper amongst so many saued , may returne backe and pay his v●wes of thanks giuing vnto that euer to be praised mercifull prouidence that brought vs thither , vntil when i wish thy zealous and ferne●t thoughts and indeuours to a businesse so full of piety , ●● is this our virginie plantation . raphe hamor . a trve discovrse of the present estate of virginia , and the successe of the affaires there till the 18 of iune . 1614. the many publications and impressions of virginia , an imployment wherein to this day my selfe with many other vnstaid heads & thirstie after new designes , haue bin to vnprofitably ingaged , might iustly excuse my silence , did not the filiall duty whereby in all things to the vtmost of my power i am bound to obey my father , compell me vnwillingly thereunto : a taske i know by himselfe and others , meerely because i haue bin oculatus testis , thus imposed vpon me , in the vndertaking and performance whereof , i hartily wish that my poore relation , rich onely in truth ( as i shall cleerely iustifie my selfe by cie witnesses also ) may giue any credit or incouragement to proceede in a businesse so full of honour , and worth , whereunto ( if there were no secondary causes ) the already publisht ends , i meane the glory of god in the conuersion of those infidels , and the honour of our king and country ( which by right may claime at the least their superfluities , from those whom god hath in this world made his dispensors and purse-bearers ) might be a sufficient spurre to resolued christians , especially the state and condition of our collonie , so standing when i left it , and i assure my selfe in this time growne more mature , that an honest hart would euen relent , and mourne to thinke how poorely , i dare not say vnworthily it is prosecuted . it being true that now after fiue yeeres intestine warre with the reuengefull implacable indians , a firme peace ( not againe easily to be broken ) hath bin lately concluded , not onely with the nighbour , and bordering indidians , as on pataomecke , topahanah , and other riuers , but euen with that subtill old reuengefull powhatan and all the people vnder his subiection , for all whom powhatan himselfe stands firmely ingaged , by which meanes we shall not onely be furnished with what commodities their countrie yeeldeth , and haue all the helpes they may afforde vsin our indeuours ( as they are easily taught , and may by lenitie and faire vsage , as sir thomas dale now principall commander there , and most worthy the honour he houlds , is well experienced in their dispositions , and accordingly makes vse of them ) be brought , being naturally though ingenious , yet idlely giuē , to be no lesse industrious , nay to exceede our english , especially those which we hitherto and as yet are furnished with , who for the most part no more sensible then beasts , would rather starue in idlenesse ( witnesse their former proceedings ) then feast in labour , did not the law compell them thereunto , but also which will be most for our benefit , our owne men may without hazard , i might say with security ( by selfe-experience ) follow their feuerall labours , whereby twentie shall now bee able to performe more then heretofore hath bin fortie . though i coniecture and assure my selfe that yee cannot be ignorant by what meanes this peace hath bin thus happily both for our proceedings and the welfare of the naturals concluded , yet for the hono●● of captain argol whose indeuours in the action intituled him most worthy , i iudge it no whit impertinēt in my discourse to insert them , which w●th as much breuity as i may , not omitting the circumstances most pertinent and materiall , i shall indeuour . the general letters vpon my knowledge , directed and sent to the honourable virginia councell , being most of them ( though my selfe most vnworthy ) by me penned haue intimated , how that the euerworthy gentlemā capt. árga●● in the heate of our home furies & disagreements by his best experience of the dispositiō of those people , partly by gentle vsage & partly by the composition & mixture of threats hath euer kept faire & friendly quarter with our neighbours bordering onother riuers of affinity , yea consanguinity , no lesse neere then brothers to rowhatan , such is his well knowne temper and discretion , yea to this passe hath he brought them , that they assuredly trust vpon what he promiseth , and are as carefull in performing their mutuall promises , as though they contended to make that maxim , that there is no faith to be held with infidels , a meere and absurd paradox : nay as i haue heard himselfe relate , who is fide dignus , they haue euen bin pens●ue and discontented with themselues , because they knew not how to doe him some acceptable good turne , which might not onely pleasure him , but euen be profitable to our whole collonie , and plantation , yea euer assuring him that when the times should present occasion , they would take hold of her forelocke , and be the instruments to worke him content , and euen thus they proued themselues as honest performers , as liberall promisers . it chaunced powhatans delight and da●ling , his daughter pocahuntas , ( whose fame hath euen bin spred in england by the title of nonparella of virginia ) in her princely progresse , if i may so terme it , tooke some pleasure ( in the absence of captaine argall ( to be among her friends at pataomecke ( as it seemeth by the relation i had ) imploied thither , as shopkeepers to a fare , to exchange some of her fathers commodities for theirs , where residing some three months or longer , it fortuned vpon occasion either of promise or profit , captaine argall to arriue there , whom pocahuntas , desirous to renue hir familiaritie with the english , and delighting to see them , as vnknowne , fearefull perhaps to be surprised , would gladly visit , as she did , of whom no sooner had captaine argall intelligence , but he delt with an old friend , and adopted brother of his iapazeus , how and by what meanes he might procure hir captiue , assuring him , that now or neuer , was the time to pleasure him , if he entended indeede that loue which he had made profession of , that in ransome of hi● he might redeeme some of our english men and armes , now in the poss●ssion of her father , promising to vse her withall faire , and gentle entr●ary : iapazeus well assured that his brother , as he p●omised would vse her curteously promised his best indeuours and secresie to accomplish his desire , and thus wrought it , making his wife an instrument ( which sex haue euer bin most powerfull in beguiling inticements ) to effect his plot which hee had thus laid , he agreed that himselfe , his wife , and pocahuntas , would accompanie his brother to the water side , whether come , his w●●e should faire a great and longing desire to goe aboorde , and see the shippe , which being there three or foure times , before she had neuer seene , and should bee earnest with her husband to permit her : he seemed angry with her , making as he pretended so vnnecessary a request , especially being without the company of women , which deniall she taking vnkindely , must faine to weepe , ( as who knows not that women can command teares ) whereupon her husband seeming to pitty those counterfeit teares , gaue her leaue to goe aboord , so that it would please pochahuntas to accompany her : now was the greatest labour to win her , guilty perhaps of her fathers wrongs , though not knowne as she supposed to goe with her , yet by her earnest perswasions , she a●●●nted : so forth with aboord they went , the best cheere that could be made was seasonably prouided , to supper they went , merry on all hands , especially iapazeus and his wife , who to expres their ioy , would ere be treading vpō capt. argals foot , as who sh●●ld say t is don , she is your own . supper ended , pochahuntas was lodged in the gunners roome , but iapazeus and his wife desired to haue some conference with their brother , which was onely to acquaint him by what ●ratagem they had betraied his prisoner , as i haue already related : after which discourse to sleepe they went , pochahuntas nothing mistrusting this policy , who neuertheles being most possessed with feare , and desire of returne , was first vp , and hastened iapazeus to be gon , capt. argall hauing secretly well rewarded him , with a small copp●r kettle , and som ●th●r les valuable toies so highly by him esteemed , that doubtlesse he would haue betraied his owne father for them , permitted both him and his wife to returne , but told him , that for diuers considerations , as for that his father had then eigh of our english men , many swords , peeces , and other tooles , which he had at seuerall times by trecherons murdering our men , taken from them , which though of no vse to him , he would not redeliuer , he would reserue pocahuntas , whereat she began to be● exceeding pensiue , and discontented , yet ignorant o the dealing of iapazeus , who in outward appearance was no les discontented that he should be the meanes of her captiuity , much a doe there was to perswade her to be patient , which with extraordinary curteous vsage , by little and little was wrought in her , and so to iames towne she was brought , a messenger to her father forthwith dispached to aduertise him , that his only daughter was in the hands & possession of the english : ther to be kept til such time as he would ransom her with our men , swords , peeces , & other tools treacherously taken from vs : the news was vnwelcome , and troublesom vnto him , partly for the loue he bare to his daughter , and partly for the loue he bare to our men his prisoners , of whom though with vs they were vnapt for any imployment ) he made great vse : and those swords , and peeces of ours , ( which though of no vse to him ) it delighted him to view , and looke vpon . he could not without long aduise & delibertion with his councell , resolue vpon any thing , and it is true , we heard nothing of him till three moneths after , by perswasions of others he returned vs seauen of our men , with each of them a musket vnseruiceable , and by them sent vs word , that whensoeuer wee pleased to deliuer his daughter , he would giue vs in satisfaction of his iniuries done to vs , and for the rest of our peeces broken and stolne from him , 500 bushells of corne● and be for euer friends with vs , the men , and peeces in part of payment we receiued : and returned him answere , that his daughter was very well , and kindely intreated , and so should be howsoeuer he dealt with vs : but we could not beleeue that the rest of our arms were either lost , or stolne from him , and therefore till he returned them all , we would not by any meanes deliuer his daughter , and then it should be at his choice , whether he would establish peace , or continue enemies with vs. this answere as it seemed , pleased him not very wel , for we heard no more from him till in march last , when with captaine argalls shippe , and some other vessells belonging to the colony , sir thomas dale with an hundred and fifty men well appointed , went vp into his owne riuer , where his chiefest habitations were , and carried with vs his daughter , either to moue them to fight for her , if such were their courage and boldnesse , as hath been reported , or to restore the residue of our demands , which were our peeces , swords , tooles . some of the same men which he returned ( as they promised ) ran to him again , and because he had put vs to the trouble to fetch them fiue hundred bushels of corne : a great brauado all the way as we went vp the riuer they made , demaunding the cause of our comming thither , which wee tould them was to deliuer pocahuntas , whom purposely we had brought with vs , and to receiue our armes , men , & corn , or else to fight with them , burn their howses , take away their canoas , breake downe their fishing weares , and doe , them what other damages we could : some of them to set a good face on the matter , replied , that if wee came to fight with them ? we were welcome , for they were prouided for vs , councelling vs rather to retire ( if wee loued our safeties ) then proceed , bragging , as well they might , that wee had euer had the worst of them in that riuer , instancing by capt : ratliefe ( not worthy remembring , but to his dishonor ) who , with most of his company they betrayed and murthered : we told them since they durst remember vs of that mischief , vnlesse they made the better and more speedy agreement , we would now reuenge that trechery , and with this discourse by the way as we went , we proceeded , and had no sooner entred the narrow of the riuer , the channell there lying within shot of the shoare , but they let their arrowes flie amongst vs in the shippe , themselues vnseene to vs , and in the forehead hurt one of our men , whic● might haue hazarded his life without the present helpe of a skilfull chirurgion . being thus iustly prouoked , we presently manned our boates , went ashoare , and burned in that verie place some forty houses , and of the things we found therein , made freeboote and pillage , and as themselues afterward confest vnto vs , hurt and killed fiue or sixe of their men , with this reuenge sa●●sfying our selues , for that their presumption in shooting at vs , and so the next day proceeded higher vp the riuer , the indians calling vnto vs , and demaunding why we went a shoare , burnt their houses , killed and hurt their men , and tooke away their goods . we replied that though we came to them in peaceable manner , and would haue beene glad to haue receiued our demaunds with loue and peace , yet we had hearts and power to take reuenge , and punish where wrongs shold be offered , which hauing now don , though not so seuerely as we might , we rested content therewith and are ready to imbrace peace with them if they pleased , many excuses they seemed to pretend , that they shot not a● vs , but ( if any such abuse were offered ) it was some stragled indian , ignorant of our pretence in comming to them , affirming that they themselues would be right glad of our loue , and would indeauour to helpe vs to what we came for , which being in the possession of powhatan their king , they would without delay dispatch messengers to him , to know his purpose and pleasure , desiring faire quarter some 24 howers , for so long they pretended it would be before their messengers might returne : this wee graunted , and what we promised , we euer exactly performed , the time now come , we inquired what powhatan would doe , and had for answere , that our englishmen lately with him , fearefull to be put to death by vs , were runne away , and some of powhatans men sent abroade in quest of them , but our swords and peeces so many as he had should be brought the next day , which meerely to delay time , they bare vs in hand the next day they came not , higher vp the riuer we went , and ancored neere vnto the chiefest residencie powhatan had , at a towne called matchcot where were assembled ( which we saw ) about 400 men , well appointed with their bowes and arrowes to welcome vs , here they dared vs to come a shoare , a thing which we purposed before , so a shoare we went , our best landing being vp a high steepe hill which might haue giuen the enemy much aduantage against vs , but it seemed they as we were vnwilling to begin , and yet would gladly haue bin at blowes , being landed as if they had no shew of feare , they stirred not from vs , but walked vp and downe , by and amongst vs , the best of them inquiring for our weroance or king , with whom they would gladly consult to know the occasion of our comming thither , wherof when they were informed , they made answere that they were there ready to defend themselues , if we pleased to assault them , desiring neuerthelesse some small time to dispatch two or three men once more to their king , to know his resolution , which if not answerable to our requests , in the morning if nothing else but blood would then satisfie vs , they would fight with vs , and thereby determine our quarrell , which was but a further delay to procure time to carrie away their prouisions , neuerthelesse we agreed to this their request , assuring them till the next day by noone we would not molest , hurt , nor detaine any of them , and then before we fought , our drum and trumpets should gi●e them warning : vpon which promise of ours , two of powhatans sonnes being very desirous to see their sister who was there pr●s●nt ashore with vs , came vnto vs , at the sight of ●hom , and her well fare , whom they suspected to be worse intreated , though they had often h●ard the contrary , they much reioyced , and promised ●hat they would vndoubtedly perswade their father ●o redeeme her , and to conclude a firme peace foreuer with vs , and vpon this resolution the two brothers with vs retired aboarde , we hauing first dispatched two englishmen , ma●ster iohn rolfe and maister sparkes to acquaint their father with the businesse in hand , the next day being kindly intreated , they returned , not at all admitted powhatans prese●ce , but spake with his brother apachamo , his successor , one who hath already the commaund of all the people , who likewise promised vs his best indeauors to further our iust requests , and we because the time of the yeere being then aprill , called vs to our businesse at home to prepare ground , and set corne for our winters prouision , vpon these termes departed , giuing them respite t●ll haruest to resolue what was best for them to doe , with this prouiso , that if finall agreement were not made betwixt vs before that time , we would thith●r returne againe and destroy and take away all their corne , burne all the houses vpon that ri●er , leaue no● asish●ng weere standing , nor a canoa in any c●eeke therabout , and destroy and kill as many of them as we coul● . long before t●is time a gentleman of approued b●hauiour and hon●st cariage , maister iohn r●lfe had bin in loue with pocahuntas and ●he with him , which thing at the instant that we were in parlee with them , my selfe made known to sir thomas dal● by a letter from him , whereby he intreated his aduise and furtherance in his loue , if so it seemed fit to him ●or the good of the plantation , and pocahuntas her selfe , acquainted her brethren therewith : which resolution sir thomas da●e wel approuing , was the onely cau●e : hee was so milde amongst them , who otherwise would not haue departed their riuer without other conditions . the bruite of this pretended marriage came soone to powhatans knowledge , a thing acceptable to him , as appeared by his sudd●n consent thereunto , who some t●n daies after ●ent an ol●e vncle of hirs , named opachisco , to giue her as his deputy in the church , and two of his sonnes to see the mariage solemnized , which was accordingly done about the fist of aprill , and euer since we haue had friendly commerce and trade , not onely with powhatan himselfe , but also with his subiects round about vs ; so as now i see no reason why the coll●nie should not thriue a pace . besides this loue by this meanes with powhatan concluded , it will be worth my pa●nes to tunouer our friendship with our next neighbours , the chicohomin●es late●y confirmed , a lustie and daring people , who haue long time liued free from powhatans subiection , hauing law●s and gouernors within themselues : these people hearing of our concluded peace with powhatan , as the no●se thereof was soone bruted abroade , sent two of their men vnto vs , and two fat bucks for present to our king ( for so sir thomas dale is generally reputed and termed amongst them ) and offe●ed themselues and seruice vnto him , alleadging that albeit in former times they had bin our en●mies , and we theirs , yet they would now if we pleased become not onely our trustie friends , but euen king iames his subiects and tributari●s , and relinquish their old name of ch●cohominies , and ●ake vpon them , as they call vs the name of tossantessa● , and because they h●●e no principall commander or wer●ance , they would intreate sir thomas dale as king iames his deputie to be their supreame head , king and gouernor , and in all iust causes and quarrels to defend them , as they would be ready at all times to aide him , onely their desire was to inioy their owne lawes and liberties , and because himselfe , by reason of his many other imployments , beside the charge he hath of his owne people , may not be alwaies present amongst them , to be gouerned as formerly by eight of the elders and principall men amongst them , as his substitutes and councellers , and euen this was the summe and effect of their embassie , sir thomas dale appointed a day to send some men into their riuer , to propose certaine conditions vnto them , whereunto if they assented he would gladly accept of their proffered friendship , and be himselfe their weroance : and with this answere offering them copper for their venison , which they refused to take , dismissed them . when the appointed day came , sir thomas dale himselfe and captaine argall with 50 men in a barge and frigot , well appointed , least any trecherie might be intended , set forward to chicohominie , an arme of our riuer some seauen miles from iames town , where we found the people according to promise expecting our comming , assembled and met together , who after their best and most friendly manner , bad vs welcome , and because our businesse at home would permit vs but small time of stay with them , they presently sent for their principal men , some of whom were then absent , whi●h hastned vnto vs , & the next morning very early assembled , and sat in counsell about this businesse , captaine argall ( supplying sir thomas dales place amongst them , who though there present for some respects , concealed himselfe , and kept aboarde his barge ) after long discourse of their former proceedings , captaine argall tould them , that now since they had intreated peace and promised their loue and friendship , hee was sent vnto them from the great weroance to conclude the same , all former iniuries on both sides , set apart and forgotten , which he would doe vpon these conditions . first that they should take vpon them , as they promised , the name of tassant●sses or english men , and be king iames his subiects , and be foreuer honest , faithfull and trustie vnto his deputie in their countrie . secondly , that they should neuer kill any of our men or cattell , but if either our men or cattle should offend them or runne to them , they should bring them home again , and should receiue ●atisfaction for the trespasse done them . thirdly , they should at all times be ready and willing to furnish vs with three or foure hundred bowmen to aide vs against the spaniards , whose name is odious amongst them , for powhatans father was driuen by them from the west-indies into those parts , or against any other indians which should , contrary to the established peace of●er vs any iniurie . fourthly , they shall not vpon any occasion whatsoeuer breake downe any of our pales , or come into any of our townes or forts by any other w●ies , issues or ports then ordinary , but first call , and say the tossantessas are there , and so comming they shall at all times be let in , and kindely entertained . fifthly , so many fighting men as they haue which may be at the least fiue hundred should yeerely bring into our store house , at the beginning of their ●aruest two bu●hels of corne a man , as tribute of their obedience to his maiestie , and to his deputy there , for which they should receiue so many iron tomahawkes or small hatchets . lastly , the eight chiefe men which gouerne as substitutes and councellors vnder sir thomas dale , shall at all times see these articles and conditions duly performed for which they shall receiue a red coat , or liue●y from ou● ki●g yeere●y , and each of them th● pi●ture of his maiesty , ingrauen iu copper , wi●h ● chaine of copper to hang it about his necke , whe●by they shall be knowne to be king iames his noble men ; so as if these conditions , or any of them be broken , the offenders themselues shall not one●y be punished , but also those co●maundets , because they stand ingaged ●or them . after these arti●les were thus proposed , the whole assembly assenting thereunto , answered with a great sho●t , and noise , that they would readily and willingly performe them all ● and immediat●ly began the chiefe of the eight to make an oration to the rest , bending his speech first to the old men , then to the yong men , and in conclusion to the women and children , giuing them thereby to vnderstand the summe of the proposed conditions : and how strictly they were to obserue them : in consideration whereof , he further declared what wee haue promised to doe for them , not onely ●o defend and keepe them from the fury & danger of powhatan , which thing they most feared , but euen from all other enemies , domesticke , or forraigne , and that we would yeerely by trade furnish them with copper , beades , hatchets , and many other necessaries , yea , which liked them best , that we would permit them to enioy their owne liberties , freedoms , and lawes , and to be gouerned as formerly , by eight of their chiefest men . it shall not be vnnecessarie to insert the occasion ( as we im●gine ) of this their much desired , vnexpected friendship , which was questionlesse some sodaine feare of powhatans displeasure , being vnited with vs , ●ow able to reuenge their disobedience done vnto him : for you must imagine , these people presuming vpon their owne strength and number ( in no one place in those parts , which we know , so many togeather ) to haue a long time neglected powhatan , and refused , ( which the place hath ▪ been formerly accutomed , and as his right may chal●enge the homage and duty of subiects , which they ought to haue performed : to which obedience , fearing our power might compell them , they chose rather to subiect themselues to vs , then being enemies to both , to expose & lay themselues open to powhat●ns tiranny , & oppression : for this they did chiefely insist vpon , that he was an ill weroaules , full of cruelty , and minstice , couetous of those things they had , and implacable if they denyed him whatsoeuer he demaunded , and f●r these reasons , desired to be made one people wi●h vs , to curbe the pride and ambition of powhatan , from whom to def●nd them ( they tould vs it would be no breach of peace on our parts since now they were no longer chicohomimes , or naturalls , of that place , but tossantessars , and king iames his subiects , whom we are bound to defend . so soone as there was an end of speaking , and the peace firmely concluded , and assented vnto , captaine argall by the gui●t of eight great peeces of copper , and eight gr●at tomahawkes , bound the eight gr●at me● , or councellors to the exact performance , and keeping of t●e same , according to the conditions proclaimed , which they very gla●ly and thankefully acc●pted , and returned him , as testimonies of their loues , venison , turkies , freshfish , baskets , mats , and such like things as they were then furnished with , and so the councell brooke vp ▪ and t●en eue●y man brought to sell to our men skinnes , boules , ma●s baskets , tobacco , &c. and became as familiar amongs● vs , as if they had been english men iudeede . thus haue i briefely as the matter would permit , discoursed our es●ablished friendship with the naturalls , and the occasions thereof , which i hope will continue so long betweene vs , till they shall haue the vnderstanding to acknowledge how much they are bound to god for sending vs amongst them ( then which ) what worke would be more acceptable to god , more honourable to our king and country ? the greatest , and many enemies and disturbers of our proceedings , and that which hath hitherto deterd our people to addresse themselues into those parts , haue been onely two ; emnity with the naturalls , and the bruit of famine : one of these two ( and that indeede , which was some cause of the other ) i haue already remoued , and shall as easily take away the other : howbeit it were too great folly ( i might say impudency in me ) to auer that there hath raigned no such in●ection in the colony , occasioned , meerly by misgouernment , idlenesse , and faction , and chiefely by the absence ofthe of the euer worthy commaunders , sir thomas gates , and sir george summers by the prouidence of god , miraculously wract and saued vpon the hopefull sumer islands , since my selfe cannot but witnesse ( of which i had some tast ) in what a miserable condition , we found the colony at our ariuall there , from the bermudas , not liuing aboue threescore persons therein , and those scarce able to goe alone , of welnigh six hundred , not full ten moneths before : yet now i dare and will boldly affirme to the greatest aduersary of the plantation , that shall auer the contrary , that there is that plenty of foode , which euery man by his owne industry may easily , & doth procure that the poorest there , & most in want , hath not bin so much pinched with hunger this 4 yeers that if he would take any pains , he knew not wher to fetch a good meales meate : and true it is , that euery day by the prouidence , and blessing of god , and their owne industry , they haue more plenty then other , the reason hereof is at hand , for formerly , when our people were fedde out of the common store and laboured iointly in the manuring of the ground , and planting corne , glad was that man that could slippe from his labour , nay the most honest of them in a generall businesse , would not take so much faithfull and true paines , in a weeke , as now he will doe in a day , neither cared they for the increase , presuming that howsoeuer their haruest prospered , the generall store must maintain them , by which meanes we reaped not so much corne from the labours of 30 men , as three m●n haue done for themselues : to preuent which mischiefe heerafter sir thomas dale hath taken a new course , throughout the whole colony , by which meanes , the generall store ( apparrell onely excepted ) shall not be charged with any thing : and this it is , he hath allotted to euery man in the colony , three english acres of cleere corne ground , which euery man is to mature and tend , being in the nature of farmers , ( the bermuda vndertakers onely excepted ) and they are not called vnto any seruice or labor belonging to the colony , more then one moneth in the yeere , which shall neither be in seede time , or in haruest , for which , doeing no other duty to the colony , they are yeerly to pay into the store two barrells and a halfe of corne : there to be reserued to keep new men , which shall be sent ouer , the first yeere after their arriuall : and euen by this meanes i dare say , our store will be bountifully furnished , to maintain three or foure hundred men , whensoeuer they shall be sent thither to vs , that mony which hitherto hath bin disbursed , to prouide a tweluemoneths● victualls , if there were but now halfe so much bestowed in clothes , and bedding , will be such comfort to the men , a● euen thereby the liues of many shall not onely be preserued , but also themselues kept in strength and heart , able to per●●●me such businesses , as shall be imposed vpon them● and thus shall also the former charge b● well saued , and yet more businesse effected , the action renowned and more commodity returned to the merchant , and ye● saint for want of encou●agement . concerning the vndertaking of the bermuda citty , a businesse of greatest hope , euer begunne in our territories there , their pattent , which i purpose in this treatise to insert , doth apparantly demonst●ate , vpon what termes and conditions they voluntarily haue vndertaken that imployment , how forward that businesse is , in his due place shall bee expressed , onely giue me leaue with as much breuity as i may , least any man should diuert his minde , and be fearefull to aduenture his person thither , for feare of famine and penury , to amplifie a little the plenty there , for if it be true , as most eertaine it is , that those whom i haue described vnder the title of farmers , can pay into our store , two barrels and a halfe of corne yeerely , and others who labour eleauen moneths in the generall businesse of the colony , and but one to prouide thems●lues victualls , why should any man ( if he be industrious ) mistrust staruing ? if otherwise , for any part , and i thinke all that are ingaged in the action , and vnderstand the businesse , accord with me heerein , and would not wish his company there , nay they shall much wrong themselues , and the action , if they doe not withstand such , and deny them passage : for euen they and none else haue been the occasions of the manifould imputations , & disgraces , which virginia hath innocently vndergon , through their defaults : i would therefore by these relations not onely encourage honest and industrious : but also deterre all lasie , impotent , and ill liuers from , addressing themseues thither , as being a country too worthy for them , and altogeather disconsonant to their natures , which must either brooke labour or hazard , and vndergoe much displeasure , punishment , and penury , if they escape a thing which few idlers haue don , the scuruy dis●ase , with which few , or none once infected , haue recouered . to proceed therefore in my incouragement to painefull people , such as either through crosses in this world , or wract rents , or else grea● charge of children and family lieu heer , and that not without much care and sweat , in●o extreame pouerty : for those this countrey hath present remedy : eucrie such person , so wel● disposed to aduenture thither , shal soon find the difference between their own , and that country . the affaires in the colony , being so well ordered , and the hardest taskes already ouerpast , that whosoeuer ( now , or heerafter ) shall happily arriue there , shall find● a hansome howse of some foure roomes or more , if he haue a family , to repose himselfe in rent freee , and twelue english acres of ground , adioyning thereunto , very strongly impailed , which ground is onely allotted vnto him for roots , gardaine hearbs , and corne : neither shall hee need to prouide himselfe , as were wont the first plantersi , of a yeers prouision of victualls , for that the store there will bee able to affoord him , & vpon these conditions he shall be entertained ; he shall haue for himselfe & family , a competent● 1● months prouision deliuered vnto him , in which time it must bee his care to prouide for himselfe and family euer after , as those already there , to this end he shall be furnished with necessary tooles of all sorts , and for his better subsistance he shall haue poultry , and swine , and if he deserue it , a goate or two , perhaps a cow giuen him , which once compast , how happily he may liue , as doe many there , who i am sure will neuer returne , i submit to their own future well experienced iudgements . now , least any man should yet rest discouraged because as yet no mention is made of any other prouision of victualls , saue onely of bread corne , whih graunt , it may with labour be competently procured , will affoord but a bare , and miserable liuing , i thinke there is no man so ignorant to conceiue , that such a main continent as is virginia , boundlesse , for ought we haue discouered , and so goodly riuers , no where else to be parralled , should be more barraine of cattell , fish , and foule , then other lands , assuredly they are not : for true it is , that the land is stored with plenty and variety of wilde beasts , lions , bears , decre of all sorts , ( onely differing from ours in their increase , hauing vsuall , three or foure fawnes at a time , none that i haue seen or heard off vnder two : the reason whereof som of our people ascribe to the vertue of some grasse or hearb which they eate , because our goats often times bring foorth three , and most of them two : for my part i rather impute their fecundiry to the prouidence of god , who for euery mouth prouideh meate , and if this increase were not , the naturalls would assuredly starue : f●r of the deere ( they kill as doe wee bee●es in england ) all the yeer long , neither sparing yong nor olde , no not the does readie to fawne , nor the yong fawnes , if but two daies ould ) beauers , otters , foxes , racounes , almost as big as a fox , as good meat as a lamb , hares , wild cats , muske rats , squirills flying , and other of three or foure sorts , apossumes , of the bignesse and likenesse of a pigge , of a moneth ould , a beast of as strange as incredible nature , she hath commonly seauen yong ones , sometimes more and sometimes lesse which at her pleasure till they be a moneth olde or more she taketh vp into her belly ; and putteth forth againe without hurt to her selfe or them . of each of these beasts , the lion excepted , my selfe haue many times eaten , and can testifie that they are not onely tastefull , but also wholesome and nourishing foode . there are ●oule of diuers sorts , eagles , wilde turkeis much bigger then our english , cranes , herons white and ●usset , hawkes , wilde pigeons ( in winter beyond number or imagination , my selfe haue seene three or foure houres together flockes in the aire , so thicke that euen they haue shaddowed the skie from vs ) turckie bussards , partridge , suipes , owles , swans , geese , brants , ducke and mallard , droeis , shel drakes cormorants , teale , widgeon , curlewes , puits , besides other small birds , as blacke-birde , hedge sparrowes , oxeies , wood peckers , and in winter about christmas many flockes of parakertoths . for fish the riuers are plentifully stored , with sturgion , porpasse , base , rockfish , carpe , shad , herring , ele , catfish , perch flat-fish , troute , sheepes-head , drummers , iarfish , creuises , crabbes , oisters and diuerse other kindes , of all which my selfe haue seene great quantity taken , especially the last summer at smiths island , at one hale , a frigots lading of sturgion , base and other great fish in captaine argals sauie : and euen at that very place which is not aboue fifteene miles from pointeomfort , if we had been furnished with salt , to haue saued it , wee might haue taken as much fish as would haue serued vs that whole yeere . nor are these prouicion of bread , flesh and fish , al we haue for sustentation of mans life , behold more change and variety of foode , which our soile and climate affordeth , carrats , parsneps , turneps , raddish , pumpions ( of the west indie kinde in great abundance , of one seede i haue seen an hundreth , much better then ours and lasting all the yeere ) cabbadge , parsley , all manner of pothearbs and other hearbes , marger●● , time , wi●ter-sauory , lettice purslaine , &c , and besides the naturall graine of that country , as wheate pease and beanes , it did me much good to view our english wheate how forward it was , full eard , of one graine fortie cares or more , a span long , and onely wanting ripening in mid iune our english pease then ripe , and beanes very forward , and english barly very hopefull , such as mine e●es neuer beheld , better in england : and if that soile bring forth these things ( as can those which haue bin there with me affirme and witnesse ) as plentifull and vnchangeable for taste and quantity as england or any other country , why shold any man that hath his limbes , in a peaceable state as is that , so much as dreame of staruing ? to goe yet a little further , i my selfe know no one country yeelding without art or industry so manie fruites , sure i am england doth : wilde grapes in abundance al the woods ouer , their iuice sweete and pleasant in taste , some of them wee haue replanted in a vineyard adioyning to henrico , the quantity of three or foure akers which were this yeere very plentifully laden , to what perfection they will come , the next returne will aduertise : cherries little inferior to ours , which if replanted may prooue as much better as now they are worse pissmienplums in bygnes and fashion like a medlar of a flipticke quality , other sorts of plummes like to our wheat plums , and in goodnes answerable : great fields and woods abounding with strawberies much fairer and more sweete then ours , mulberries of great bignesse , and about the bermuda cittie and hundirds thereunto belonging great store thereof , maricocks of the fashion of a lemmon whose blossome may admit comparison with our most delight some and bewtifull flowers , and the fruite exceeding pleasant and tast●●●●● ches●●it-trees towards the fals as many as oakes , and as fertile , many goodly groues of chincomen trees with a huske like vnto a chesnut , raw or hoyled , luscious and harty meate : walnuts of three or four sorts , where o● 〈◊〉 might be yeerely made great quantity of oyl●s , as vsefull and good as that of oliues : some filberds i haue seene , crabbes great store , lesse , but not so sower as ours , which grafted with the siens of english● aple trees , without question would beare very good fruite , and we doubt not but to haue the siens enough the next yeere , there being in sir thomas gates his garden at iames town , many forward apple & peare trees come vp , of the kernels set the yeere before . if all this be not sufficient , loe further incouragement , the collony is already furnished with two hundred neate cattell , as many goates , infinite hogges in heards all ouer the woods , besides those to euerie towne belonging in generall , and euery priuate man , some mares , horses & colts , poultry great store , besides tame turkeis , peacockes and pigeons plentifully increasing and thriuing there , in no countrie better . of our yong steeres the next winter we doubt not to haue three or foure ploughes going , which once compast , we shall in short time be able to repay england the corne they haue lent vs. if i knew yet any further impediments which might seeme to giue discouragement to aduenture thither , i should as easily remoue them . obiect that pleaseth the want of cloathes , so long as there are wilde beasts there , and the beasts haue skinnes on their backes ( if the necessity were such ) why should not we as doe the naturals , cloath our selues therewith , it is no worse then our fore-fathers haue worne before vs , and such as will saue vs from the colde in winter , and heate in summer : but admit there ▪ were no skinnes or being there , our people disdaine to weare them . if there be any man that hath beene so ill an husband here that he cannot furnish himselfe with a yeeres prouision of apparrell ; if i might counsell he should not be suffered to goe thither , for that country is not for him , as for others who can prouide apparrell for the first yeere , i holde him a worse husband then the former , that shall at any time after be worse cloathed then he went ouer : the valuable commoditie of tobacco of such esteeme in england ( if there were nothing else ) which euery man may plant , and with the least part of his labour , tend and care will returne him both cloathes and other necessaries . for the goodnesse whereof , answerable to west-indie trinidado or craeus ( admit there hath no such bin returned ) let no man doubt . into the discourse wherof , since i am obuiously entred , i may not forget the gentleman , worthie of much commendations , which first tooke the pains to to make triall thereof , his name mr iohn rolfe , anno domini 1612. partly for the loue he hath a long time borne vnto it , and partly to raise commodity to the aduenturers , in whose behalfe i witnesse and vouchsafe to holde my testimony in beleef● , that during the time of his aboade there , which draweth neere vpon sixe yeeres , no man hath laboured to his power , by good example there and worthy incouragement into england by his letters , then he hath done , witnes his mariage with rowhatans daughter , one of rude education , manners barbarousand cursed generation , meerely for the good and honour of the plantation : and least any man should conceiue that some sinister respects allured him hereunto , i haue made bold contrary to his knowledge in the end of my treatise to insert the true coppie of his letter , written to sir thomas dale to acquaint him with his proceedings , and purpose therein , the rather to giue testimony to the misconstruing and ill censuring multitude of his integritie , in the vndertaking a matter of so great a consequent , who in my hearing haue not spared to speak their pleasures ; his owne letter hits them home , and the better sort , who know to censure iudiciously cannot but highly commend and approue so worthy an vndertaking . thus farre i haue applied my selfe to incourage personall aduenturers : i would gladly now by worthy motiues , allure the heauie vndertakers to persist with alacritie and cheerefulnesse , both for their owne reputations , the honour of god , and their king and country . the worthier sort , j meane those nobles and others of that honourable counsell interessed therein , neede no spurre , their owne innate vertues driues them a pace . the merchant onely wants some feeling and present returne of those commodities which he is perswaded the country affordeth : to them therefore i will addresse my speech , and if i may perswade them to be constant in their proceedings some small time longer , the benefit will be the greater and the more welcome when it commeth . it is not for nothing sir thomas dale , so noblie without respect to his liuing , to his lady here in england , past the prefixed time of his resolued returne , yet remaineth there ; i am sure if he pleased he might returne with as much honour as any man from thence , i say not more . i shall little neede , and indeede it were but wast and idle for me to repeate and mention the commodities , which with onely labour may bee there procured : many treatises hath them at full . samples haue beene sent home , and no man disputeth the goodnes , or the quantitie there to be had : take therefore double courage to yourselues , and let these two yeeres neglect be restored by a cheerefull and new onset , and for your incouragement reade yet a little further , and view the face of the colony , euen superficially portraide : see what effects these three ye●res haue wrought . in may 1611 sir thomas dale , with a prosperous passage , not full eight weekes arriued there , with him about three hundred people , such as for the present speede , and dispatch could then be prouided , of worse condition then those formerly there , who i sorrow to speake it , were not so prouident , though once before bitten with hunger and pennury , as to put corne into the gound for their winters bread , but trusted to the store , then furnished but with eight months prouisiō . his first care therfore was to imploy al hands about se●ting of corne at the two forts , seated vpon ke●oughtan , henry and charles , whereby the season then not fully past , thogh about the end ; of may , we had there an indifferent crop of good corn . this businesse taken order for , and the care and trust of it committed to his vnder officers , to iames towne he hastened , where the most company were , and their daily and vsuall workes , bowling in the streetes , these he imployed about necessary workes , as felling of timber , repairing their houses ready to fall vpon their heads , and prouiding pales , post and railes to impaile his pu●posed new towne , which by reason of his ignorance in those parts , but newly arriued there , he had not resolued where to seate . for his better knowledge therefore of those parts , himselfe with an hundreth men , spent some time in discouery , first nansamund riuer , which in dispight of the indians , then our enemies , he discouered to the head , after that , our owne riuer , to the fals , wherevpon a high land inuironed with the mayn riuer , som sixteene or twentie miles , from the head of the fals , neere to an indian towne called arsahattocke , he resolued to plant his new towne , and so did , whereof in his due place i shall make a briefe relation . it was no meane trouble to him , to reduce his people , so timely to good order , being of so il a condition as may well witnesse his seuere and strict imprinted booke of articles , then needefull with all seuerity and extremity to be executed , now much mitigated , for more deserued death in those daies , then do now the least punishment , so as if the law should not haue restrained by execution , i see not how the vtter subuersion and ruine of the colony should haue bin preuented , witnesse webbes and prises designe the first yeere , since that abbots and others more daungerous then the former , and euen this summer , coles and kitchins plot , with three more , bending their course towards the southward , to a spanish plantation , reported to be there , who had trauelled ( it being now a time of peace ) some fiue daies iorney to ocanahoe● , there cut off by certaine indians , hired by vs to hunt them home to receiue their deserts . so as sir thomas dale hath not bin tyranous , nor seuere at all ; indeede the offences haue bin capitall , and the offenders dangerous , incurable members , for no vse so fit as to make examples to others , but the manner of their death may some obiect , hath bin cruell , vnusuall and barbarous , which indeede they haue not bin , witnesse france , and other countries for lesse offences : what if they haue bin more seuere then vsuall in england , there was iust cause for it , we were rather to haue regard to those whom we would haue terrified , and made fearefull to commit the like offences , then to the offenders iustly condemned , it being ●rue that amongst those people ( who for the most part are sencible onely of the bodies torment ) the feare of a cruell , painefull and vnusuall , death , more restrains them then death it selfe . thus much obuiously , i proceede in his indeuours vntill sir thomas gates his happie arriuall , which was onely in preparing timber , pales , posts and railes for the present impaling this new towne to secure himselfe and men from the mallice and trechery of the indians , in the midst and hart of whom , he was resolued to set downe , but before he could make himselfe ready for that businesse , sir thomas gates though his passage more long then vsuall , to second him herein , happily arriued about the second of august , with sixe good shippes , men , prouisions and cattle , whom as yet not fully discouered , we supposed to be a spanish fleete , thus induced the rather to beleeue , because in company with him were three caruals , vessels which neuer before had bin sent thither , and now onely for the transportation of the cattle . it did mee much good , and gaue great courage to the whole company to see the resolution of sir thomas dale , now wholy busied ( our land fortifications to weake to withstand a forraigne enemy ) in lading our prouisions aboard the two good shippes , the starre and prosperous , and our own deliuerance , then riding before iames town , aboarde which shippes , he had resolued to encounter the supposed enemy , animating his people , not onely with the hope of victory if they readily obeied his direction , but also assuring them that if by these meanes god had ordained to set a period to their liues , they could neuer be sacrificed in a more acceptable seruice , himselfe promising , rather to fire the spanish shippes with his owne , then either basely to yeelde , or to be taken : and in nothing he seemed so much discontent as that we could not possibly lade aboarde all our prouisions before ( the winde being then very faire ) they might haue bin with vs , whilest therefore the rest were labouring their vtmost to lade aboarde our prouisions , hee caused a small shallop to be manned with thirty readie and good shot to discouer directly what shippes they might be , and withall speede to returne him certaine word , which within three houres they did , assuring him that is was an english ●eete , sir thomas gates generall thereof : which newes how welcome it was vnto him , principally because now he doubted not the happie progression of the affaires in hand , let any man ( equally with him affected to the good and welfare of the action ) iudge and determine . the worthies being met , after salutation and welcome giuen , and receiued , sir thomas dale acquainted sir thomas gates both with such businesses as he had affected since his arriuall , and also of his resolution to builde a new towne , at the fales , which designe and purpose of his , sir thomas gates then principall gouernour in virginia , well approuing , furnished him with three hundred and fiftie men , such as himselfe made choise of , and the beginning of september 1611 he set from iames town , and in a day & a halfe , landed at a place where he purposed to seate & builde , where he had not bin ten daies before he had very strongly impaled seuen english acres of ground for a towne , which in honour of the noble prince henrie ( of euer happie and blessed memory , whose royall heart was euer strongly affected to that action ) he called by the name of henrico . no sooner was he thus fenced , and in a manner secured from the indians , but his next worke ( without respect to his owne health or particular welfare ) was building at each corner of the towne , very strong and high commanders or watch-towers , a faire and handsome church , and storehouses , which finished he began to thinke vpon conuenient houses , and lodgings for himselfe and men , which with as much speede as was possible , were more strongly and more handsome then any formerly in virginia , contriued and finished , and euen in foure moneths space , he had made henrico much better and of more worth then all the worke euer since the colonie began , therein done . i should be to tedious if i should giue vp the accompt of euery daies labour , which therefore i purposly omit , and will onely describe the towne , in the very state and perfection wich i left it , and first for the situation , it stan●es vpon a neck of a very high land , 3 parts thereof inuironed with the main riuer , and cut ouer betweene the two riuers , with a strong pale , which make●h the neck of land an island . there is in this town 3 streets of well framed howses , a hansom church , and the foundation of a more stately one laid , of brick , in length , an hundred foote , and fifty foot wide , beside store houses , watch houses , and such like : there are also , as ornaments belonging to this town , vpon the verge of this riuer , fiue faire block houses , or commaunders , wherein liue the honester sort of people , as in farmes in england , and there keepe continuall centinell for the townes security , and about two miles from the towne into the main , a pale of two miles in length , cut ouer from riuer to riuer , garded likewise with seuerall commanders , with a great quantity of corne ground impaled , sufficient if there were no more in the colony secured , to maintain with but easiy manuring , and husbandry , more men , then i suppose , will be addressed thither ( the more is the pitty ) these 3 yeeres . for the further enlargement yet of this town , on the other side of the riuer , by impaling likewise : for we make no other fence , is secured to our vse , especially for our hogges to feede in , about twelue english miles of ground , by name , hope in faith , coxen-dale , secured by fiue forts , called , charity fort , mount malado , a retreat , or guest house for sick people , a high seat , and wholsome aire , elzabeth fort , and fort patience : and heere hath mr. whitacres chosen his parsonage , or church land , som hundred acres impaled , and a faire framed parsonage house built thereupon , called rocke hall of this towne , and all the forts thereunto belonging , hath captaine iames dauis , the principall commaunde , and gouernment . i proceed to our next and most hopefull habitation , whether we respect commodity , or security , ( which we principally aime at ) against forraigne designes , and inuasions , i meane the bermuda citty , begun about christmas last , which because it is the neerest adioyning to henrico , though the last vndertaken , i hould it pertinent to handle in the next place . this towne , or plantation is seated by land , some 5 miles from henrico , by water fourteene , being the yeer before the habitation of the appamatucks , to reuenge the trecherous iniurie of those people , done vnto vs , taken from them , besides all their corne , the former before without the losse of any , saue onely some few of those indians , pretending our hurt ) at what time sir thomas dale , being himself vpon that seruice , and duly considering how commodious a habitation and seat it might be for vs , tooke resolution to possesse and plant it , and at that very instant , gaue it the name of the new bermudas , whereunto he hath laid out , and annexed to be belonging to the freedome , and corporation for euer , many miles of c●ampion , and woodland , in seuerall hundreds , as the vpp●r and nether hundreds , rochdale hundred , wests sherly hundred , and digges his hundred in the nether hundred he first began to plant , and inhabite for that there lyeth the most conuenient quantity of corne ground , and with a pale cut ouer from , riuer to riuer , about two miles long , wee haue securd some eight miles circuit of ground , the most part champion , and exceeding good corne ground , vppon which pale , and round about , vpon the verge of the riuer in this hundred , halfe a mile distant from each other , are very faire houses , already builded , besides diuers other particular mens houses , not so few as fifty , according to the conditions of the pattent graunted them , which who so pleaseth to peruse , shall in the end of my discourse finde it inserted . in this plantation next to sir thomas dale is principal , in the commaund , captaine georg yardley , sir thomas gates his lieftenaunt , who se endeauours haue euer deserued worthy commendations in that imployment . rochdale hundred by a crosse pale , well nigh foure miles long , is also already impaled , with bordering houses all along the pale , in which hundred our hogges , and other cattell haue twenty miles circuit to graze in securely . the vndertaking of the chiefe citty deferred till their haruest be in , which once reaped , all hands shall be imployed theron , which sir thomas dale purposeth , and he may with some labour effect his designes , to make an impregnable retreat , against any forraign inuasion , how powrefull so euer . about fifty miles from this seat , on the other side of the riuers , is iames towne situate , vpon a goodly and fertile island : which although formerly scandoled with vnhealthfull aire , we haue since approued as healthfull as any other place in the country : and this i can say by mine own experience , that that corn and gardaine ground ( which with much labour beeing when we first seated vpon it , a thick wood ) wee haue cleered , and impaled , is as fertile as any other we haue had experience and triall off . the towne it selfe by the ca●e and prouidence of sir thomos gates , who for the most part had his chiefest residence there , is reduced into a hansome forme , and hath in it two faire rowes of howses , all offramed timber , two stories , and an vpper garret , or corne lof● high , besides three large , and substantiall storehowses , ioyned togeather in length some hundred and twenty foot , and in breadth forty , and this town hath been lately newly , and strongly impaled , and a faire platforme for ornance in the west bulworke raised : there are also without this towne in the island , some very pleasa●t , and beutifull howses , two blockhouses , to obserue and watch least the indians at any time should swim ouer the back riuer , and come into the island , and certain other farme howses . the commaund and gouernment of this town , hath master iohn scarpe , li●tenant to captain francis west , brother to the right honourable , the lord lawarre . from iames towne downewards , some forty and odde miles at the mouth of the riuer , neer point comfort , vpon kecoughtan , are two pleasant and commodious forts , henrie and charles , goodly seats , and much corne ground about them , abounding with the commodities of fish , fowle , deere , and fruits , whereby the men liue there , with halfe that maintenaunce out of the store , which in other places is allowed : certainly this habitation would bee no whit inferiour to the best we haue there , saue , as yet , with the poore meanes we haue ; we cannot secure it , if a forraigne enemy , as we haue iust cans to expect daily should attempt it . and of these forts , captain georg we● was lately establishd the principall commander . it hath been our greatest care , and labour hitherto , and yet but these three yeers , the former foure meerely mispent , to compasse these businesses , which being thus setled , and brought to such perfection , as i haue described , now doth the time approch , that commodity may be expected , and if meanes bee sent ouer , will assuredly be returned . what honest spirit , hauing hitherto laboured herein , would at the vpshot ( as i may so term it ) be discouraged or desist ? i hope none , rather more will be animated , ( if need require ) to put too their helping hands and purses . and euen thus i haue shaddowed i hope , without the guilt of tedious , or prolix discourses ( as i haue been able ) the trne condition ( though many circumstances omitted ) of virginia , what may the substance be , when the externall shew is so forward , so glorious . i haue purposely omitted the relation of the contry commodities , which euery former treatise hath abundantly , the hope of the better mines , the more base , as iron , allom , and such like , perfectly discouered , and made triall off , and surely of these things i cannot make so ample relation , as others , who in the discouery of those affaires , haue bin , then my selfe more often conuersant , onely of the hopefull , and marchantable commodities of tobacco , silke grasse , and silke wormes : i dare thus much affirme , and first of tobacco , whose goodnesse mine own experience and triall induces me to be such , that no country vnder the sunne , may , or doth affoord more pleasant , sweet , and strong tobacco , then i haue tasted there , euen of mine owne planting , which , howsoeuer being then the first yeer of our triall thereof , wee had not the knowledge to cure , and make vp , yet are ther some now resident there , out of the last yeers well obserued experience , which both know , and i doubt not , wili make , and returne such tobacco this yeer● , that eu●n england shall acknowledge the goodnesse thereof . now i proceed to the silke grasse which groweth like vnto our flax , i meane not , of that kinde fo●merly sent ouer , i haue seen , euen of the naturall , and wilde plants , which captaine martin , who much delighteth in those businesses , hath made , exceeding fine , and exceeding strong silke , and himselfe hath replanted many of the wilde plants this yeere , the silke whereof he purposeth to returne for triall . the silke wormes sent thither from england , in seeds the last winter , came foorth many of them the beginning of march , others in aprill , maye , and iune , thousands of them grown to great bignesse , and a spinning , and the rest well thriuing of their increase , and commodity well knowne to be reaped by them , we haue all most assurance ( since sure i am ) no country affoordeth more store of mulbery trees , or a kind with whose leafe they more delight , or thriue better . it may be heere happily expected , that i should giue vp the relation of captaine argalls particular voyages and indeauours , and euen as in a plat , demonstrate his norward discoueries , from which businesse i desire to be excused , partly , because himselfe is best able to make his owne relations , and partly , because my home imployments would not permit me leisure to accompany him , though my selfe desirous , in any of his voyages , whose indeauours , if i should indeauour to make knowne , and publish , could receiue no honour at all by my commendations , or descriptions : much might they be impaired , through my ignorance , or vnskillfullnes to set them foorth : yet cannot i omit to publish to the world , what present reliefe he hath don to the colony , furnishing vs by two trading ▪ voyages , with three and twenty hundred bushels of corne , into our store deliuered : beside , what he reserued for his mens prouision , what he bestowed vpon well deseruers , and what his men appropriated , i passe by the benefit of peace iu those parts , by reason of his captiue pochahuntas , concluded established , and will onely name the commoditie by his meanes done vnto vs , in repairing of our weatherbeten boats , and furnishing vs with new , b●th strong , and vsefull , without whose assistance heerin , vnlesse wee should haue omitted other necessary imployments , i see not how we should haue had passage one to another . his norward discoueries towards sacadeh●c , and beyond to portroyall , sancta ▪ crux , and thereabout may not be concealed : in which his aduentures , if he had brought home no commodity to the colony , ( which yet he did very much , both of apparrell , victualls , and many other necessaries ) the honour which he hath done vnto our nation , by displanting the french , there beginning to seate & fortesie within our limits , and taking of their ship and pinnas , which he brought to iames towne , would haue been reward enough for his paines , and will euer speake loud his honour , and approue● valour . i haue heard it credibly reported , euen from the mouth of captaine argall , that in one small shippe , and in one voyage , the french haue cle●red eight thousand pounds by trade with the indians , for ●●rs , which benefit wil be as easily by vs procured . it is true the saluadges there inhabiting ( before captaine argalls arriuall ) esteemed the french as demy-gods , and had them in great estimation : but seeing them vanquished and ouercom by vs , forsook the● , yea , which is no meane point of pollicy , desired our friendship , telling captaine argall , that hee had vndone them for euer , for that the french by yeer●ly trade with them for furres , furnished them with ma●y necessaries , whereof they had great want , which trade by this meanes might happily be hindered . but captaine argall hath agreed with them to res●rue their furr●s for him , and promised the● , once a yeere to come thither , and truck with them : they seemed very well content , assuring him , that though the french should at any time arriue there , and proffer them trade , they would reserue all their furs for him , and what profit by this meanes onely , may be returned to the virginia aduenturers , i submit to captaine argalls owne oppinion and iudgement . i purrposely omitted one thing in the treatise of our concluded peace , wherewith i intend to conclud my discourse , which already i haue drawne to a longer period then i purposed , whereby wee haue gathered the better assurance , of their ho●est inward intentions , and this it is . it pleased sir thomas dale ( my selfe being much desirous before my returne for england , to visit powhatan , & his court , because i would be able to spea● somwhat thereof by mine own knowledge ) to imploy my selfe , and a● english boy for my interpreter on thomas saluage ( who had liued three yeers with powhatan , and speakes the language naturally , one whom powhatan much affecteth ) vpon a message vnto him , which was to deale with him , if by any meanes i might procure a daughter of his , who ( pochahuntas being already in our possession ) is generally reported to be his delight , and darling , and surely he esteemeth her as his owne soule ) for surer pledge of peace . i departed the fifteenth of may early in the morning , with the english boy , and two indian guides , from the bermudas , and came to his court or residence ( as i iudge some three score miles distant from vs , being seated at the h●●d almost of pama●nkie riuer , at a towne called m●tchcot ) the next night after , about twelue of the clocke , the former night lodging in the open woods , feareles and without daunger : when we were come oppo●●te to his towne , the maine riuer betweene him and vs , least at any time we should martch by land vnto him vndiscouered : my indian guides called f●r a canoa ( ● boate made onely of one tree , after the fashion of a hollow trough ) to transport vs , giuing them to know that there was two english sent vpon businesse to powhatan from the english weroance , which once knowne , a canoa was presently sent , and we ferried ouer , powhatan himselfe attending at the landing place to welcome vs. his first salutation was to the boy , whom he very wel rem●mbred , after this manner : my childe you are welcome , you haue bin a straunger to me these foure yeeres , at what time i gaue you leaue to goe to paspahae ( for so was iames towne called before our seating there ) to see your friends , and till now you neuer returned : you ( said he ) are my child , by the donatiue of captaine newport , in liew of one of my subiects namontacke , who i purposely sent to king iames his land , to see him and his country , and to returne me the true report thereof , he as yet is not returned , though many ships haue arriued here from thence , since that time , how ye haue delt with him i know not ? hauing thus ended his speech to him , he addressed himself to me , and his first salutation , without any words at all , was about my necke , and with his hand he seeled round about it , so as i might haue imagined he would haue cut my throate , but that i knew he durst not , he asked me where the chain● of pearle was , i demaunded what chaine : that , said he , which i sent my brother sir thomas dale for a present , at his first arriuall ▪ which chaine , since the peace concluded , he sent me word , if he sent any englishman vpon occasion of busines to me , he should weare about his necke , otherwise i had order from him to binde him and send him home againe . it is true sir thomas dale had sent him such word ( which till then my selfe neuer heard of ) and for this purpose had giuen his page order to deliuer me the said chaine , who forgot it : i was doubtfull at the first how to answere him , yet presently i replied that i was not ignorant of that message from his brother , formerly sent vnto him , whereby he onely cutended that if vpon extraordinary and sudden occasion , he should be co●strained to send an english man vnto him without an indian guide , then in testimonie that he sent him hee should weare the chaine about his necke : but in case any of his owne people should conduct any english vnto him , as did me , two of his owne men , one of them a counceller vnto him , who was acquainted with my businesse ▪ their testimony s●ould be sufficient , and the chaine then needelesse to be worne , which answere pleased him well , and fourth with he brought vs to his house , not full a stones cast from the water-side , whereinto being come , himselfe sat downe on his bedsteade side , bed th●re was none mo●e then a single mat , on each hand of him was placed a comely and personable young woman , not twenty yee●es old the eld●●● , which they call his queenes , the house with in round about be● set wi●h them , the outside guarded with an hundred bowmen , with their quiuers of arrowes at their backes , which at all times , & places attend his person . the first thing hee offered vs was a pipe of tobacco , which they call pissimore , whereof himselfe fi●st dranke , and then gaue it me , and when i had drank what i pleased , i returned his pipe , which with his owne hands he vouchsafed to take from me : th●n began he to inquire how his brother sir thomas dale fared , after that of his daughters welfare , her mariage , hi● vnknowne sonne , and how they liked , liued and loued together : i resolued him that his brother was very well , and his daughter so well content that she would not change her life to returne and liue with him , whereat he laughed heartily , and said he was very glad of it . now proceede ( said he ) to deliuer the cause of your vnexpected comming ; i certified him my message was priuate , to be deliuered to himselfe , without the presence of any , saue one of his counceller● , by name pepas●hicher , one of my guides , who was acquainted with my businesse , he instantly comm●uded all , both men and women out of the house , his two queenes onely excepted , who vpon no occasion whatsoeuer , may sequester themselues . now ( said he ) speake on , and my selfe by my interpreter thus begun , sir thomas dale your brother , the principal commander of the english men , sends you greeting of loue and peace , on his part inuiolable , and hath in ●estimonie thereof ( by me sent you a worthie present , vid , two large peeces of copper , fiue strings of white and blew beades , fiue wodden combes , ten fish-hookes , and a paire of kniues , all which i deliuered him , one thing after another , that he might haue time to view each particular : he willed me also to certifie you , that when you pleased to send men , he would giue you a great grinding stone : my message and gift hitherto pleased him , i proceeded thus . the bruite of the exquesite perfection of your yongest daughter , being famous through all your territories , hath come to the hearing of your brother sir thomas dale , who for this purpose hath addressed me hither , to in●reate you by that brotherly friendship you make profession of , to permit her ( with me ) to returne vnto him , partly for the desire which himse●fe hath , and partly for the desire her ●●●ter hath to see her of whom , if fame hath not bin prodigall , as like enough it hath not , your brother ( by your fauour ) would gladly make his neerest companion , wife and bed●ellow ( many times he would haue interrupted my speech , which i intreated him to heare out , and then if he pleased to returne me answere ) and the reason hereof is , because being now friendly and firmely vnited together , and made one people ( as he supposeth and beleeues ) in the band of loue , he would make a naturall vnion betweene vs , principally becaus● himselfe hath taken resolution to dwel in your country so long as he liueth , and would therefore not only haue the firmest a●surance hee may , of perpetuall friendship from you , but also hereby binde himselfe thereunto . when i had thus made an end of speaking ; the sooner by his often interruption , i had no neede to require his answere ; which readily , ●nd with no lesse grauity he retu●ned thus . i gladly accept your kings salute of loue & peace , which while i liue i shall exactly , both my selfe and subiects maintaine and conserue : his pledges thereof i receiue with no lesse thankes , albeit they are not so ample ; howbeit himselfe a greater weroance , as formerly captaine newport , whom i very well loue , was accustomed to gratefie me with . but to the purpose , my daughter whom my brother desireth , i sould within these few daies to be wife to a great weroance for two bushels of roanoake ( a small kinde of beades ) made of oystershels , which they vse and passe one to another , as we doe money ( a cubites length valuing sixe pence ) and it is true she is already gone with him , three daies iorney from me . i replied that i knew his greatnesse and power to be such , that if he pleased heerein to gratifie his brother hee might , restoring the roanoake without the imputation of iniustice , take hoame his daughter againe , the rather because she was not full twelue yeeres old , and therefore not marriageable : assuring him beside the band of peace , so much the firmer he should haue treble the prise of his daughter , in beades , copper , hatch●ts and m●ny other things more vsefull for him ? his answere hereunto was , that he loued his daughter as deere as his owne life , and though he had many children , he delighted in none so much as in her , whom if he should nor often beholde , he could not possibly liue , which she liuing with vs he knew he could not , hauing with himselfe resolued vpon no termes whatsoeuer to put himselfe into our hands , or come amongst vs , and therefore intreated me to vrge that suite no further , but returne his brother this answer . i desire no firmer assurance of his friendship , then his promise which he hath already made vnto mee ; from me , he hath a pledge , one of my daughters , which so long as she liues shall be sufficient , when she dieth he shall haue another childe of mine , but she yet liueth : i holde it not a brotherly part of your king , to desire to bereaue me of two of my children at once ; further giue him to vnderstand , that if he had no pledge at all he should not neede to distrust any iniurie from me , o● any vnder my subiection , there haue bin too many of his men and my killed , and by my occasion there shall neuer bee more , i which haue power to performeit , haue said it : no n●●'though i should haue iust occasion offered , for i am now olde , and would gladly end my daies in peace , so as if the english offer me iniury , my country is large enough , i will remoue my selfe farther from you . thus much i hope will satisfie my brother . now because your selues are wearie , and i sleepie , we will thus end the discourse of this businesse . then called he one of his men , and willed him to get some bread for vs , himselfe the meane while telling vs that they not expecting our comming , as vsually they doe eate vp all their other victnals , presently the bread was brought in two great wodden bouls , the quantity of a bushel sod breade made vp round , of the bignesse of a tenise b●ll , whereof we eate some few , and disposed the rest to many of his hungrie guarde which a●tended about vs : when we had eaten he caused to be fetch●d a great glasse of sacke , some three quarts or better , which captain newport had giuen him sixe or seauen yeeres since , carefully preserued by him , not much aboue a pint in all this time spent ; and gaue each of vs in a great oister shell some three spoonefuls ; and so giuing order to one of his people to appoint vs a house to lodge in , tooke his leaue for that night , and we departed . we had not bin halfe an houre in the house before the fleas began so to torment vs that wee could not rest there , but went forth , and vnder a broade oake , vpon a mat reposed our selues that night no sooner were we awakt and vp in the morning , but powhatan himselfe came to vs , and asked vs how we fared , and immediatly led vs to his house , where was prouided for our breakefast a great bole of indian pease and bea●es boyled together , and as much bread as might haue sufficed a dosen hungry men , about an houer after boyled fresh fish , and not long after that roasted oysters , creuises and crabbes : his ●en in this time being abroade a hunting some venison , others turkeis and such like beasts and foule as their woods afforde , who returned before ten of the clocke with three does and a bucke , very good and fat venison , and two great cocke turkeis , all which were dressed that day , and supper ended , scarce a bone to be seene . whiles i yet remained there , by great chaunce came an english man thither , almost three yeeres before that time surprised , as he was at worke neere fort henrie , one william parker growen so like both in complexion and habite to the indians , that i onely knew him by his tongue to be an englishman , he seemed very ●oyfull so happily to meete me there . of him when we often inquired , the indians euer tolde vs that he fell sicke and died , which till now we beleeued● he intreated me to vse my best indeuours to procure his returne , which thing i was purposed so soone as i knew him , and immediately went with him to powhatan , and tolde him that we credibly bel●eued that he was dead , but since it was otherwise i must needes haue him home , for my selfe of necessitie must acquaint his brother that i had seene him there : who if he returned not , would make another voyage thither purposely for him : powhatan seemed very much discontent , and thus repli●d . you haue one of my daughters with you , and i am therewith well content , but you can no sooner see or ●now of any english mans being with me , but you must haue him away , or else bre●ke peace and friendship : if you must needes h●ue him , he shal● goe with you , but i will send no guides along with you , so as if any ill befall you by the way , thanke your selues . i answered , that rather then i would goe without him , i would goe alone , the way i kne● well enough , and other daungers i feared not , since if i ●eturned not safely , he must expect our reuenge vpon him and his people , giuing him further to know , that his brother our king might haue iust occasion to distrust his loue to him , by his slight respect of me , if he returned mee home without guides . he replied not hereunto , but in passion and discontentment from me , not till suppe●time speaking any more vnto me : when sending for me , he gaue me share of such cates as were for himself prouided , and as good aspect and countenance as before ; but not a word concerning my returne , till himselfe at midnight comming to me , and the boy where we lay awaked vs , and tolde me that pepaschech●r and another of his men , in the morning should accompany vs home , earnestly reque●●ing me to remember his brother to send him these particulars . ten peeces of copper , a shauing kni●e , an iron frow to cleaue bordes , a grinding stone , not so bigge but four or fiue men may carryit , which would be bigge enough for his vse , two bone combes , such as captaine newport had giuen him ; the wodden ones his own men can make : an hundred fish-hookes or if he could spare it , rather a fishing saine , and a cat , and a dogge , with which things if his brother would furnish him , he would require his l●ue with the returne of skinnes : wherewith he was now altogether vnfurnished ( as he tolde me ) which yet i knew hee was well stored with , but his disposition mistrustfull and ielous , loues to be on the surer hand . wh● he had deliuered this●his message , he asked me if i will remembred euery paticular , which i must repeat to him for his assurance , & yet ●till doubtful that i might forget any of them , he bade me write them downe in such a table book as he shewed me , which was a very fair one , i desired him , it being of no vse to him , to giue it mee : but he tolde me , it did him much good to shew it to strangers which came vnto him : so in mine owne table booke , i wrot downe each particular , and he departed . in the morning , himselfe and wee were timely stirring to be gone : to breakefast first we went , with a good boyled turkie , which ended , he gaue vs a whole turkie , besides that we left , and three baskets of bread to carry vs home , and when we were ●eady to depart , hee gaue each of vs an excellent bucks skin , very well dressed , and white as snow , aud s●nt his sonne and daughter each of them one , demaunding if i well remembred his answer to his brother , which i repeated to him : i hope ( laid he ) this will giue him good satisfaction , if it doe not ? i will goe three daies iourny f●rther from him , and neuer see english man more : if vpon any other occasion hee send to me again , i will gladly ent●rtain his missiues , and to my powre accomplish his iust requests : and euen thus himselfe conducting vs to the water sid● , he tooke leaue of vs , and we of him : and about ten of the clock the next night after , we were come to the bermudas . this discourse i haue briefely as i could , and as the matter would permit , the rather related , to make knowne , how charie powhatan is , of the conseruation of peace , a thing much desired , and i doubt not right welcom newes , to the vndertakers heer ) as may appeare by his answeres to my requests , and also by my safe passage thither , & homwards , without the lest shew of iniury offred vnto vs , though diuers times●by the way , many stragliug indians met vs , which in former times , would gladly haue taken so ●aire occasion to worke their mischiefe and bloody● designes vpon vs. by all which , as likewise by our forward progression in our affaires , i hope such good successe and benefit to bee speedily reaped , that ●y selfe , though i blesse god for it , who hath so prouided for me , that i may liue more happily heere , then many who are fearefull to aduenture thither ) could eu●n willingly make a third voyage thither if by my poore endeauours the businesse might receiue the least furtherance . god , ( i hope ) will raise vp meanes beyond mans imagination , to perfect his owne glory and honour , in the conuersion of those people , of whom vndoubtedly , ( as in all other parts in the world , he hath predestinated some to eternall saluation , and blessed shall those be that are the instruments thereof ) i hope this poor narration will moue euery honest heart , to put his helping hand thereunto . for my part , as i haue been fiue yeers a personall workeman in that building , so shall i euer , as my meanes may permit me , be ready to offer my mite towards the furnishing of others , and againe ( if need require ) personall labor therein . to the reader . there be two properties especially remarkeable , which should moue all men earnestly and constantly , with all their meanes and endeuour , to desire the a●cheiuing of any thing , and bringing of the same vnto perfection : first the worth and excellencie : secondly the durablenesse and continuance thereof . for as that thing which is not durable , by reason of fragilitie and fugacitie , is not vsually esteemed of men , though it be excellent : so that likewise which is not precious , is worthely little regarded , though it be neuer so durable . now the virginian plantation hath both these notable properties , if at the least we will , and impeach them not our selues ; for what is m●re excellent , more precious and more glorious , then to conuert a heathen nation from worshipping the diuell , to the sa●ing knowledge , and true worship of god in christ iesus ? what more praiseworthy and charitable , then to bring a sauage people from barbarisme vnto civi●●itie ? what more honour●ble vnto our ●●●ntre● , then to reduce a farre disioyned forraign● nation , vnder the d●e obedience of our dread soueraigne the kings maiestie ? what more conuenient then to haue good s●ates abroade for our euer flowing multitudes of people at home ? what more profitable then to purchase great wealth , which most now adaies gape after ouer-greedily ? all which benefits are assuredly to b●e had and obtained by well and plentifully vpholding of the plantatio● in virginia . and for the durablenesse of all these great and singular blessings , there ●an ( by gods assistance ) be no doubt at all made , if mens hearts vnto whom god hath lent abilitie ) were but inla●ged cheerefully to aduenture and send good companies of honest industrious m●n thither with a mind to inlarge christs kingdome : for then will god assuredly maintaine his owne cause . but alas , as there was neuer yet any action so good . so honourable , so glorious , so pious and so profitable , but hath had checkes and disconr●gements , both by open enemies abroade , and intestine aduersaries at home with in it owne bowels : euen so may i truely say , hath this m●st glorious , most honourable , most pious and most profitable enterprise had . for as of old , when zerubbabel ▪ ezra and nehemia returned from babell , by allowance of the king of persia to ierusalem , and began to repaire the walles thereof , and to restore gods seruice , there wanted not a sanballat and others to say : what doe these weak● iewes ? will they fortifie themselues ? will they sa●crific● ? will they fini●h it in a day ? noe , for although they builde , yet if a fox goe vp , he shall euen breake downe that stony wall , euen so deale many sanballates and tobiahes forraigne and domesticall enemies of this most religious worke : yea there be many who will not seeme enemies thereunto , but yet will neither further the businesse themselues , no not according to their owne ingagements which in conscience and ●redit● they ought ) nor quietly suffer o●hers that otherwise ●old , but discourage them therin all they may som saying as iudah once did . the strength of the bear●rs is weakned , and there is much earth , so as we are n●t able to build● the wall . som s●ying with the vnfaithfull spies , sent forth to search the l●●d of canaan : the land wee went t●rough to ●earch it out is a land that eateth vp the inhabitan●s th●reof , for all the people we saw in it ar● stro●g and m●n of ●reat stature : yea and some others say , there is much already expended , and yet n● profit ariseth , neither is there victuals to be had , for the preseruing of life and soule together . but oh my deere countrie-men , be not so farre bewitched herewith as to be still discouraged thereat for t●ose that bring a vilde slauder vpon this action , may die by a plague bef●re the lord , as those men did : but rather remembring your a●ncient worth , renowne , valour and bounty , harken vnto caleb and iosua , who stilled the peoples mourning : saying , let vs goe vp at once and possesse it , for vndoubtedly we shall ouercome it ; yet not so much now by force of armes as the israelites did then by warrant from god ( nor by vtterly destroying of them , as some haue cruelly done since ) as by gentlenesse , loue , amity and religion . as for profit it shall come abundantly , if we can with the husband-man , but freely cast our corne into the ground , and with patience waite for a blessing . and of victuals , there is now no complaint at all , and that which was hapned by the meere lasie negligence of our owne people . now to the end that you may the better perceiue these things to be true , & be thereby the more animated cheerefully to goe forward in the vpholding of this holy worke , i will no longer detaine you from the perusall of some calebs and iosu●hs faithfull reports ( writ there in iune last this present yeere 1614. and sent hither by the last shippe that came thence ) for further incouragement to put hereunto speedily & plentifully your helping hands with al●lacrity : as for the that are able , & yet wil not further , but indaunger the veter ruining of this so glorious a cause ( by their miserablenesse ( being without loue and charitie ) to the great dishonour of god , and our countries perpetuall shame should it now sinke , and fall to the gonnd : i leaue them to him that made them , to dispose of them according to his infinite wisdome . and so come to the letters themselues : the first and chiefest whereof is from sir thomas dale , marshall and gouernour of virginia , vnto a minister of london . to the r. and my most esteemed friend mr. d.m. at his house at f. ch. in london . right reuerend sr. by sr. thomas gates i wrot vnto you , of such occasions as then presented themselues , and now again by this worthy gentleman captaine argall i salute you : for such is the reuerend regard i haue of you , as i cannot omit any occasion to expres the sincere affection i beare you . you haue euer giuen me encouragements to perseuer in this religious warfare , vntill your last letters ; not for that you are now lesse well affected thereunto : but because you see the action to bee in danger by many of their non performances who vnder tooke the businesse . i haue vndertaken , and haue as faithfully , & with all my might indeauored the prosecution with all allacrity , as god that knoweth the heart , can beare me record , what recompence , or what rewards , by whom , or when i know not where to expect ; but from him in whose vineyard i labor , whose church with greedy appetite i desire to erect . my glorious master is gone , that would haue ennamelled with his fauours the labours i vndertake , for gods cause , and his immortall honour . he was the great captaine of our israell , the hope to haue builded vp this heauenly new ierusalem he interred ( i think ) the whole frame of this businesse , fell into his graue : for most mens forward ( at least seeming so ) desires a●e quenched , and virginia stands in desperate hazard . you there doe your duties , i will no way omit mine , the time i promised to labour , is expired : it is not a yoke of oxen hath drawn me from this feast : it is not the marriage of a wife maks me hast home , though that sall●t giue an appetite to cause me returne . ●ut i haue more care of the stock , then to set it vpon a die , and rather put my selfe to the curtesie of noble & worthy c●nsures then ruine this worke ; and haue a iury ( nay a million ) of foule mouthed detracters , scan vpon my endeauours , the ends whereof they cannot diue into . you shall briefely vnderstand , what hath betide since my last , and how we now stand , and are likely to grow to perfection , if we be not altogeather ●eglected , my stay grounded vpon such reason , as had i now returned , it would haue hazarded the ruine of all . sir thomas gates hauing imbarqued himselfe for england , i put my selfe into captaine argalls ship , ●ith a hundred and fifty men in my frigot , and other boats went into pamaunkie riuer , where powhatan hath his residence , and can in two or three daies , draw a thousand men togeather , with me i carried his daughter , who had been long ●risoner with vs , it was a day or two before we heard of them : at length they demaunded why we came ; i gaue for answere that i came to bring him his daughter , conditionally he would ( as had been agreed vpon for her ransome ) render all the armes , tooles , swords , and men that had runne away , and giue me a ●●ip full of co●ne , for the wrong 〈◊〉 had done vnto vs : if they would doe this , we would be friends , if not burne all . they demaunded time to send to their king ; i assented , i taking , they receiuing two pledges , to carrie my message to powhatan . all night my two men lay not far from the water side , about noon the next day they told them the great king was three daies ●ourney off , that opochankano was hard by , to whom they would haue had them deliuer their message , saying , that what he agreed vpon and did , the great king would confirme . this opocankano is brother to powhatan , and is his and their chiefe captaine : and one that can as soone ( if not sooner ) as powhatan commaund the men . but my men refused to doe my message vnto any saue● powhatan , so they were brought back , and i s●nt theirs to them , they tould me that they would fetch simons to me , who had thrice plaid the runnagate , ●hose lies and villany much hindred our trade for corne : but they delayed vs , so as we went a shore they shot at vs , we were not behinde hand with them , killed some , hurt others , marched into the land , burnt their houses , tooke their corne , and quartered all night ashore . the next day we went further vp the riuer , they dogged vs , and called to know ●hiter we went ; wee answered , to burne all , if they would not doe as ●e demaunded , and had been agreed vpon . they would they said , bring all the next day so wee for ba●e all hostility , went a s●ore , their men in good numbers comming amongst vs ▪ but we were very cautious & stood to our arms . the kings daughter went ashore , but would not talke to any of them scarce to them of of the best sort ▪ and to them onely ; that if her father had loued her , he would not value her lesse then olde swords , peeces , or axes : wherefore she would stil dwel with the english men , who loued her . at last came one from powhatan , who tould vs , that simons was run away , to nonsowhaticond , which was a truth , as ●fterwards appeared , but that the other english man was dead , that proued a lie : for since , mr. hamor , whom i employed to powhatan brought him to me , our peeces , swords , and tooles within fifteen daies , should be sent to iames towne , with some corne , and that his daughter should be my childe , and euer dwell vvith mee , desiring to be euer friends , and named such of his people , and neighbour kings , as he desired to be included , and haue the benefit of the peace , promising if any of our men came to him , vvithout leaue from me , he would send them back : and that if any of his men stole from vs , or killed our cattel , he vvould send them to vs to bee punished as vve thought fit . with these conditions we returned , and vvithin the time limited , part of our arms vvere sent , and 20. men vvith corne , and promised more , vvhich he hath also sent . opachankano desired i vvould call him friend , and that he might call me so , saying he vvas a great captaine , and did alwaies fight : that i vvas also a great captaine , and therefore he loued mee ; and that my friends should be his friends . so the bargain vvas made , and euery eight or ten daies , i haue messages and presents from him , vvith many apparances that he much desireth to continue friendshippe . novv may you iudge sir , if the god of battailes haue not a helping hand in this , that hauing our swords dravvn , killing their men , burning their houses , and taking their corne ▪ yet they tendred vs peace , and striue vvith all allacrity to keep vs in good oppinion of them ; by vvhich many benefits arise vnto vs. first , part of our armes , disgracefully lost long agoe , ( kept by the sauages as monuments and trophies of our shames ) redeliuered , some repaire to our honor . our catle to increase , without danger of destroying , our men at liberty , to hunt freely for venison , to fish , to doe any thing else , or goe any vvhither , without danger ; to follovv the husbanding of their corne securely , vvhereof vve haue aboue fiue hundred acres set , and god be praised , in more forwardnesse , then any of the indians , that i haue seene , or heard off this yeere , roots , and hearbs vve haue in abundanue ; all doubt of want is by gods blessing quite vanished , and much plenty expected . and vvhich is not the least materiall , vve may by this peace , come to discouer the countrey better , both by our own trauells , and by the relation of the sauages , as vve grovv infamiliarity vvith them , powhatans daughter i caused to be carefully instructed in christian religion , vvho after shee had made some good progresse therein , renounced publickly her countrey idolatry , openly confessed her christian faith , vvas , as she desired , baptised , and is since married to an english gentleman of good vnderstanding , ( as by his letter vnto me , coutaining the reasons for his marriage of her you may perceiue ) an other knot to binde this peace the stronger . her father and friends gaue approbation to it , and her vncle gaue her to him in the church : she liues ciuilly and louingly with him and i trust will increase in goodnesse , as the knowledge of god increaseth in her . she will goe into england with me , and were it but the gayning of this one soule , i will thinke my time , toile , and present stay vvell spent . since this accident the gouernours and people of checkahomanies , who are fiue hundred bow-men , and better , a s●out and warlike nation , haue made meanes to haue vs come vnto them , and conclude a peace , where all the gouernours would meete me . they hauing thus three or foure times importune● mee , i resolued to goe ; so taking captain argall , with fifty men in myfrigot , and barge i vvent thither : captaine argall with forty men landed , i kept aboard for some reasons . vpon the meeting they tould captain argall they had longed to be friends , that they had no king , but eight great men , who gouernd them . he tould them that we came to be friends , asked them if they would haue king iames to be their king , & whether they would be his men ? they after som conference between themselues , seemed willing of both , demaunding if we would fight against their enemies , he tould them th●t if any did them iniurie , they should sen● me word , and i would agree them , or if their ad●ersaries would not , t●en i would let them haue as many men as they would to help them : they liked well of that , and tould him that all their men should helpe vs. all this being agreed vpon , c. argall gaue euery councellor a ta●aha●k , and a peece of copper , which was kindly taken ; they requested further , that if their boats should happen to meet with our boats , and that they said they were the chikahominy englishmen , and king iames his men , we vvould let them passe : vve agreed vnto it , so that they pronounced them selues english men , and king iames his men , promising within fift●en daies to c●●e 〈◊〉 iames town to see me , and conclude theese condi●io●s , euery b●wman being to giue me as a tribute to king iames two measures of corne euery haruest , the two measu●es contayning two bushells and a halfe . and i to giue euery bowman a small tamahawke , and to euery counseller a suit of red cloath , vvhich did much please them . this people neuer acknowledged any king , before ; no nor euer would acknowledge powhatan for their king , a stout people they be , and a delicate seat they haue . now sir you see our conditions ▪ you , and al worthy men may iudge , vvhether it vvould not be a griefe to see these faire hopes frostbitten and these fresh budding plants to wither ? which had i returned , had assuredly followed : for ●eer is no one that the people vvould haue to ●ouern them , but my selfe : for i had novv come away , had i not found a generall desire in the best ●ort to retu●ne for england : letter vpon letter , request vpon request from their friends to returne , so as i knew not vpon whom to conf●rre the care of this busines in my absence , whom i thought fitte was generally distas●ed , so as seeing the eminent ensuing danger , should i haue left this multitude , not yet fully refined , , i am resolued to stay till ha●uest b● got in , and then settle things according to my poor vnderstanding , and returne : if in the interim there come no authorised gouernour from england . consider i pray you since things be brought to this passe , as you see , and that i should haue come ●way , ●f th●n through their factio●s , humors , mutinies , or indiscretion of the chiefes i had left behind , this should fall to ruine : i then shoul● receiu● th● 〈◊〉 ; i incurre the blame , for quitting the p●antation , al●hough i might doe it , both vvith my honour , my promised stay of time being expired , an● hau●ng vvarrant from my soneraigne , the kings maiesty : but the 〈◊〉 reasons moued me and that this action of such price , such excellency and assured ●rofit to 〈◊〉 own knowledge should not die to the scorne of our nation , and to giue cause of laughter to the papists that desire cur●uine . i can assure you , no countr●y of the world affoordes more assured hopes of infinit riches , which both by mi●e o●n p●●pl●s discouery , & the relation of such sauages , vvhose fidelity●e haue often found assureth me . oh vvhy should so many princes , and noble men ingage themselue● and thereby intermedling herein , haue caused a number of so●es transport themselues , and be transported hither ? vvhy should they ( i say ) relinquish this so glorious an action . for if their ends bee to build god a church , ●hey ought to perseuer : if otherwise , yet their honour ingageth th●m to be consiant . howsoeuer they stand affected , heer is enough to content them , let their end● be either for god , or mammon . these th●ngs haue animated me to stay for a little season , to leaue those , i am tied in conscience to returne vnt● , to le●●e the assured benefits of my other fortunes , the sweete society of my friends , and acquaintance , vvith all m●ndall ●elightes , and reside heer with much t●●moile , w●ich i will constant●y doe , rather then see gods glorie diminished , my king and countrey dishonoured , and these poore people , i haue the charge of ruined ▪ and so i beseech you to answere for me , if you heare me taxed for my staying , as some may iustly do , and that these are my chiefe motiues god i take to vvitnesse . remember me , and the c●use i haue in hand , in your daily meditations , and reckon me in the number of those that doe sincerely loue you and yours , and vvill euer rest in all offices of a friend , to doe you seruice . from iames towne in virginia the 18 of iune , 1614. thomas dale . to my verie deere and louing cosen m. g. minister of the b. f. in london . sir the colony here is much better . sir thomas dale our religious and valiant geuernour , hath now brought that to passe , which neuer before could be effected . for by vvarre vpon our enemies , and kinde vsage of our friends , he hath brought them to seeke for peace of vs , vvhich is made , and they dare not breake . but that vvhich is best , one pocahuntas or matoa the daughter of powhatan , is married to an honest and discreete english gentleman maister rolfe , and that after she had openly renounced her countrey idolatry , confessed the faith of iesus christ , and vvas baptised ; vvhich thing sir thomas dale had laboured along time to ground in her . yet notvvithstanding , are the vertuous deeds of this vvorthy knight , much debased , by the letters vvhich some vvicked men have vvritten from hence , and especially by one c. ● . if you heare any condemne this noble knight , or doe feare to come hither , for those slaunderous letters , you may vpon my vvord bouldly reproue them . you knovv that no malefactors can abide the face of the iudge , but themselues scorning to be reproued , doe prosecute vvithall haired ; all those that labour their amendment . i maruaile much that any men of honest life , should feare the sword of the magistrate , which is vnsheathed onely in their defence . but i 〈…〉 muse , that so fevv of our english ministers that vvere so hot against the surplis and subscription : come hither vvhere neither spoken of . doe they not either vvilfully hide their tallents , or keepe themselves at home for feare of loosing a fevv pleasures ? be there not any amongst them of moses his minde , and of the apostles , that for sooke all to follovv christ ? but i referre them to the iudge of all hearts , and to the king that shall reward euery one according to the gaine of his tallent . but you my cosen , holde fast that vvhich you : ●aue , and i though my promise of 3 yeers seruice to my country be expired , vvill abide in my vocation here vntill i be lawfully called from hence . and so betaking vs all vnto the mercies of god in christ iesus , i rest for euer . virginia iune 18. 1614. your most deere and louing cosen alex. whitakers . the coppie of the gentle-mans letters to sir thomas da●e , that after maried powhatans daughter , containing the reasons mou●ing him thereunto . honourable sir , and most vvorthy gouernor : vvhen your leasure shall best serue you to peruse these lines , i trust in god , the beginning vvill not strike you into a greater admiration , then the end vvill giue you good content . it is a matter of no small moment , concerning my own particular which here i impart vnto you , and vvhich toucheth mee so neerely , as the tendernesse of my saluation . howbeit i freely subiect my selfe to your graue and mature iudgement , deliberation , approbation and determination ; assuring my selfe of your zealous admonitions , and godly comforts , either perswading me to desist , or incouraging me to persist ther in , with a religious feare and godly care , for which ( from the very instant , that this began to roote it selfe , vvithin the secret bosome of my brest ) my daily and earnest praiers haue bin , still are , and euer shall bee proed forthwith as sincere , a godly zeale , as i possiblely may to be directed , aided and gouerned in all my thoughts , vvords and deedes , to the glory of god , and for my eternal consolation . to perseuere vvherein i neuer had more neede , nor ( till novv ) could euer imagine to ha●e bin moued vvith the like occasion . but ( my case standing as it doth ) vvhat better vvo●l●ly refuge can i here seeke , then to shelter my selfe vnder the safety of your fauourable protection ? and did not my ease proceede from an vnspotted conscience , i should not dare to offer to your vievv and apr●oued iudgement , these passions of my troubled soule , so full of feare and trembling is hypocrisie and dissimulation . but knovving my owne innocency & godly feruor , in the vvhole prosecution hereof , i doubt not of your benigne acceptance , and clement construction . as for malicious deprauers , & turbulet spirits , to whom nothing is tastful , but what please●h their vnsauory pallat , i passe not for them being vvell assured in my perswasion ( by the often triall and prouing of my selfe , in my holiest meditations and praiers ) that i am called hereunto by the spirit of god ; and it shall be sufficient f●r me to be protected by your selfe in all vertuous and pious indeuours . and for my more happie proceeding herein , my daily oblations shall euer be addressed to bring to passe so good effects , that your selfe , and all the vvorld may truely say : this is the worke of god , and it is maruelous in our eies . but to auoide tedious preambles , and to come neerer the matter : first suffer me vvith your patience , to svvcepe and make c●eane the way vvherein i vvalke , from all suspici●us and doubts , vvhich may be couered therein , and faithfully to re●eale vnto yo● , vvhat shou●d moue me hereunto . let therefore this my vvell adu●sed protestation , vvhich here i make betweene god and my own conscience , be a sufficient vvitnesse , at the dreadfull day of iugdement ( vvhen the secret of all m●ns harts shall be opened ) to condemne me herein , if my chiefest intent and purpose be not ▪ to striue with all my power of body and minde , in the vndertaking of so mightie a matter , no vvay led ( so farre forth as mans vveakenesse may permit ) with the unbridled desire of carnall affection : but for the good of this plantation for the honour of our countrie , for the glory of god , for my owne saluation , and for the conuerting to the true knowledge of god and iesus christ , an vnbeleeuing creatu●e , namely pokahuntas . to whom my hartie and best ●houghts are , and haue a long time bin so in●angled , and inthralled in so intricate a laborinth , that i vva● euen awearied to vnwinde my selfe there●ut . but almighty god , vvho neuer faileth his , that truely inu●cate his holy name , hath opened the gate , and led me by the hand that i might plainely see and discerne the safe paths vvherein to trea●e . to you therefore ( most noble sir ) the patron and father of vs in this countrey doe i vtter the effects of this my setled and long continued affection ( which hath made a mightie warre in my meditations ) and here i doe truely relate , to vvhat issue this dangerous combate is come vnto , vvherein i haue not onely examined , but throughle tried and pared my thoughts euen to the quicke , before i could finde any fit vvholesome and ●apt applications to cure so daungerous an vlcer i neuer failed to offer my daily and faithfull praiers to ●od , for his sacred and holy assistance , i forgot not to set before mine eies the frailty of mankinde , his prones to euill , his indulgencie of vvicked thoughts , vvith many other imperfections vvherein man is daily insnared , and oftentimes ouerthrowne , and them compared to my p●es●nt estate . nor vvas i ignorant of the heauie displeasure which almightie god conceiued against the sonnes of leuie and israel for marrying strange vviues , nor of the inconueniences vvhich may thereby arise , with other the like good motions vvhich made me looke about warily and with good circumspection , into the grounds and principall agitations , which thus should prouoke me to be in loue with one whose education hath bin rude , her manners barbarous , her generation accursed , and so discrepant in all nurtriture from my selfe , that oftentimes with feare and trembling , i haue ended my priuate controuersie with this : surely these are vvicked instigations , hatched by him who seeketh and delighteth in mans destruction ; and so with feruent praiers to ●e euer preserued from such diabolical assaults ( as i tooke those to be ) i haue taken some rest . thus when i had thought i had obtained my peace and quietnesse , beholde another , but more gracious tentation hath made breaches into my holiest and strongest meditations ; with which i haue bin put to a new triall , in a straighter manner then the former : for besides the many passions and sufferings , vvhich i haue daily , hourely , yea and in my sleepe in●ured , euen awaking mee to astonishment , taxing me with remisnesse , and carelesnesse , refusing and neglecting to performe the duetie of a good christian , pulling me by the eare , and crying : why dost not thou indeuour to make her a christian ? and these haue happened to my greater wonder , euen when she hath bin furthest seperated from me , which in common reason ( were it not an vndoubted worke of god ) might breede forgetfulnesse of a farre more worthie creature . besides , i say the holy spirit of god hath often demaunded of me , why i was created ? if not for transitory pleasures and worldly vanities , but to labour in the lords vineyard , there to sow and plant , to nourish and increase the fruites thereof , daily adding with the good husband in the gospell , somewhat to the tallent , that in the end the fruites may be reaped , to the comfort of the laborer in this life , and his saluation in the world to come ? and if this be , as vndoubtedly this is , the seruice iesus christ requireth of his best seruant ; w● vnto him that hath these instruments of pietie put into his ●ands , and wilfully despiseth to worke with them . likewise , adding hereunto her great apparance of loue to me , her desire to be taught and instructed in the knowledge of god , her capablenesse of vnderstanding , her aptnesse and willingnesse to receiue anie good impression , and a●so the spirituall , besides her owne incitements stirring me vp hereunto . what should i doe ? ●hall i be of so vntoward a disposition , as to refuse to leade the blind into the right way ? shall i be so vnnaturall , as not to giue bread to the hungrie ? or vncharitable , as not to couer the naked ? shall i despise to actuate these pious dueties of a christian ? shall the base feare of displeasing the world , ouerpower and with-holde mee from reucaling vnto man these spirituall workes of the lord , which in my meditations and praiers , i haue daily made knowne vnto him ? god forbid . i assuredly trust hee hath thus delt with me for my eternall felicitie , and for his glorie : and i hope so to be guided by his heauenly grace , that in the end by my faithfull paines , and christianlike labour , i shall atteine to that blessed promise , pronounced by that holy prophet daniell vnto the righteous that bring many vnto the knowledge of god. namely , that they shall shine like the starres foreuer and euer . a sweeter comfort cannot be to a true christian , nor a greater incouragement for him to labour all the daies of his life , in the performance thereof , nor a greater game of consolation , to be desired at the hower of death , and in the day of iudgement . againe by my reading , and conference vvith honest and religious persons , haue i rec●iued no small encouragement , besides s●rena mea conscientia , the cleerenesse of my conscience , clean from the fi●th of impurity , quae est instar●nuri ahenei , vvhich is vnto me , as a brasen vvall . if i should set down at large , the perturbations & godly motions , which haue striuen vvithin mee , i should but make a tedious & vnnecessary volume . but i doubt not these shall be sufficient both to certifie you of my tr●● intents , in discharging of my dutie to god , & to your selfe , to vvhose gracious prouidence i humbly submit my selfe , for his glory , your honour , our countreys good , the benefit of this plantation , and for the conuerting of one vnregenerate , to regeneration ; vvhich i beseech god to graunt , for his deere sonne christ iesus his sake . now if the vulgar sort , who square all mens actions by the base rule of their own filthinesse , shall taxe or taunt me in this my godly labour : let them know , it is not any hungry appetite , to gorge my selfe vvith incontinency ; sure ( if i would , and were so sensually incliued ) i might satisfie such desire , though not vvithout a seared conscience , yet vvith christians more pleasing to the eie , and lesse fearefull in the offence vnlawfully committed . nor am i in so desperate an estate , that i regard not what becommeth of mee ; nor am i out of hope but one day to see my country , nor so void of friends , nor mean in birth , but there to obtain a mach to my great content : nor haue i ignorantly passed ouer my hopes there , or regardlesly seek to loose the loue of my friends , by taking this course : i know them all , and haue not rashly ouerslipped any . but shal it please god thus to dispose of me ( which i earnestly desire to fullfill my ends before sette down ) i vvill heartely accept of it as a goaly taxe appointed me , and i will neuer cease , ( god assisting me ) vntill i haue accomplished , & brought to perfection so holy a vvorke , in which i vvill daily pray god to blesse me , to mine , and her eternall happines . and thus desiring no longer to liue , to en●oy the blessings of god , then this my resolution doth tend to such godly ends , as are by me before declared : not doubting of your fauourable acceptance , i take my leaue , beseeching almighty god to raine downe vpon you , such plenitude of his heauenly graces , as your heart can wish and desire , and so i rest , at your commaund most willing to be disposed off iohn rolfe . virginia therefore standing now in such a goodly proportion , and faire forwardnesse of thriuing , as it was neuer yet hitherto seen in , since it began to be first planted : cannot but soone come to perfection , to the exceeding great comfort of all well affected christians , and no small profit of the planters , and aduenturers : if it be well seconded and supplyed , with a good number of able men : wherefore , let none bee heerafter vnwilling all they may to further this most honourable action , and be forward to vphold and support it from falling , by their speech , and countenance , and freely aduenturing thither , both in their persons , & also by their purses , as god hath inabled them . to conclude , as azariah sayd once to king azah , iuda , and beniamin , so say i vnto all . bee yee strong threfore , and let not your hands be weake : for your worke shall haue a reward . and as the holy apostle said to the corinthians , be ye therefore stedfast , vnmoueable , abundant alwaies in the vvorkes of the lord , for as much as ye know your labour is not in vaine in the lord , let vs not therefore bee vvearie of vvelldoing : for in due season , vvee shall reape , if wee faint not as the apostle tolde the galatians . farewell . finis . errata . pag● 5. inc 33. hir . p. 10 , l. 16. op●●hanka●● . p. 15. l. 14. wer●ance . p. 17. l. 22. manu●● , p. 17. l. 34. next to vs. r●ad so as if . p. 18. l. 4. halfe , p. 18. l. 8. as . p. 18. l. 12. purposed . p. 21. l. 16. diuers , p. 21. l. 27 sai●e . p. 22. l. 21. after do●● read , not . p. 2● . l. 13. leaue out , he . p. 24. l. 16 , cure . p. 27. l. 24● bring . p. 21. l. 2. read immediatlie after by name , coxendale : and after the word , called , read , hope in faith . p. 21. l. 25. some● . p. 42. l. 24. ●uring p. 45. l. ● . read . after discon●●●●ment , wen● , p. 46. l. 11. messengers . p. 47. l. 11. personally . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a02606-e4520 prince henry a further account of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new england: being a relation of the confessions made by several indians (in the presence of the elders and members of several churches) in order to their admission into church-fellowship. sent over to the corporation for propagating the gospel of jesus christ amongst the indians in new england at london, by mr john elliot one of the laborers in the word amonsgt them. eliot, john, 1604-1690. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a39226 of text r214794 in the english short title catalog (wing e511). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 132 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 45 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a39226 wing e511 estc r214794 99826863 99826863 31272 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a39226) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 31272) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1776:10) a further account of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new england: being a relation of the confessions made by several indians (in the presence of the elders and members of several churches) in order to their admission into church-fellowship. sent over to the corporation for propagating the gospel of jesus christ amongst the indians in new england at london, by mr john elliot one of the laborers in the word amonsgt them. eliot, john, 1604-1690. [8], 76, [2] p. printed by john macock, london : 1660. includes a preface signed: joseph caryl. reproduction of the original in the library of congress. eng indians of north america -massachusetts -early works to 1800. missions -american -early works to 1800. massachusetts -history -colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -early works to 1800. a39226 r214794 (wing e511). civilwar no a further account of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new england: being a relation of the confessions made by several indi eliot, john 1660 28559 25 0 0 0 0 0 9 b the rate of 9 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-06 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-07 jennifer kietzman sampled and proofread 2003-07 jennifer kietzman text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a further account of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new england : being a relation of the confessions made by several indians ( in the presence of the elders and members of several churches ) in order to their admission into church-fellowship . sent over to the corporation for propagating the gospel of iesus christ amongst the indians in new england at london , by mr iohn elliot one of the laborers in the word amongst them . london , printed by iohn macock . 1660. to all that love the lord iesus christ in sincerity , and have a zeal for the propagation of gospel-light , to those who sit in darkness , grace and peace be multiplyed . brethren , it was the holy ambition and strife of the apostle paul ( that chosen vessel to bear the name of christ before the gentiles ) to preach the gospel where christ was not named , lest hee should seem to build upon another mans foundation , rom. 15. 20. to hand on a good work begun by another is very commendable , and shall not loose its reward ; but to break the ice and begin a good work is very honourable , and shall surely have a great reward . i am much perswaded it hath been the gracious strife , i am sure it hath been the lot of many of our faithfull brethren , in new england , to preach the gospel where christ was not named before ; and the lord hath given a signal testimony , that they have not laboured in vain . wee reade of the first-fruits of achaia unto christ ( rom. 16. 5. and again , 1 cor. 16. 15. ) wee have also heard both of the first-fruits and second-fruits of india in new england unto christ ; and these are a fair assurance of a plentifull harvest there in due time . a blessed foundation is laid , yea , the building begins to appear above ground , in the visible profession or professed subjection of many poor souls unto the gospel of christ . may wee not therefore hopefully expect , that the top-stone shall be set up with a shout of grace , grace to it ? hee that attentively readeth the report , which is made in the following collection of the examinations and confessions of several native indians , who have been wrought upon by the preaching of the word in the wilderness , will see much cause to admire the free grace and goodness of god to them , as also his mighty power and the revealing of his arme in them . what strong and clear convictions of sin , both of the sinfulness of their natures , and of the sins of their lives have they been under , who lay ( before ) dead in trespasses and sins , wholly alienated from the life of god through the ignorance that was in them ? what strugglings and strivings with corruption and temptation do they speak of , before they could come off from sin , and from that vain conversation received by tradition from their fore-fathers ? what wrestlings had they with unbelief , before they could close with christ in the promise ? what full resignations of themselves have they made to the commands of christ after closing with him by faith in the promise ? yea , what hungrings and thirstings do some of them express for more intimate communion with christ in attendance upon all his ordinances in a church-state or holy fellowship with his people ? surely , what these late aliens from the common-wealth of israel have found and declared ( as their spiritual experiences ) about the dealings of god with their hearts , in bringing them off from sin , and home to himself , may shame many among us , who have been born and bred up in the aire and sound of the gospel all their dayes . i may , not unfitly , make use of those prophesies of moses and esaias concerning the iewes and gentiles ( and so applyed by the apostle paul , rom. 10. 19 , 20 , 21. ) in this present case between us in england and the indians . the lord hath begun to provoke us to jealousie by them that were no people , and by a foolish nation hee hath angred us , hee is found of them that sought him not , hee is made manifest to them that asked not after him , but all the day long hath hee stretched out his hands unto us a disobedient and gainsaying people . conversions are grown somewhat rare ( that 's sad ) in england ; and such accounts of conversion much more rare . and as we finde but few able to give any passable account of their conversion to god , so wee finde not a few offended at the requiring and taking of it , before admission into compleat church-communion . wee have many who profess the religion they were born in , but wee have ( comparatively ) only a few , who profess religion upon the evidences of their new-birth . and that 's one great reason why the church and the world , the pretious and the vile , are in so lamentable a mixture in most places at this day . it were a very desireable mercy , that the practise and example of our native brethren , yea , of the native indians in new england might kindle in us the fire of a blessed emulation in this matter ; and that the ministers of the gospel would every where exspect and diligently enquire after some hopefull proofs of the work of grace from all those , who , in their own right , partake of those higher priviledges , the seals of the covenant of grace . doubtless , then , churches would appear more like churches in the beauties of holiness , and the fruits of the presence of christ would be more gloriously visible in them . the great thing which wee ( upon whom the ends of the world are come ) should earnestly pray , endeavour and wait for is , that the new jerusalem may be seen coming down from heaven , like a bride adorned for her husband ; and to be any way , rightly , instrumentall for the bringing in of this glory , is a piece of the best glory which wee are capable of on this side our heavenly glory . 't was therefore a very gracious as well as a noble design , to create and establish a corporation in this our england , to receive , improve , mannage , and issue a free contribution and the profits arising from it for the constant support , encouragement , and promotion of this work of christ in that other england . nor can wee but with much thankfulness to god take notice of the liberal charity of many who have already contributed to it , as also of the faithfulness , diligence , prudence , and godly zeal of those worthy persons who are entrusted with the disposal of those contributions . and because , as the whole work is great , so there are some great parts of it now in hand , as the printing of davids psalms and the new testament ( besides an intendment of printing the whole bible ) in the indian language , which must needs be a work of great charge as well as of excellent use , ( for these reasons i say ) it would be a most acceptable charity , either to procure or advance additional contributions . how can any honour the lord better with their perishing substance , then by forwarding a design which may be a means to keep thousands of souls from perishing ? yea , what an honour will it be to this whole nation , that the holy bible should be printed in our dayes and at our cost in a language and for a nation which never had it to this day ? that this blessed and beautifull vndertaking for the gathering in of those poor souls , who yet wander in that howling wilderness , to the flock and fold of christ ( the great shepherd of the sheep ) may not want their compassionate and chearfull assistance , who are already ( through grace ) gathered into his holy flocks and folds , is the hearty desire and prayer of the 6th of the first moneth , 1659. sirs , your affectionate friend to serve you in the lord , joseph caryl . a brief relation received from mr john elliott of the late proceedings with the indians in new england , in order to their admission into church-fellowship . in the year of our lord 1659. the fifth day of the fifth moneth . this is the third time that the praying indians ( some of them ) have been called forth into publick , to make open confession of the name of christ , to come under the publick tryal of gods people , whether they be indeed christians , as fit matter for a gospel church . truth loveth and seeketh the light . i was stirred up hereunto ▪ and quickened by letters from england . the lord put it into the hearts of such as are honourable , reverend , and of eminent service to christ in england , to move mee , before i moved . when i moved this last time , i perceived that it was the general inclination of the spirit of the saints , both magistrates , elders , and others , that ( at lest some of the principal of them ) should ( for a season ) be seasoned in church-fellowship , in communion with our english churches , before they should be churches among themselves . and when it was objected , what should the rest of the people do , if the principal and most able should not keep their sabbaths among them ? it was answered , that their usual sabbath conversation should be at home among their own people , only sometime to be among the english ; viz. for participation of the seals , the sacraments of baptism and the lords supper , and for any special exercise of discipline . when it was questioned what english church they should joyn unto ? all with one mouth said , that roxbury church was called of god to be first in that service of christ to receive the praying indians . in the accomplishment whereof , i yielded my self up to follow counsel in the lord . the elders offered themselves , on some lecture day , to meet ( if need were ) at roxbury lecture , then to speak with the church , to perswade to an unanimous accord , in receiving the indians for a season ; which accordingly they did : and the lord was so effectually present in that meeting , that all objections , so far as i know , were silenced . soon after , our church passed a vote for the receiving of the indians . the elders of roxbury called eight of them to a private preparatory confession , in order to our publick proceeding . wee gave notice of the time and place of this meeting , and many were present to hear them , both men and women ; which confessions i shall here set down , for reasons which seem to mee to have much weight ; and they are as followeth . an abbreviate of the confessions of some of the indians , which they made before the elders of roxbury , ( sundry christian people being present , both men and women ) the 15th day of the second moneth , 1659. preparatory , in order to their admission into the church . nisho●kou . oh god of grace and salvation , help mee by thy spirit to confesse truth and grace , in the presence of god . 1 i confesse , that i have now learned out of gen. 5. 1. that god made man in the image of god , and adam lived 130 years , and begot a son in his own image , ver. 3. which then was not the image of god , but by reason of the fall , was the image of satan ; and that image of satan hee did communicate to us , so that wee are all born in sin , and so i lived . after wee pray'd to god about three years , my heart was not yet right , but i desired to run wilde , as also sundry others did . then i understood , that the lord did make heaven , earth , sea , and all creatures , and also man , and therefore i understood that god made mee . yet i being young , i was still vain , and ran about ; and i liked to do acts of youth and vanity , and lust , as others did . and i went to pawwauing among others , and these things i loved throughly , and they grew in my heart , and had nourishment there , and especially lust ; if i cut my hair , it was with respect to lust , to please women ; if i had long hair , it was with respect to lust , and all i did was with respect to lust and women ; when there was meetings , drinkings , sports , they respected lust , and these things i perfectly loved . when the minister came to teach us , hee taught , and i came to meeting ; but i came to look upon women , i understood not what hee taught ; sometimes i came , and understood nothing at all , only i look't on women . about two years after , i began to understand what the minister preached : i understood that scripture iam. 1. hee that doubteth is like a wave of the sea , driven of the windes and tossed ; and if any man lack wisedom , let him ask it of god . this i understood , yet i only understood it , but it was very hard to believe . afterward , i heard out of gen. 6. that god spoke concerning man , i will destroy man whom i have made , because god saw that the way of man was corrupt before him ; and this troubled mee . and again , in the same chapter it is said , that god saw that the iniquity of man was great upon the earth , and that every imagination of the thought of his heart is only evil continually ; this troubled mee , for i saw the roots of sin in my heart : yet it was hard to believe . again , in that 6. of gen. god rebuked that sin in man , which was my sin , and then my heart was troubled . sometime my heart said , it is better to run wilde as i did before , then to pray to god ; for if now i sin , or commit lust , i shall be punished , or put in prison ; but if i run wilde , i have liberty to sin without danger : but i was ashamed of such thoughts , and repented ; but yet i doubted . after half a year i heard the minister preach this ; that christ his death is of infinite value , but our death is little worth ; god is satisfied with the death of christ , and promiseth to pardon our sins for christ his sake , if wee believe in christ : wee deserve to die , but christ standeth in our stead , and dyeth for us , and so saveth us from death . next time the minister came , hee asked , what i remembred of this i now spoke of : and i did remember it , and do remember it to this day ; and i desire to pray to god as long as i live . i believe christ dyed for sinners , but i doubted concerning my self . then i heard this promise ; if you repent and believe , you shall have pardon and be saved : and therefore sometime i believe , and sometimes i doubt again . afterward , i had temptation to drinking , and to vain courses , nigh half a year ; yet when sabbath came , my heart would turn to god ; when the soldiers came upon us on the sabbath , while wee were at meeting , and made us bring our guns hither : then my heart said , sure god hath not said , keep the sabbath day holy ; and then my heart cast off god , yet it was only in my heart . when wee came to the magistrates , and cutshamoquin asked , why they came on the sabbath day ? my heart was troubled , and i did believe , when wee went from the magistrates . i was thirsty , and i drank a great deal ; and i was drunk , and was carried before the magistrates , and then i was ashamed . then i came to the ministers house , and i was greatly ashamed ; and my heart said , sure i have now cast off praying to god ; but i repented and cryed to god , oh god , pardon all my sins , and this my sin ; for my sins are great . i had other temptations to drinking , and i found my heart weak , and doubting , but my heart was troubled , and i was ready to stumble like a little weak childe . after this , i heard that word of god , mat. 12. do yee not remember what david did on the sabbath day , and was blamelesse ? then i thought the souldiers did not sin ; but then i saw that i was a great sinner , and that i had broken the sabbath . again , i heard that word , mat. 3. every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire : and this troubled mee , because i had evil fruits . again , mat. 6. christ saith , be ye not like hypocrites , which seem to pray before men . i thought this was my case , i did only pray before men , but i doubted of christ and his grace . again , mat. 5. who ever breaks the least of gods commandements , and teach men so to do , shall be least in the kingdom of heaven . then i was troubled , because i had been an active sinner , in lust , and other sins , and i was worse then a beast in my sins . then i cryed to god , oh christ pardon all my great sins , oh christ have mercy on mee , oh god remember mee , to pardon all my sins . thus i cryed and desired pardon , but i was weak in believing . but then , about two years after , i was greatly troubled about my weakness : i desired to do well , but i was weak : then i cryed to god , oh god help mee by thy spirit in mee , and send thy spirit into my heart . sometimes i read and taught on the sabbath day , but weakly . then i heard , mat. 23. christ bid the people do what the scribes and pharisees said , but not do as they do . i said ( lord ) that is my case ; i teach better then i do : and therefore i desired repentance for my sin , and to forsake my sin . then mat. 7. christ saith , thou hypocrite , first cast the beam out of thy own eye , and then thou mayst see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brothers eye . my heart said , truly it is so ; i teach others , but i do not well my self ; i reprove sin , and yet i do it . then was my heart weary , and i desired again to do well , and amend , but i found my self very weak . sometime my heart hated praying to god , and meeting on the sabbath dayes ; and therefore i see i deserve hell torments : and then i cryed , oh christ pardon all these my sins . then afterward my heart desired strongly to pray unto god , but i saw i deserved misery and punishment , and i was weak . then i desired my heart might be made strong by church-covenant , baptism , and the lords supper , which might be as a fort to keep me from enemies , as a fort keepeth us from our outward enemies . yet my heart was sometime backward , and said , no matter , do it not , but still do what thy heart would have thee . and i saw satan did thus follow mee with these temptations to misbelief and doubting . but now i see satan tempteth mee , because hee desireth i should be ever tormented with him . then i learned that in iohn 6. i am the true bread , and hee that eateth mee shall live for ever , and hee that drinketh my blood shall have life ; but hee that doth not eat my flesh and drink my blood shall not have life . then my heart saith , truth lord , that is my case . again i learnt , iohn 3. hee that believeth shall not perish , but have eternal life : and my heart said , yea lord , let it be so . again , mat. 16. christ saith , thou art peter a rock , and on this rock i will build my church , and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it : therefore my heart said , i desire this ; because christ dwells in the church , and is in the midst of them ▪ where two or three are met together in my name . oh! i do therefore desire church ordinances , that i might be with christ , and that i might have the seals . mat. 3. christ sayes , let it be : for it is necessary that i should fulfill all righteousness : my heart said , oh that i might also so do o lord , now my heart desireth and thirsteth ; oh god have mercy on mee and pity my weakness , that i may have pardon in christ , and strength from christ in all his ordinances , and that i might leave all my sins ; and oh god pardon all my sins for thy mercies sake ; i know not what to do i am so weak , oh god help , and have mercy on mee . and the same i desire of you , before whom i am in this house , help mee ; for mat. 16. whom yee binde on earth are bound in heaven , and whom yee loose on earth are loosed in heaven : and my desire is , that christ would pardon all my sins , and that i may be helped . elder heath propounded this question , which hee answered in broken english . question . whether doth satan still tempt you with former lusts and temptations ? and what do you when you are tempted ? answer to the first part . yes , alwaies to this day . to the second part : when devil comes , i sometime too much believe him , but sometime i remember to do gods word , because gods word is all one a sword , and breaks the devils temptations . deacon park propounded this question . what is it in sin , why hee hateth it now more then before ? answ. his answer in broken english . i did love sin , but now not all one so , because i hear gods word , and that shewes mee , that which i loved is evil , and will bring mee to hell , therefore i love it not now . deacon park urged , doth hee hate sin because it is against god ? answ. that chiefly . anthony . first , i make confession in the presence of god , and of all these elders : and this i confesse , that i am not able to speak before the lord , yet i do it according as god requireth i should . assuredly i am a sinner , but now i hope christ hath taught mee his word ; oh let him ( my lord ! ) help mee to speak it . i confesse , that in my mothers belly i was defiled in sin : my father and mother prayed to many gods , and i heard them when they did so ; and i did so too , because my parents did so : and in my childhood , ( afore i could act sin ) i did delight in it , as dancing and pawwaug : and when they did so , they prayed to many gods , as beasts , birds , earth , sea , trees , &c. after i was born , i did all such things . i loved lust when i was a youth , though i did act these lusts but a little . but when i had a little begun , my heart did very much desire more to do such sins : i saw the english keep sabbath ; i cared not , but played , and catch't birds , or any thing : yet when i saw englishmen , i ran away , on the sabbath day , because they should not see mee . as yet i knew not of great sins , as murder , adultery : then some indians said we must pray to god . when i was in english houses , i saw them pray , and i thought it a vain work . they said there was but one god ; i thought , nay , there be many gods . when indians said , wee will pray , my heart said , no ; i will not so long as i live . yet i heard more and more of praying to god , and that my brothers prayed to god ; but my heart said , praying to god is vain . after i heard waban did pray , and my brothers , wompo●as , and toteswo●mp ; yet my heart said , no : i am well enough . i have not so sinned as other men , i am no murderer , adulterer , &c. then i ran away ; yet i was not much troubled , because my brothers prayed . a little after i came , and my brother said to mee ; i pray you pray to god . i answered him not , but my heart said , no : yet i was troubled , because i heard my brothers . i thought , if any should kill my brothers , i would kill him : if any warrs were , i would go with my brothers ; only i thought of my love to my brothers : and then that , if my brother make warr , i would go with him , to kill men ▪ now he prayes , shall not i go with my broth●●●● 〈◊〉 my brothers love me , and they both pray to god , 〈◊〉 should not i ? they prayed morning and 〈…〉 they eat , and on sabbath dayes , then i thought i would do so : but it was not for love of god , or fear of god , but because i loved my brothers . again , when i came to noonantam ▪ i heard the minister preach , and i desired to hear what he 〈…〉 taught , but i understood not , 〈…〉 , because i understood stood 〈…〉 to hear , i heard some youths 〈…〉 roxbury . my brother said to me . go you , because you may learn smithery : for that reason i did go , but desired not to learn to pray : all these things were vain . when we came to roxbury , i said , i desired to learn smithery : but my master said , i may not teach him my trade , lest indians learn to make locks and guns . then i would not dwell with him , and thought to cast off praying , and thought i would forsake my brothers . my brother perswaded mee to dwell one year there , but i would not : yet at last i did dwell there one year , and went to meeting , but in vain , for i understood not one word . after that year , i returned to noonantam , and then i heard that god made all the world , but yet i did not pray to god one jot , but still sinned , and especially the sin of lust , & i made light of any sin . i heard , and understood the commands of god , thou shalt not murder , commit adultery , steal , bear false witness , covet ; and that made me afraid to commit sin afore man , lest i should be punished or put to death , but i feared not god . after i heard the minister ask , who made you ? a. god : and who redeemed you ? a. christ : and who must sanctifie you ? the holy ghost , and that god made heaven , earth , sea , &c. then i a little considered of god , who made all this world , and then i was afraid . i saw that no man could make these things , and that therefore we must pray to god , then my heart said , assuredly it is so ; god made all things , and made mee , and i must pray to him : after this , my brothers were sick , and i prayed god , oh that they may live ! and then i heard , that now god tryeth mee whether i will pray or no . i confesse i have done many sins , especially lust , though i had not been a murderer , or the like . but then my brothers and kindred dyed : then my heart said , sure it 's a vain thing to pray to god ; for i prayed , yet my friends dye● therefore i will run wilde , and did cast off praying , i did not pray morning and night , and at meat , only on the sabbath day i came to meeting , but i cared not for hearing , nor did i believe any thing i heard , but i still lived in sin , and my heart said , i will run away ; for here we are hindred from sin , in other places i may freely sin . then my brothers which lived were troubled for mee . then i said i will abide with my brothers , because i love them , but not because i would pray . then that winter god broke my head ; i knew but little , i was almost dead : then my heart said , now i know god is angry with mee for my sins , and hath therefore smote mee ; then i prayed hard , when i was almost dead . i remembred my sins much , and considered them much : i remembred that god made all the world , and therefore assuredly there is a god . i heard that god made adam , and made him in his own image , gen. 1. and assuredly none but god could make all the world , heaven , earth , sea , &c. then i did believe that god did make the world . again , i confesse , i saw that i had offended against god , and sinn'd against him , and that i had the root of sin in me , and that i had deserved all miseries , and death , and hell . i heard , that god made a covenant with adam , and forbad him to eat of the tree in the midst of the garden ; and yet he did eat , and therefore god was angry with man : and i was born in sin , and therefore god was angry with me : and because i have sometime forsaken god , and run wilde , therefore i now know my sin and my offence against god . i desire no more to cast off god and prayer , for now i know my sins , and that i have deserved misery : therefore now i desired to pray to god , as long as i live . i desired pardon of my sins , and i thought it may be god will pardon mee : and my heart prayed to god , oh god if thou give mee life again , i will assuredly believe and obey ; and now i know my sins by the sin of adam : but when i had thus done , quickly my heart would be vain again . after my wound , when i came to my self and awaked , i saw my sin , and promised god to pray unto him , when i saw the mercy of god was so great unto mee : i heard that word , say not , i will pray hereafter , but now , today if yee will hear his voice , harden not your hearts , but pray to god ; and that made my heart to yield to do it . then i understood , gen. 2. that god formed man out of the dust of the earth , and breathed into him a living soul : by this i did believe that god made me . and i heard that god caused adam to sleep , and took out a rib , and made it a woman : and by this i believed , that surely this is the work of god . again i heard , that wee are born in sin , under the guilt of adams sin : and by that i believed that i was a sinner . again i heard , gen. 6. that all the thoughts and imaginations of the heart of man , are only evil continually ; and that god did threaten to destroy man whom hee had made , and all beasts and living creatures which hee had made : and by this i saw , that surely sin is a very great evil . again i heard , that noah found grace , and hee onely was upright before god , and that god drowned all the world , except noah , and his sons , and their wives , eight persons : this did make mee remember my sinnes , and confesse them , and i saw that god is angry with sin . it rained forty dayes , and so drowned all the world : then i said , surely this is gods work , and hee doth as he threatned to do to sinners ; and the same may god do to me , who am a sinner ; and my heart is full of sin , and evil thoughts , &c. and then i prayed , oh god be not angry with mee , but be mercifull to mee , and shew mee what i should do . then i considered why did god bid noah make an ark , and saved noah and his sons , and their wives : and by it my heart saw , that this is gods work , who does what hee speaketh , and hath mercy on whom hee will . and my heart thought , does god pardon mee , and love mee ? it may be god will have mercy on mee . i heard that promise , mat. 3. repent and believe , for the kingdom of heaven is at hand : then my heart said , oh that god would help mee , and pardon my sins . and god made mee wonder at gods mercy to mee . i heard of sodom , and their great sin , and destruction , and that did make me to remember my great sins , and the great work of god that hee had almost kill'd mee ; oh , i thought this is gods work , to shew mee my sinnes : and as god saved lot by the angels , and sent him out of the place , but burnt sodom and all the people , this i saw to be gods work , & now i desired to fear god and pray unto him all the dayes of my life . again i heard , mat. 3. the axe is laid to the root of the tree , every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down , and cast into the fire : then i feared my own case , because my fruits were sin , and i deserved to be cut down ; then i desired to believe in christ . i did believe that christ is the son of god , by that word matth. 4. satan tempted christ , if thou be the son of god , &c. but christ conquered satan ; and therefore assuredly hee is the son of god . then i considered that place , mat. 11. many came to christ , the halt , and blinde , and lame , and deaf , and sick , and hee healed all , and if they did but touch christ they were healed ; and therefore my heart believed assuredly , hee is the son of god : and therefore now i will pray , and oh let christ save mee . and christ hath promised , whatever yee ask in my name , it shall be done : therefore now i prayed , oh christ jesus pardon mee ; but my heart is weak and doubting , and i cannot believe . and i heard that word , that every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit , is cut down and cast into the fire : then i said , i deserve that . again , that word , not every one that sayeth , lord , lord , but hee that heareth the word , and doeth it . assuredly it is so ; and i desire not only to hear the word , but to do it : then my heart was ashamed of my sinnes , and grieved . i heard that word , matth. 6. blessed art thou simon bar-ionah , flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee , but my heavenly father : then my heart said , yea lord , no man has taught mee christ , onely god hath taught my heart to know christ . again , i heard that word , mat. 1. hee will save his people from their sins : then my heart said , be it so to mee , oh lord . again , i heard that christ rose again the third day with an earth-quake ; and the watchmen were afraid , and fled : then my heart said , surely this is christ the son of god ; and whosoever believeth in christ , his soul shall go to heaven : for again , i heard of the ascension of christ , and more then five hundred saw him ascend ; and therefore i believe this is christ the son of god . again , i heard that in john 14. no man cometh unto the father , but by mee : my heart answered , yea assuredly , oh lord , christ is the way , to believe in , and come to god . again , i heard that mat. 25. christ saith to the wicked , depart yee cursed : i said , god might justly say so to mee , and send mee to eternal death . but i earnestly cryed to god , oh god , set mee into the right way , and give mee christ , that i may ever walk with christ ; for i am poor and weak : and christ promiseth , that what wee ask hee will grant ; and i say , let god do with mee what hee will : but i beg mercy in christ , onely i desire to pray to god as long as i live . iohn speen . this i confess , that i assuredly am a great sinner before the lord : but now i beseech god to help mee ; oh christ , lead mee in the right way , that i may speak that which is right . this i confesse , that before wee prayed to god , i was wholly a sinner , and not only before , but since praying to god , i have been a great sinner : and now i desire to make a short confession [ for we desired that they would be shorter , the time requiring so ] . at first when i prayed , my prayer was vain , and only i prayed with my mouth ; and on the sabbath , only i came to the house of prayer . i prayed morning and evening , and when i eat , but i considered not what i prayed for ; i was sometime angry and passionate about wordly matters ; and i was troubled when i saw my brother was chosen to be a ruler , who was younger then i ; because now i saw that i was a sinner ; and though i repented , yet presently again i fell into sin : therefore i thought , surely god hath cast me off , because i thus sin ; and still my heart was full of sin , all my thoughts were full of sin , all my talk and doings were sinfull . but now of late , about 2 yeares ago , i heard this word , mat. 12. when the unclean spirit was cast out , hee went up and down unquiet ; then hee returned and took 7 devils with him , worse then himself , and dwelt in that man , and the latter end of that man was worse then his beginning . when i heard this i feared , my heart feared ; i feared that my repentance and praying and all was nought , and that god hath almost quite cast me off . then i considered how i fell into these sins : i remembred that the serpent did deceive the woman , & she the man , and thereby brought sin ; and thereupon god punished both the man and the woman . hearing this , my heart thought ; surely i am a great sinner , and i was born in sin , because my parents were sinners , and so am i . i have sinned against god , and i was born in sin . my parents broke that command , thou shalt have no other gods but mee ; but they served many gods , and so did i , and therefore the earth bringeth forth thorns and weeds unto man , when he laboreth : therefore by this i remembred my troublesom life , and all is because god is offended at me , because of my sins . and then i remembred that many of my children are dead ; this is gods punishment on me , because of my sins . sometime men punished me , and were offended at me , but now i remembred my sins against god , and i saw that the punishments of god are a greater matter . again , i heard that word , that hee that keepeth his word shall finde mercy . i thought so it is indeed ; but i am a sinner . i considered what i should do , because i was a sinner , and born in sin , and have lived in sin . i considered assuredly there is a god , and god made heaven and earth , and all that is therein , and all destructions and deaths are the work of god . i remembred my vain praying to god , and considered what to do ▪ i confessed my sins before god , and begged pardon for christ his sake . i did finde i could not deliver my self , but christ only is my deliverer ; and my heart desired to believe , and pray to him , and yet knew not what to do , nor how to please god , and get pardon ; only i prayed , oh christ deliver mee , because i am a sinner , and know not what to do . then i remembred that god layeth on us two deaths in this world : first , the soul is dead , and wee are made guilty of adams sin , and have lost gods image , and hereby my soul is a fool , and hereby my soul is dead : and a man dead can do nothing , nor speak , nor go , nor stand , and verily so is my soul dead , and i shall fall to eternal damnation by sin . therefore now i cry to god to help mee , for i am throughly a sinner . after i heard that god pardoneth penitent believers : and i remember the word of ionas , when he was almost cast off , he repented , and god made a whale to eat him up ; and then he looked to god , and cryed for mercy ; and then i saw that if i cry for mercy , and believe , i shall have pardon . i heard that christ healed all manner of diseases ; therefore i believed that christ is the son of god , able to heal and pardon all . now i confess i know nothing , almost nothing at all . again , christ saith , hee that is not with mee is against mee ; my heart said , true it is so , so must i do , i must be with christ : and , hee that gathereth not , scattereth ; i said , so it is with mee , i have so done ; i scatter , and am a stranger to christ . and i did not truly love them that prayed to god , but i was a stranger in heart unto them . but now i desire in my heart to do as they do ; and our poor teaching , i desire to obey it , and do what god bids ; and what he saith you shall not do , that i desire not to do : but yet again i do sin , and my sins troubled me by hearing the word of god , and yet i would do them . i heard that god will pardon all kinde of sins , that men sin , but the sin against the holy ghost shall not be pardoned in this world , nor in that which is to come . then i fear'd that i was such an one , and that god would not pardon me . then i earnestly entreated god to pardon and deliver me , because he was the true deliverer . again , i heard that word , that they that are well need not the physitian , but the sick . my heart said , true ; i did even so , i sought not help when i was well , but now i remember my sins , and now my soul is dead , and now i desire that my soul may live , and i desire the physitian of my soul to heal mee ; and christ will not in vain heal souls , but such as convert from sin , and believe in christ , their sins christ pardoneth : this my soul doth earnestly beseech of christ , and else i know not what to do . again , i heard that christ dyed for our sins , when we are sinners . again , mat. 26. christ saith , this is my blood of the new testament , which is shed for many , for the remission of sins : my heart said , yea ( lord ) let it be so for my soul , and let me not be a stranger any more before thee . i know not what to do , lord help . i desire to be washed from all my filthy sins , and to be baptized , as a sign of it . i am as a dead man in my soul , and desire to live . ponampam . a little i shall speak . i was young , about 8 years old when my father lived . i did play as other children did , and my father did chide me for playing . i wondered at it , for he said we shall all die . i wondered and sat amazed about half an hour , but i soon forgot it . that winter the pox came , and almost all our kindred dyed . i and my mother came to the bay , and there dwelt till we pray'd to god ; but i did nothing but sin , as the rest of the world did . then hearing the word of god , i heard that from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof , my name shall be known among the gentiles : therefore all must pray to god . but my heart did not desire that , but to go away to some other place . but remembring the word of god , that all shall pray to god . then i did not desire to go away , but to pray to god . but if i pray afore the sachems pray , i fear they will kill me , and therefore i will not pray . but yet when others prayed , i prayed with them ; and i thought , if i run away to other places , they will pray too , therefore i will pray here . then on a sabbath , none taught , and some bid me teach , what the minister had taught us ; but i feared , and durst not for fear of the sachems , yet they urged me , and i did . and i taught them what i remembred , and they were angry at me , and we fell out , and i went away . i thought that my praying would be in vain , and i laid by praying ; and there was paw-wauing , but i doubted to do that , because i had prayed , and i did think they would laugh at me . after i returned again , and was among them which prayed , but my heart did not rightly pray , though i came on the sabbath day . then about the time that my son ( who was at school ) was born , the minister taught on 1 chron. 28. 9. thou solomon my son , know the god of thy fathers , &c. if thou seek him , hee will be found of thee ; if thou forsake him , hee will cast thee off for ever : then i feared , for i said , this already i have done , i have cast off god , and therefore he will cast off me ; for every such one god will cast off , i know not what to do . it repented me for my sin , i feared gods wrath and damnation . then i prayed , and call'd upon god , yet only sometimes i repented , and after i found my heart full of sin again : but then i was angry at my self , and knew not what to do ; alwayes i did fear , god hath cast me off , for all my many sins which i have done . hereby i was troubled and angry at my self . then i heard that word , who ever repent and believe shall be saved , i l'e pardon them : then my heart cryed , oh christ let it be so , that my sins may be pardoned , and that i may pray alwaies . then i begged , lord give me repentance and faith , and i did pray to god much . then i did beg , that i might give up my self , wife , and children to god as long as we live ; and then i prayed . then i heard that word , mat. 5. hee that looks on a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery in his heart . i then remembred my sins ; that though i had promised to pray , yet i had thus sinned , and my heart was now troubled about this . my heart said , cast off praying , because you are filthy in lust , your heart and eyes still commit adultery ; therefore run away from these that pray to god , and go to qunniticot , or some other place ; and if you be in other places , you may do what you will , and my heart almost inclined to this sin : but after that , this merciful word of god i heard , that satan led christ into the wilderness to tempt him , and so i thought hee would do me . then i desired god to be merciful to me ; then i turned to god , and cryed , but knew not what to do , for i feared god had cast me off , and i shall perish for ever ; god has cast me off , and i have deserved hell fire . then i heard that word , joh. 14. 6. none come to the father but by me : i did pray , oh christ let it be so , that by thee i may come to god ; and i pray christ jesus pardon all my sins , this mercy i beg . then i repented my casting off praying to god ; then i promised i would not return again to sin , and if christ help me , i and children shall serve god . then that spring my mother and two children dyed , and i was troubled , and knew not what to do ; my heart said , lay by prayer , but that i did not : but i saw christ came to give eternal life , and therefore what christ will do for me , so let it be . therefore i believe only in christ for eternal life ; and what christ will do with my soul , so let it be ; and my soul desireth that i may receive the seals to make strong my heart . piumbuhhou . assuredly , i have nothing that i should confesse as i ought , for my heart is full of foolishness and darkness ; stopt up is my heart , and deaf are my ears . i know not by what way i can get life . i was born in sin into this world , and therefore i am in folly , and i know my heart is full of foolishness and ignorance . i am a great sinner ever since i saw light in this world ; my foolishness appeareth in every thing i do in this life . i know not what god hath given me , but now i hear of the mercy of god , who hath made the world , and all things in it ; by this great work of his i know there is a god , and because my heart checketh mee for sin , and i fear the punishment of god : and the word of god now sheweth me that there is a god ; therefore my heart sayes , i desire to pray to god : and because god is angry with me for all my sins , i know nothing by my self but that which is evil . i heard that word mat. 5. blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . then my heart said , so be it oh lord to me , and i love thee as long as i live . then said my heart , i am a poor man , and desire to pray to god . again , god said , blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness , for they shall be filled . then when i heard that word , my heart rejoyced ; and yet again i doubted , and my heart misbelieved and feared . then that word came , that christ saith , be ye mercifull , as your heavenly father is merciful . and again , hee maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good ; and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust . when i heard it , my heart rejoyced to hear of the mercy of god ; yet i doubted , and my heart was hard again . now i confess before god , because god is a great god , and a mercifull god , and i pray to him . i heard of gods great mercy , to give us his only son to dye for us ; therefore i loved god , and i begged , oh god pardon all my sins , and i give up my self to jesus christ . monotunkquanit . before i prayed to god , i lived at nipmuk . i did not know that there was a god , only i lived for nothing , for no end or purpose ; but i alwaies did wilde actions . i kept no sabbath , nor lecture , nor any work of prayer ; nor did i remember my works . i now know that all my words and works are naught , my eyes and ears are stopped , and mad works i dayly did . after i went to dorchester indians , the praying indians ; and they that were my friends , did say it was good to pray to god ; and said , tomorrow is our lecture , and the minister cometh to teach us ; then my heart desired to see the minister , and hear what he said : next day he came , and taught the indians ; i went and desired to see : when i came , my son sam. came with mee ; the minister call'd my son , and set him afore , and asked him , who made him ? and he was taught to answer , god . then he commended my son , and asked whose son he was ; they said , mine . the minister gave him two apples : then the minister said to me , do you pray to god ? you see your childe saith , god made him ; and therefore it is your duty to pray to god : then i considered what he said , i could not sleep that night . i considered whether i should pray to god ; my heart did much doubt that night ! shall i pray ? my heart said , no ; yet i doubted . then waban came to my house to nipmuk , and perswaded me to pray to god ; i said , i know not how to pray . hee said , god will teach you ; god is a great god , and made all the world . i answered , who knoweth that ? and who can witness that ? he said , the minister is sent of god , and sheweth us gods word , and hee by that teacheth us , then i promised waban , that when hee came again i would pray to god . then toteswamp came , and exhorted me to pray to god , and told me of christ , and pardon of sin ; and then almost my heart prayed to god . then i said , english men understand not me , and does god understand me ? they said , god made all● , and understands all : then i said , i will pray to god . then i heard first , that god made heaven , and earth , and all things , and in six dayes finished them ; and also made man in his own image , wise and holy like god . then i heard that satan came and tempted eve , and cozened her , and she tempted the man . and god had said , eat not of the tree in the midst of the garden , if yee eat thereof yee shall dye ; yet she did eat , and gave unto man , and he did eat : and thereby he sinned , and all his posterity became sinful , and deserved damnation . then my heart said , what shall i do ? and i prayed for my children , for now i hear of eternal damnation , and sure i am a great sinner . again , i heard the minister preach , that christ was born like a man , and was both god and man , and dyed for us , and sheweth us the way of eternal life . then i cryed , oh lord give me christ , because christ hath dyed for us , and hath made his righteousness ours , and our sins are christs , as adam made his sin ours . now my heart was broken , and i saw that i was a great sinner . when i heard of the great works of christ , i said , oh what shall i do , that i may get christ ? & i said in my heart , oh let the holy spirit help me , for i am ashamed of my sins ; melted is my heart , and i desire pardon of all my sins ; now i desire to forsake all my sins , and now i desire dayly to quench lusts , and wash off filth , and cast out all my sins , by the blood of jesus christ , and this i do by believing in jesus christ . gen. 6. there was only one noah righteous , and god saved him : then my heart said , oh mercifull god , who savest them that trust in thee , save mee . again , god made his covenant with abraham , and with all the seed of abraham : now i desire to have this covenant , and to receive this commandement of christ . abraham was strong in faith , and followed christ ; and my heart doth desire to follow christ , because he hath dyed for us . wutásakómpauin . oh christ help mee ! i confess my sins before god , and before men . we are all born in sin , because adam sinned , and made his sin ours . our parents knew not god , nor the way of life ; we indians are all sinners , and did all sins , afore we heard of god ; we did pray to every thing that is in the world , and knew not the way of life . when english men came first , we did pray to the devil , and many were our sins ; and god doth know all our sins , all which we have committed , before the english came . after the english came , i went to sudbury , to mr browns house , and he said to me , pray to god ; but i did not like it , nor to hear of praying to god ; but afterwards i heard waban prayed to god , and i was not glad of it ; yet after waban prayed , he told us of it , and that the minister came to noonantam . i heard him , and he taught , that the souls of good men die and go to heaven , the souls of the wicked , when they die , they go to hell ; but i only heard it . then we resolved we would pray to god , and carry our children to roxbury , that they might learn to pray , but we feared that we should not learn to pray . after the minister taught that word , that every man himself must pray and believe to be saved ; and though your sons be at roxbury , and learn to pray , yet if you pray not , you must be damned . again , i heard many words of god ; this was one , therefore watch , for ye know not the day , or hour , when the lord will come : when i heard that , i knew not what to do , nor do i know when is the day of death . but i am full of sin , and when i die christ will not receive me , because i am so full of sin . after that my wise dyed , and then weak was my heart , almost i left praying to god , but yet i did not so . but after , i heard that word of god , who ever heareth the word , and doeth it , is like a wise builder , who built on a rock ; and when the storms and floods came and beat upon the house , it stood , because it was built upon a rock : but hee that heareth the word , and doth it not , is like a foolish builder , who built upon the sand , and the storms and floods came and beat upon that house , and it fell , because it was built on the sand . by this i saw that i was a foolish builder , because the death of my wife did almost make me leave praying to god . after i had another wife , and shee dyed also : then i heard that word , that it is gods love , by afflictions , to call us to repentance ; and therefore my heart said , oh lord i will pray , oh lord help me . again , i heard another word , that at the end of the world all must appear before the iudgment seat of christ : and therefore now confess all your sins , and repent , because christ hath writ down all your actions , both good and bad , and all shall be opened ; and therefore repent of your sins , that they may be pardoned . then i said , i am a great sinner , and ever i commit sin ; i confesse i have deserved hell , and i cannot deliver my self ; but i beg of god , oh lord give me christ ; and i give my soul to christ , that all my sins may be pardond , and i now confess my sins before man but at the end of the world i must be judged by jesus christ . now i desire the spirit of god would help me to confess all my sins to god , that they may be pardoned in jesus christ . these confessions i wrote in english from their mouthes with the best of my endeavours , both for diligence and also faithfulness ; and so soon as they had done , i read them unto the elders and brethren and sisters there present , and that the substance hereof was delivered by them , and faithfully translated and delivered by me ( to the lest of my understanding ) i do here before the lord testifie . john eliot . i did understand most things that some of those indians spake ; and though others spake not so well to my understanding , yet many things i understood of what they all spake : and thus much i may testifie , that ( according to what i understood ) the substance of their confessions is here truly set down . john eliot , jun. waban being sick when the rest made their confession , after the lord had restored him , came to roxbury , and before the elders made his confession as followeth . unto this day i do understand but little of the english language ; the word of god came not first unto my heart by the english language . i did not know what state i was in at my first birth , and my sin by birth i knew not : when i was young i knew not what i was , as now i do know ; for now i know that i am a sinful man . since i prayed to god , i know more of my self ; but afore , i cared not for such things , nor what they said . if i heard any thing , i took no heed to it ; if any asked me whether i knew god , i did not regard it ; yea , i hated the knowledg of god , nor did i regard any word of god : but other kinde of praying ( which we used ) i did love ; to pray to the devil , this i loved . but afterward , i began to think ; it may be they say true , that speak of god ; it may be it is true , that god is in heaven ; and should any teach me in my language , i might know god : but if i should pray , it may be it is in vain to pray in my language ; could i speak english , i might learn to pray . and i see the english love us , and therefore it is like , that is true which they say of god , and i desire to live for ever where they do . when i first heard the word , it said , god is good ; a little i believed it , but i did more doubt . mr iackson asked me if i did pray to god : i asked him whether god understood our language , if i prayed to him : hee said , yea , all things god doth know , and all languages . then my heart said , it may be i may attain to pray . but my heart was hard , and therefore i could not pray , afterwards it may be i may . sometime i thought if we did not pray , the english might kill us ; but if i prayed , i thought i did not pray right . when i saw , and considered , that all men in the world dyed , i knew not how i might come to live for ever , how my soul might live , and therefore i desired i might pray to god aright ; because they that so pray , are all one as if they dyed not , but live for ever . i wish't i could pray aright , but could not tell how to do it . i did in my heart love wandering about , and our wilde courses alwaies ; and when i did pray , it was but out-side praying , for in my heart i understood not right praying to god ; i understood not how to pray , and i regarded not my weariness of that which was good , many things hindred my heart ; i was ashamed , because my heart was full of evil . sometimes i thought of my sins , but it was but a little , and i was soon weary of any good . i did not think god was not mercifull , but i saw my heart was naught , and very little did i know the evils of my heart . no humility was in my heart , and to this day my heart is evil , and hard is my heart , when you taught us the word of god , my heart did not believe , but went contrary to the word of god . i saw my mourning for sin was not good : i do confess my heart did not submit to god , only i hoped i might might learn the word of god , which you taught us . my heart did afore love praying to the devil , but i do not finde that i so love praying to god : therefore i did pray , lord break my heart , that i may pray to god aright . my heart was weary of praying quickly ; and therefore my heart said , surely my heart is nought , and i am like a dead man : and therefore i prayed , lord help me now to pray aright to god . now i knew that god knoweth all the thoughts of my heart , and my many sins , and contrary doings , and how little i know of god . surely i am a great sinner , and this i do throughly know , that great are my sins , and that my heart is contrary to praying to god , and my heart desired wilde courses , and i see that my heart loveth not praying to god . yet now my heart began to desire to pray , and to love those things which are according to right praying ; but i knew not what to do . then i asked what i should do ; then i heard this answer , i should desire christ to break my heart by his spirit , none else in the world could do it ; no man could work faith in me , but the word which i heard doth it . i could not my self repent of sin , or be ashamed ; but this i know , that the word of god saith , those that believe in christ shall not perish , but have eternal life : then my heart said , oh lord , let it be so to me , and let not my heart say contrary . again i heard , if any be foolish , let him ask wisedom of god , who giveth freely : then my heart said , i am foolish , oh lord teach me . then i feared that my heart in vain seeketh , and then i desired humility , and that i might not pray in vain , and that i might not pray only outwardly . but my heart had contrary and misbelieving thoughts dayly , and my heart did not dayly desire after god , and but a little could i remember of god . sometime my heart desired not to be like to such as prayed aright unto god ; therefore i desired the image of god upon me , and that i might be like to them wch prayed to god aright ; alwaies i thought that what god said in his word was right . i heard this word , the foxes have holes , and the birds have nests , but the son of man hath not where to lay his head : then my heart said , truth ( lord ) the riches of this world are of no value ; and therefore i desire not this worlds goods , but only heavenly blessings and grace , & i desire the way to the heavenly kingdom . and always my heart saith , touching my poverty and misery , i give myself and my soul to god and to christ , because that is right . again , i learn in the catechize , q. what hath christ done for us ? a. he dyed for us , hee was buried , he rose again for us , and by his resurrection hee raiseth our souls unto grace , and also at the last day : and my heart said , oh let it be so in me ! again it is said , what else hath christ done for us ? a. he ascended to heaven , to raise our hearts first to heaven , and then to carry us to heaven also , to be with him for ever . my heart saith , oh god i am not able to save my self , i cannot save my own soul , this is only thy work oh god , and my heart believeth it ; and with god is mercy and goodness , but in this world is nothing but weariness , and i know my weakness ; therefore i am ashamed , and oh let god put grace into my heart ; and my heart saith , oh let me not say in vain that i believe , oh lord help that i may truly believe , not by my works , but by thy word oh god . again it is said in catechism , why is christ a prophet ? a. to teach me the way to heaven : therefore my heart desireth that christ may ever lead me by his word ; and it is only the mercy of christ that must do this for me , and he giveth me true comfort only by believing in him . the lord was so graciously with them in these confessions , that they had good acceptance . wee advised with the church touching our further progress ; the conclusion whereof was , that we sent letters to all the neighbor-churches , informing them of our progress in this matter , in order to our receiving them ; desiring them , or any among them , that had any just offence against any of these eight indians , whom we named , that they would orderly communicate the same unto us , and seasonably ; or if they had such knowledg of any of them , as to give us encouragement , we should be thankfull ; or their silence , we should take in good part also . we had both incouragement and testimony from some churches , only the paucity of interpreters to co-attest with my interpretation , was a matter of much difficulty , and no small impediment ; for which cause i sent to mr peirson , to old mr mayhu , to thomas stanton , to be present with us , losing no known opportunity to bring our waies into the light , and to make all things clear . we proposed it to our church , to agree about the publick day of confessions ; the conclusion was , that a council was called , we sent unto ten churches about us , requesting them by their messengers to be present on roxbury lecture day , being the 5th of the 5th moneth , 1659. acquainting them that that day was set apart to hear the indians confessions , and we requested counsel and direction from them , and concurrence with us . after prayer , i first declared to the congregation what supply of interpreters we had for co-attestation with my interpretation of the indians confessions . first , here was mr peirson , and we had ( for clearness of our way , because of his unacquaintance with our dialect ) ordered the confessing indians to keep sabbath at roxbury ; we spent half the sabbath among them , a good part whereof was spent in hearing some of their confessions , and all the second day we so spent , so that mr peirson had taken in writing all their confessions ; so that , if the assembly pleased , they might hear the confessions which they made before the elders of roxbury , which i have here in writing , and had been already seen by sundry of the elders ; also they might hear the confessions which mr peirson and i had taken yesterday ; which ( compared with what the lord shall assist them to utter this day ) may help to clear up the verity and reality of their hearts in these their confessions . moreover i declared , that here was a godly brother of martyns vineyard , named peter fouldger , who had for many years taught the indian school in mr mayhu's life time ; & since , he hath been by the cōmissioners imployed to teach the indians each other sabbath ; who told me , when i spake unto him about this work , that by reason of the different dialect , he durst not alone undertake to give in a testimony ; but if he brought one of his indians with him , ( as need might be to help him ) then he durst undertake to give a testimony upon oath , if need were . this man , and his indian with him , are this morning come , and are present in the assembly , and set in a convenient feat together . again i declared , that my son was present , who doth in some measure understand the language : also here are present two sons of thomas stanton , one of which the commissioners maintain at the colledg . and lastly , here are the indian scholars present ; so that if the assembly think meet to make use of any of these youths in this grave business , they might so do . further i declared , that in all this matter we did submit our selves to the guidance of the reverend council here present , and desired them to direct us and order us , as they saw meet to do in the lord . then we proceeded to hear the indians confessions , which are as followeth . nishóhkou . i called him forth , and said , stand up and make your confession before the lord and his people . hee said , i desire to confess before god and all these wise men , and god helping by the mercifull help of his gracious spirit , that i may confess all my sins . i heard that word , gen. 5. that god made adam in his own image , both male and female ; and after many years adam begat a son in his own image , having lost gods image . and god did form man in the womb of our mother , in adams image , and so i was formed in the image of adam ; and when i was born i lived in the same way , in the image of satan , and original sin was rooted in my heart , and grew up there ; also i confess , that when i was a child , my parents and i were all wilde , we prayed to many gods , and many other sins we did , and all the people did the same , both men and women , they lived in all lusts , they prayed to every creature ; the sun , moon , stars , sea , earth , fishes , fowl , beasts , trees , &c. all these things i saw when i was a youth , and all these things i liked and loved to do , and was delighted with these things ; in all these things i lived , and with these things my memory was exercised , and in my youth i did what i listed , as pauwauing , or what else i would ; when i was grown up , i loved lust , and delighted in it , i knew it not to be a sin , but an excellent delight : i loved all sin , but especially lust , and all that i did , was for the sake of lust , such things as women might like of ; if i cut my hair , it was to please women ; if i cut my hair in another fashion , and left a lock on one side , it was with respect to lust ; if i got fine cloaths , stockins , shoes , all was for to serve lust ; our meetings and drinkings were with respect to lust : so that this was the chief thing i did delight in ; and these things were in my bones , and there grew ; then the minister came to channit to teach us : i came to the meeting , but in vain ; i came for lust to look on women , alwayes i did thus , and i thought teaching to be madness , and so i continued two years after we prayed to god ; after two years i heard a little , my ears were a little opened ; i first understood that word , he that doubteth , is like a wave of the sea , driven to and fro , and tossed ; and that word , if any man lack wisdome , let him ask it of god , who giveth freely , and upbraideth no man . also the same winter i heard that word , gen. 6. god said , i will destroy man whom i have created , and he repented that he had made him . these things i understood and remembred , but i confess before god , that i did only hear and know these things , as i did sometimes speak of what i did remember , but i believed not , yea i laughed , as other youths did , at all these things , because thereby did original sin grow in me , and hard it was to root it out , and hard to believe . after this i heard still , and more i understood ; i heard , gen. 16. that the people were full of sin , lust , and all other sin , and therefore the lord destroyed them ; and i knew that i had the same sins , and therefore i was afraid ; but i feared only this bodily life , and not for my soul : after this , my heart did a little desire to pray to god , because god found noah righteous , and did save him , therefore i desired to pray ; but again i laid it by , and i said it is vain to pray , for if i pray , and should commit sin , i shall be punished , or imprisoned , but if i pray not , i may commit what sin i will , and have no punishment for it . about a year after , i heard the minister teach another word , that the death of christ is precious , and our death is nothing worth , therefore god promiseth pardon of all sins for christ his sake ; he bid us remember this against next time : when he came again , he asked me , and i did remember it , and do to this day ; but i confess i did not believe , only i did remember it , and answered when i was asked : and then again , i desired to pray to god , and would not go away , but it was because i loved our place and dwelling ; i prayed , but i believed not , i considered not eternal life , but only this worldly life : and thus i went on , till they chose rulers at natik , they chose me , and i refused , because i believed not : after that , my wife and child died , and i was sick to death , but lived again , and being well , i thought i could not pray , i was a child , and therefore could not , i put off praying to god , my relations died , and why should i pray ? but then i considered , why does god thus punish me ; yea , the minister spake to me about it , and said , it may be it was because i refused to do gods work , as moses , when he first refused , god was patient , but when he persisted in his refusal , god was angry ; and then my heart saw my sin , and then my heart almost believed : i desired to do right , and to keep the sabbath , for i further heard in the 4th commandment , remember the sabbath to keep it holy ; and psa. 101. i will walk wisely in a perfect way : also in isay 58. if thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath , and do not thy own works , nor find thy own pleasure , nor speak thy own words ; therefore my soul desired to keep the sabbath , then the souldiers came upon us on the sabbath day , while we were at meeting , and took away our guns , and caused us to bring them as far as roxbury ; that night my heart was broken off , my heart said , god is not , the sabbath is not , it is not the lords day , for were it so , the souldiers would not have then come ; then my heart cast off praying , then we came before the magistrates , and cutshamoquin asked , why they came on the sabbath-day : it was answered , that it was lawful ; but i did not understand it : that day i being very thirsty , did drink too much , and was brought before the magistrates , and was ashamed : i came to roxbury to the minister , and there i was ashamed also , because i had greatly sinned ; then i cried to god for free-mercy , because precious is the death of christ , oh pardon this my sin : yet again i had temptations to drinking , and then i considered what a great sinner i was , even like a beast before god : then i heard that word , mat. 5. he that breaketh the beast of gods commands , and teacheth others so to do , shall be the least in the kingdome of heaven : my heart said , lord , such an one have i been , for i have been an active sinner ; yet i cried again for mercy , o lord freely pardon my great sins . again , i confess i am very weak , even like a very child , and i so walk , and know not what to do ; if i die , i fear i shall die in my sin ; yet i cried again , o god pardon me for christ his sake . again , further i confess , that when i was troubled about our wants , poverty , and nakedness , i considered that text , foxes have holes , and birds have nests , but the son of man hath not whereon to lay his head . and again , mat. 6. the birds plough not , and the flowers spin not , and yet god doth both feed and cloath them ; and therefore be not over-much troubled about these things , yet i desire to follow labour with my hands , because gen 1. god gave adam dominion over the creatures , and commanded him to till the ground : and gen. 2. he set him in the garden , and commanded him to dress it , and keep it : also gen. 3. he said , thou shalt eat thy bread in the sweat of thy face all thy dayes , till thou returnest to thy dust . when i remember these things , my heart doth bow to labour : also i heard that riches were the root of all evil , and dives with his fine apparel , and dainty fare , was in hell , and poor lazarus was in heaven : when my heart is troubled about our land , ●nd about riches , i quiet my heart with these meditations . also i further heard , when my heart was troubled about salvation , and doubted , i heard that there is no means of salvation but christ , not any thing in the world can carry us to heaven , only christ , which i did believe , by gen. 28. where iacob dreamed a dream , and he saw a ladder which stood on earth , and the top reached up to heaven , and that ladder is christ ; who is man , and so toucheth the earth ; and god , and so is in heaven , and by believing in him , we ascend to heaven as by a ladder . this helped me almost to believe , and i cried , oh christ be thou my ladder to heaven ! again , ioh. 14. christ saith , none cometh to the father , but by me ; therefore i believe , nothing can carry me to god , but only christ , if i penitently believe in him . again , i confess i do still find my self very weak to resist sin , for if i read , and teach on the sabbath , i teach indeed , but i do not as i ought ; and therefore that word of christ doth rebuke me , mat. 23. hear , and do what they say , but do not as they do . when i do , among others , reprove sinners , that word of christ reproveth me : thou hypocrite , first cast the beam out of thine own eye , and then thou mayest see clearly so cast the moat out of thy brothers eye . again , when i pray , i find hypocrisie in my heart , to do it to be seen of men , and that word of christ reproveth me , mat. 6. they pray to be s●en of men , verily they have their reward ; and then i cryed mightily to god , o lord help me , pardon me , what shall i do . again , i heard mat. 9. the son of man hath power to pardon sin on earth , and therefore me o lord ; then my heart did desire christ , and to pray as long as i live , and my heart was stirred up thereunto , by luke 18. christ spake a parable , that we should pray , and not be weary , because the widdow tyred the unjust judge , and made him help her ; how much more shall god the righteous judge , hear and help his children , that cry night and day , therefore i desired to pray unto god as long as i lived : then my heart said , what shall i do , for i am weak , and i fear i shall perish ; then i heard that word , ioh. 3. god so loved the world , that he gave his only son , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have eternal life . and again it is said , that god loved his son , and gave all things into his hand : i am weak , and though i pray , yet i am weak , therefore i desired to be in christs hand , as in a fort ; in a fort we are safe from exercise , they cannot easily catch us ; out of a fort we are open to them : so i desire church-estate , the seals of baptisme , and the lords supper , and all church-ordinances , as a fort unto my soul : i heard that word of christ , mat. 16. thou art peter , and on this rock i will build my church , and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it : oh i desire to be there kept ! again , i heard mat. 3. god is able of these stones to raise ●p seed to abraham ; therefore raise up me o lord : and again , christ came to iohn to be baptized , iohn refused , but christ said , suffer it to be so : it is necessary to fulfill all unrighteousness , therefore so i desire to do all that is right , and i desire to be baptized . again i confess , i fear i shall sin again , and defile my self , after i am washed and baptized , even as the dog returneth to his vomit ; therefore i cry , o god help me for thy free mercies sake . again , i heard that in mat. 18. where two or three are met together in my name , christ is in the midst of them : therefore i desi●● to have the ordinances of christ , to be with christ ; but my heart saith , if i be bound by ordinances , then i shall be imprisoned , but yet i desire to be there in pr●●on with christ ; if my heart say , i shall be as dead , but yet i desire to be so with christ . again , i heard in iohn , christ saith , who ever cometh to me , i cast him not away , but he shall have life : but ioh. 5. christ doth say , ye will not come unto me , that you might have life : therefore my heart did greatly fear , and pray , oh that i might come to christ ! and christ is the everlasting son of god ; therefore my soul desireth to be with him : and this i confess , that though i believe in christ , yet i am still weak ; and therefore i desire to be made strong by the seals ; but i fear i am unworthy , because of that word , mat. 7. cast not pearls before swine , nor holy things to dogs ; yet my heart saith , o lord remember me , and yet let me a dog come under thy table to get a crum ; and i cry to god because of all my weakness ! i confess i cannot deliver , or help , or save my self , only christ jesus can do it , and let free-grace pardon me , and save me , o god have mercy on me ! again , mat. 18. whatever ye bind on earth , is bound in heaven ; and whatever ye loose on earth , is loosed in heaven ; therefore i desire to be loosed both in earth , and in heaven , and to be sealed with gods seal . when i had read this confession of his , i said , because the lord hath said , that in the mouth of two or three witnesses , every truth shall be established ; therefore i desired that the rest of the interpreters might attest unto this which i had read . first , mr. peirson said , so far as i discern , i doubt not of the truth of what mr. eliot hath delivered , and for that which he hath now uttered , though some things the indian hath added more then he spake in private , and some things left out , and some things otherwise placed , yet for the substance of his present confession , it is the same with that which he delivered in private , where we did carefully try all things , that we might be sure that we understood him right . then bro. fouldyer was desired to speak ; who saith , that he did not expect to have understood so much of his speech , and so plainly as he did , and his interpreter did perfectly understand all ; and to his best understanding , that which mr. eliot had delivered , was the very same which he spake . i said unto the assembly , in that he spake so plain to his understanding , it is because i had advised him , and so all the rest , to express themselves in the most plain and familiar words and expressions they could , for my more easie and perfect understanding . again , for that my bro. peirson observed , that they left out something , and added other , and varied in sundry expressions : it is true , i observed the same , and it may well be so , for they have not any writing , or like helps , only their memory , and the help of gods spirit , to read in their own hearts , what they utter . then the two sons of thom. stanton were called , to testifie the schollar spoke first , and said , that he did understand perfectly all that the indian said , and he did not observe any difference in what mr. eliot had delivered , but it was the same which the indian spake . the other spake , and said , he did not perfectly understand all that the indian said , but so far as he did understand , mr. eliot had delivered the truth . my son was called to speak , who said , i did , for the most part , well understand the indian , and to my best understanding , my father hath given a true interpretation thereof . antony . he was next called , who thus spake . i confess my sins before the lord , and all these people and godly men , for ye throughly know that we are great sinners , not only before god , but before man also . i confess that in my mothers womb i was conceived in sin , and that i was born in iniquity ; my father and mother were sinners , and lived in fin , they prayed to many gods , the sun , heavens , beasts , trees , and every thing in the world , they made them their gods , and throughly we followed these sins : when i was born , i was in the image of satan , i knew not that god made all this world , i was only wise to sin , and i did all those things which i liked to do , even all lusts , from my youth up ; and now i confess my sins before god , and all men , for god and men do know them : i did all my delights . when i was a youth the english came , but i regarded them not : afterward i heard that the indians prayed , but my heart-said , i will not pray so long as i live , for they be vain words to pray unto god , my parents taught me to pray unto many gods : sometime i came to english towns on the sabbath day , and i played , for i did not regard that sin ; i thought it vain to keep one day , yet i feared that the english should see me play , least they should be angry , but not because i offended god . afterwards i heard that my brothers prayed , and therefore i disliked them , and i thought i will forsake my brothers , because they do a vain work , and i did run away into the country , but they soon found me , and asked me to pray , and they pitied me , and loved me , and therefore i returned , not because i loved god , but because i loved my brothers : my brother said , go dwell with the english , and learn their manners ; i yeilded , because i loved my brother : i dwelt here at roxbury , and came to this meeting house , but in vain , i prayed not one word , and my heart did misbelieve ; i heard the minister preach that there is one god , and he made the world , and all things in it , but my heart thought it was a vain word ; i thought my father made me , and not god . again , i returned from this town , but yet i did not pray ; i heard the commandements , thou shalt not murder ; thou shalt not commit adultery ; thou shalt not steal ; thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour ; thou shalt not covet , &c. and other sins and punishments i heard of , and i feared to sin because of man , and because of punishment , but not for fear of god ; therefore vain were all my wayes . when i came back to noonantam , i did the same sins again , especially i loved lust ; yea , after my praying and being among them , i loved it more then before : when the minister came and taught , i went to the meeting , but in vain ; i learned nothing , but i still loved all our sins and lusts : afterward hearing the catechism , who made you ? god . who redeemed you ? jesus christ , &c. my heart misbelieved , and said , i will not believe , i will go away into the country . again , i heard that god made all the world , and then a little i believed , and thought i will pray to god , but weak it was . again ; i heard mat. 7. ask , and ye shall have , seek , and ye shall find , knock , and it shall be opened to you : then i prayed a little , and then i thought there was a god who made the whole world , i thought man could not make the world , but only god ; and therefore i did pray unto him . afterward my brothers were sick , and others also , i remembred that word , ask , and ye shall have ; then i prayed , to try if that word was true , but they dyed ; then i thought that was a vain word , and that god heareth not our prayers , and that god is not ; therefore i thought i will cast off praying , and run away . i did not believe in god ; my heart said , i shall die , whether i pray , or not pray , all is one : then i heard that praying was the way to everlasting life , but yet i regarded not praying , i thought of running away , and yet i thought , whether i go or stay i shall die , and therefore i was troubled , but i did not pray : afterward i was at work ▪ and my head was broken in the saw-pit , and then i knew god was angry with me , because i prayed not ; and then i did much know my sins , i thought surely god is angry ; i remembred that i had heard that word preached , watch , for ye know not the hour that the son of man cometh ; this i remembred when my head was broken , i heard that god made all the world , and adam , and set adam in paradise , and bid him eat of all the trees , saving of the tree in the midst of the garden , if he eat thereof he should die ; but adam did eat thereof , and died ; then my heart believed , surely god is , and he made the world , and man , and me . i heard gen. 1. god said , let us make man in our own image , and let him have dominion over all the creatures : then my heart believed , sure god is good to man , and man is a sinner against god ; and therefore god is angry with me for my sins . i heard that god formed man of the dust of the earth , and breathed into him the breath of life ; and then my heart said , surely god made the world , and man , and me , and all things , and my heart believed : and now i know god is angry with me ; now i will pray to god as long as i live , and no more return to sin , but i will do gods word all my daies . again , i heard that god made adam sleep , and took out of him a rib , made it a woman , and brought her to man ; then i thought , sure god made us , and the world , and these great works shew , that there is a god . again , i heard that god called her the mother of all living , and by that means we have life , and then i believed that god made us ; and therefore i will pray to god as long as i live , and no more cast it off . again , i heard gen. 6. that god saw the sin of man , that it was great , and that all the thoughts and imaginations of his heart are only evil continually ; and therefore god was angry , and repented that he had made man , and therefore drowned the world , and every living creature ; he caused it to rain fourty dayes on the earth ; then my heart said , sure there is a god , and he will perform all his threatnings , he is god , and therefore he will do it . again , i heard that god found noah righteous , and he found favour in his sight ; he believed in god , and did obey his word , and god saved him : then my heart desired to believe that god is , and to pray unto him . again , i heard gen. 19. that the angels of god came to lot in sodom , and delivered just lot , but did burn up with the wicked sodomites with fire from heaven , who had cast off praying to god , and did commit great sins against god ; therefore i saw that i had deserved to be burnt , because i had done their sins : and when god sent his angels , and did deliver just lot , and then the rest were burnt , then i saw in my heart , sure god is merciful to them that love him ; and therefore my heart said , i will no more return to sin , but i will follow god ; but yet , sometimes i doubted , but i believed the mercy of god , according to that i heard , mat. 1. she called his name jesus , for he saveth his people from their sins : then my heart thought , surely it is true , that christ is the son of god , and was made man , and is merciful ; but yet i still did doubt whether christ was the son of god . again , i heard mat. 3. repent , for the kingdome of heaven is at hand . and again , the voice of one crying in the wilderness , prepare ye the way of the lord , and make his paths straight : my heart said , i desire to repent , and to make ready my heart for god , that i may have mercy and pardon in christ jesus . again , the word saith , the tree that brings not forth good fruit , is cut down , and cast into the fire : my heart said ; sure so is my heart , and i have deserved to be cast into the fire ; i have brought forth such fruits as may justly cut me down . again , i heard the word of christ , he that heareth the word , and doeth it , shall be blessed : then my heart said , i have deserved not to be pardoned , but i beg for mercy . again , the word saith , this is my beloved son , in whom i am well pleased : my heart said , sure god is merciful to send his own son , and christ is merciful that he came and died for us . again , i heard that the tempter came to christ , and said , if thou be the son of god , make these stones bread : but christ said , man liveth not by bread only , but by every word which cometh out of the mouth of god : then i believed that christ was the son of god , and that my soul liveth not by bread , but by the word of god . again , mat. 8. the leper came to christ , and said , lord if thou wilt , thou canst make me whole , and iesus touched him , and he was healed : then my heart said , surely christ is the son of god , and he only can heal my sins . again , i heard in mat. 6. if ye forgive one another , god forgiveth you : then my heart said , i desire to do this , else god will be angry with me . again , i heard mat. 9. all diseased came to christ , the blind , halt , &c and he healed them ; therefore i believed that he was the son of god , and i begged of christ to pardon my sins , and save me , because sure he is christ the son of god . again , the word saies , not every one that saith lord , lord , shall enter into the kingdome , but he that doth the will of my father : then my heart said , i do fear , because i do very weakly obey the word of god ; and therefore christ saith , depart ye workers of iniquity : my heart said , such an one am i but now i cry to , and trust to christ , to pardon all my sins . again , i heard mat. 11. that christ said capernaum was lifted up to heaven by the gospel , but should be cast down to hell , for refusing it : i thought i did now pray , i● i now fall off i shall perish . and again , christ saith , it shall be easier for tyre and sidon in that day : then my heart said , i have deserved the worst of gods wrath , for i believed not the great works of god ; and therefore i desire pardon of all my sins , and to forsake all my sins , and to pray to christ as long as i live . again , i heard mat. 5. that heaven and earth shall pass away , but not one jot or tittle of the word of god , but all shall be fulfilled : therefore my heart did desire , that i may both hear and do the word of god , which will never perish . again , i heard mat. 16 christ saith , who say ye that i am ? peter said , thou art christ , the son of the living god ; christ said , blessed art thou peter , flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee , but my father , and on this rock i will build my church , and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it : therefore my heart believed that god helped me to receive christ , and i desire to take that promise to peter , and my heart joyed more and more in christ , and in the word of god . again , i heard mat. 26. iesus took bread , and blessed it , and brake it , and gave it , and said , take eat , this is my body which is broken for you , and likewise the cup , &c. saying , this is my blood in the new testament , which was shed for remission of sins , &c. my heart said , sure christ is full of love , and hath given us great mercy , and i desire to partake of it . again , the wicked did kill christ , but he rose again , and ascended to heaven ; then my heart believed christ . again , i heard iohn 14. no man cometh to the father , but by me : my heart said , so be it lord ; i desire to come to god by christ ; and i said , why did the wicked kill christ ? my heart said . i believe that christ died for my sin ; and therefore i desire to believe in christ : then my heart did joy in christ , and to heartle word of god ; but yet to this day i have doubts in my heart , my heart is weak to this day : and now i know that in six daies god made the world , and before that god i desire to confess my sins , and forsake them , and no more to do them . sometimes my heart is in an ill frame , and loveth sin , and my heart hateth good ; therefore i desire the free mercy of christ to hold and keep my soul . when he had finished , and i had read before the assembly this confession of his , we called upon the witnesses to co-attest . who did in the same order as before express themseves to the like purpose . only when we called for tho : stanton his sonnes , they were not present , nor did they any more appeare in the congregation , to attest the indians confessions all the day . ponampiam he was next called forth , and thus spake . i confess my sinnes before the lord , and his people this day . while my father lived , and i was young , i was at play , and my father rebuked me , and said , we shall all die shortly . [ in private we asked him what ground or reason moved his father so to speak ? he answered , it was when the english were new come over , and he thinketh that his father had heard that mr wilson had spoken of the flood of noah , how god drowned all the world for the sinnes of the people . ] then i was troubled , and thought sure what god saith , shall be , and not what man saith ; but i quickly forgot this , and thought not of any good . that same winter the pox came ; all my kindred died , only my mother and i lived , we came to cohannit , by dorchester , where i lived till i was a man , and married . all those daies i sinned , and prayed to all gods , and did as others did , there i lived till the minister came to teach us . when i heard that they prayed , my heart desired it not . sometime i prayed among them , and sometime i neglected it . i feared to pray because of the sachems , therefore i put it off , for the fear of man . afterward i considered in my heart , to pray to god , not because i loved the word , but for other reasons . i heard that word , mal. 1. from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof , my name shall be great among the gentiles , and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name , and a pure offering , for my name shall be great among the heathen , saith the lord of hosts . then i was troubled in my thoughts about running away , yet then i thought if i should go to another place , they must pray also , and therefore i cannot flie from praying to god , therefore i tarried , and when others prayed , i prayed with them , only i still feared man ; after i heard the same word again , to perswade us to pray to god ; and i did so , but not for gods sake , only it was before man . i remembred the sabbath , and i heard mr mathews also preach of it , and therefore i thought i would keep the sabbath , but still i feared man . upon a sabbath , they wished me to teach what i remembred , that the minister had taught . i did so , and we had talk about what i said , and we fell out . thereupon i went away , and left praying to god . i went into the countrey , but i remembred my wife and children , and quickly returned , but not for gods sake . again the minister preached on 1 chron. 28. 9. and thou solomon my son know the god of thy fathers , and serve him with a perfect heart , and with a willing mind , for the lord searcheth all hearts , and understandeth all the imagination of the thoughts ; if thou seek him , he will be found of thee , but if thou forsake him , he will cast thee off for ever . this greatly troubled me , because i had left praying to god , and i had deserved eternall wrath . then i desired to pray , i begged mercy , but i knew not what to do , for my sins were many , my heart was full of originall sin , and my heart was often full of anger ; but then i was angry at my self , for i found my heart quickly carried after sin . afterward , through the free mercy of god , i heard that word , he that penitently believeth in christ shall be pardoned and saved ; then my heart did beg earnestly for pardon and mercy . i heard ioh. 15. whatever ye ask the father in my name , he will give it you ; therefore my heart did now greatly beg for mercy in christ and pardon . afterward i heard mat. 5. 28. who ever looketh upon a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery in his heart . then my heart was troubled , because many were my sins , in my eies , and heart , and actions too . my heart did love the having of two wives , and other lusts of that kind : then satan said to me , you are a great sinner , and god will not pardon you , therefore cast off praying , and run away , it is a vain thing for you to pray . here you want land , but in the countrey there is land enough , and riches abundance , therefore pray no more . my heart did almost like it , but i heard that word , mat 4. satan tempted christ , and shewed him the kingdoms of the world , and the glory thereof , and promised to give them to him , if he would worship him . then my heart said , that even thus satan tempteth me to cast off praying to god ; and therefore my heart desired to believe that word of christ , thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and him only shalt thou serve . then i prayed again , but still i was full of sin , and very weak i was , and i loved sin . again i heard , ioh. 14. i am the way , the truth , and the life , no man cometh unto the father but by me . then i fully saw that christ only is our redeemer , and saviour , and i desire to believe in christ ; and my heart said , that nothing that i can do can save me , only christ : therefore i beg for christ , and a part in him . then said my heart , i give my heart and my self to christ , and my wife and children , let him do with us what he will . then my mother and two children died , and my heart said , what christ will do , so be it ; i have given them to him , and i begged pardon and mercy , if god will please to pardon me a poor sinner , blessed be his name . when i had read this confession in the assembly , we called upon the witnesses , as before we did , whose answer was like as before it was . john speen hee was next called forth , and thus spake . i confess my sins this day before the lord , and not only before god , but before all these people . before i prayed , verily i was a great sinner , yea , in my mothers womb i was a sinner : my sins are such as not only god knows , but people also know them . before our praying , i did thorowly sin , and did commit all sins ; and now i confess these my sins before god . after i prayed , i did alos live in sin . at first when i prayed , i did not worship god , nor believe in christ ; but i did therefore pray , because my brothers , and friends , and waban , and the rest did pray , for their sakes i prayed . and again i therefore prayed , because many english knew me , that i might please them ; and because i saw the english took much ground , and i thought if i prayed , the english would not take away my ground , for these causes i prayed . when i prayed , it was but with my mouth , yet i thought i do well enough in that i pray thus , and i thought , that for it god will pardon all my sins ; and i thought that my praying was good enough . but yet again i sinned , and did the like sins as before , only i did outwardly pray , but i mourned not for my sins . i thought , if we pray and leave pauwauing , who shall make us well when we are sick . but again , i thought man could not make us well , because he must die himself , and therefore pauwauing is a vain thing , and they die though they pauwau . but still my heart did not believe praying to god : then i heard that word , repent and believe ; and if we repent and believe , god will pardon all our sins . then sometimes i repented , yet again quickly i committed sin ; and sometimes i thought i am throughly a sinner . i heard that god made the world , and all things in it , and lastly man , and that god formed him of the dust of the earth , and breathed into him the breath of life , and he became a living soul , and that god made a covenant with adam , that he should eat of all the trees of the garden , save one in the midst of the garden , and if he eat of that tree , he should die . then i understood that adam sinned , & fell , and thereby i uneerstood that i became a sinner , born in sin , my heart full of sin , and god will not pardon sinners ; and yet again i sinned , and therefore i feared that god will not pardon me , because more and more i sinned : and thus i sinned after praying , as well as before praying . when they chose rulers , and chose my brother , and not me , my heart was in an evil frame , and then i thought sure i am a great sinner , and yet still i was more and more a sinner . after my brothers loved me still , and then i repented of my sins , but not for gods sake , but for my brothers sake ; then i desired to pray as long as i live . my brother died , which troubled me ; the people said , be you in your brothers place : then my heart thought , i will no more do as i had done , but sure i was weak , my praying was but words , i was a great sinner . after this , a while since i heard that word , mat. 12. the unclean spirit being cast out of a man , he walketh about seeking rest and findeth none ; then hee returneth and bringeth 7 other spirits with him worse then himself , and the end of that man is worse then his beginning . when i heard this , my heart feared . i thought now i repent of my many sins , for verily i am a great sinner , & i have offended , i am 7 times worse then before i prayed ; then i repented . again i heard that word , he that penitently believeth shall be saved , and then my heart did desire to repent and believe , then i thought that men will not forgive me , and therefore it is not good to abide in this place , but i remembred that i had learned to read the word , and if i should forsake my friends , i should lose the word of god . then i heard that word , repent , for the kingdome of heaven is at hand , my heart said ô let it be so , and then my heart rested ; but yet quickly it was unquiet again . then i did strongly desire to repent of my sinnes . i heard that word , that god sowed good seed , but evill seed was sowen by the enemy , and such were in my heart , and as in my field there were many roots , and weeds which spoyled the corne , and i plucked them up , and cast them out ; my heart said , verily just so is my heart , the word is but a little in my heart , and there be many ill roots in me , and therefore god may justly cast me out from among his people , because of my many sinnes . then my heart said , i desire to pray to god as long as i live , and now i forsake my sins , who have been a great sinner . now i beg of christ , o give me thy spirit , that i may confess my sins before god , and not only before men ; again i remember that i cannot pardon or help my self , but only christ must help me . again i heard that word , all manner of sin shall be forgiven to a man , but the sin against the holy ghost , shall not be forgiven in this world , nor in the world to come . then my heart feared , because many and great were my sins since i prayed to god , and i cried to god for mercy and pardon : and then i thought i will pray to god as long as i live . but verily i am a sinner , for i am guilty not only of adams sin , but of my own sins also , and they are many . i remember that in catechisme i learn , that god made a covenant of works with adam , do the commands , and thou shalt live , and thy seed also ; but if thou sin , thou shalt die , and thy seed also ; therefore by that i know i am a sinner , and have deserved to die . then i crie to god , o god have mercy upon me , and pardon me . again , i heard of the mercy of god , but i am forgetfull , and cannot remember gods mercies to me . god made a covenant with abraham and said , i will be thy god , and the god of thy seed after thee , then my heart said , o let it be so to me o lord . and now abraham is in heaven , who believed , and kept gods covenant ; so i , if i believe and keep gods covenant , god will have mercy on me . i remembred the covenant of circumcision to him , and all his family ; and such a covenant i desire for me and mine . again i heard , mat. 3. in those daies iohn baptized in iordan : saying , repent for the kingdome of god is at hand . when i heard this my heart said , the same is now with us , not abrahams signe but baptisme , and therefore i desire to repent , and confess before god , and before the church : and i desire not only to confess , but to have repentance , and faith , that i may have grace , mercy , and pardon : and such repentance as workes obedience . again , the same word saith , vers. 6. they were baptized confessing their sins ; so i desire to do . i do confess before god , and desire to cast off , and forsake my sins , and to go to christ . the promise of pardon is to them that penitently believe , and rest on christ . in the same baptism of iohn , he said , i baptize you with water , but he that cometh after me , is mightier then i , he shall baptize you with the holy ghost and fire . now this baptism i desire , and not to receive the signe in vain : i desire to purge out evill thoughts , and therefore i confess these sins before god , that they may be purged , and i desire the spirit of god may dwell in me for ever , to turn me to christ . i cannot of my self do any of these things , but only christ jesus can by his spirit in me . again i heard another word , as the eagles are about a carkass , so believers come to christ : then my heart said , so be it oh lord ; when i receive the covenant of god , i am like the eagles ; when i come to christ , i desire not to come in vain ; but if i feed not , i shall die , my soul will die . then i greatly begged that i might feed my soul on christ ; and oh christ send thy spirit into my heart , that i may not only know , but do the word of god . again , christ , near his death , took bread , and blest it , and broke it , and gave it to his disciples , and said , take yee , eat yee , this is my body which was broken for you : and so also he did the cup , and said , drink yee of it , this is the cup of my blood in the new testament which is shed for the remission of sins . now this believers in christ must do , not only to eat bread , and to take the sign , but soul food : therefore christ sending his spirit , and helping me , i desire to receive the sign , not in vain , but to help my faith . when i had read this confession in the assembly , we called upon the witnesses , ( as before wee did ) whose answer was to the like purpose as before . wutasakompauin he was next called forth , who thus spake . help me oh jesus christ , to confess before the lord ; oh i am full of sin , because adams sin made mine , and so was a sinner in my mothers womb . when i was a youth i found many sins , and after i was grown up , i did the same alwaies , all the daies of my life i lived in sin . after the english came , i went to their houses ; they would teach me about god , but i hated it , and went out , i did not love such teaching . afterward the minister taught , and at first waban perswaded me to pray , and taught us ; i did not at first like it , yet afterward i did . four years the minister came to noonantam ; i came , but i only came , i lost all he taught . after i considered one word ; the minister said , that god sent him to teach us ; then i thought surely there is a god , therefore i must believe and pray : a little i believed , but when i heard , i did only outwardly hear . after , my wife and children died , and then i almost cast off praying . i had another wife , and she died also ; and then my heart said , surely god is angry with me , who doth thus afflict me . then i heard that word , mat. 22. god made a feast , and invited his guests , and they would not come , and therefore god was angry with them : so did i ; for i came not to the word of god , when he called me , i cared not for the feast of christ . again , after many of my friends were destroyed , i thought it was because they prayed not to god , therefore i feared that god is angry with me also , because of his punishments . i fear , i believe not christ ; and my heart feareth , because of my sins ; daily i break gods commands . another word i heard , mat. 5. blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness , for they shall be satisfied ; this is the word of christ , and i desire to hunger for christ , and begged o christ help me . again , i remembred that word , blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see god ; my heart saith , o christ help me to be so , that cleane may be my heart . again , i heard that word , blessed are the peace-makers , for they shall be called the children of god ; then my heart thought , o that i had peace with god in christ , that i might have that blessing ; and therefore i now confess my sins before god , and i beg mercy from god in jesus christ . when i had read this short confession , ( for the day spent , and brevity was called for ) we called upon the witnesses who spake as formerly . monotunkquanit . he was next called , who thus spake . i have heard the word , and prayed to god several yeares . and i confess that before i prayed , i was full of sin , and yet i do not know my sins . i thought they were all good waies , and therefore i did them . i knew not the sabbath , nor lecture daies , nor any good , only i knew wild actions , daily i desired falshood , vile actions , singing indian songs , these things i desired to do : but all good things i was ignorant of , and very much i sinned , daily . then i heard of praying to god . i came to cohannit at dorchester , from nipmuk where i lived , but my heart laughed at praying , and said its a vain action , only those actions that i was bred up in , i liked and esteemed , but these new things i derided . the sachims disliked it , and therefore so did i . the rich men disliked it , and therefore so did i . i believed not , that god is ; i went to cohannit , not for praying , but to gather clams : when i came thither , they exhorted me to pray : and said , the minister cometh to morrow to teach , it is lecture day . i desired to see him : he came , they met together . i went , and carried my son samuel : i saw the minister , he called my son ; asked him , who made you ; they bid him say god ; but i had not so taught him . he asked , whose son he was , they said mine : he said , do you pray to god ? i said no , for i am a poore man , and naked : they that pray are cloathed . therefore i will not pray , can poore men pray ? therefore i would not pray : i went home . then waban and totherswamp came to my house , and taught me to pray . they intreated me , now pray to god ; my heart liked it not . they said , god is a great god , and made all the world . i said , who is witness of that ? they said , the minister will answer you . again , they taught me the commandments of god ; but i did not believe . totherswamp promised to come again , he did so ; and said , now pray to god , because god is good . i thought it a teadious thing to pray to god . then he strongly intreated me : i said i will try ; but not for praying , but in vain . then my kindred said , praying is a vain thing , why will you pray ? therefore returne again : then i went , and prayed . when i first came , waban taught that word . the night is farre spent , the day is as hand , therefore let us cast off the works of darkness , and let us put on the armour of light . my heart asked what are dark workes ? they answered , sianes ; and what is day ? they answered , praying to god , and the wisdome of the word is light : and this is now almost come unto us . then my heart smile , i will pray to god . again , i heard the minister who said , these words , thou shalt have no other gods but me ; thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven image , nor the likeness of any thing in heaven above , in the earth below , in the waters under the earth : thou shalt not bow down to them , nor worship them ; then my heart said , that i did worship many false gods , therefore if i pray , it may be god will kill me : but they said no , he is a good god ; then i prayed , and then my kindred hindred me . therefore my heart said , if my kindred pray , then i will pray . then i was taught more , and i did heare the word , that god made adam of the dust , and made him sleep , and took out a rib , and made a woman , and thus god made man . my heart said , it may be god made english men , but not us poore naked men , as we are of a strange language ; and therefore i doubted to pray . then i heard of nimrod his building of babel , and that god was angry , made strange to each other their language , and brake their work : then my heart said , surely so it is , as i did believe . again i heard , that god found one man just , noah , and saved him in his ark , and did drown the world : then my heart said , i desire that god may find many just persons with us , therefore i pray to god : then i more prayed . again i heard , that god made a covenant with abraham and his seed , to be their god . my heart said , so let it be : i desire to be in this covenant of god , and to pray so long as i live . i thought , if i do well , god will pardon all my sinnes : the minister said no ; if you do all good , as perfectly , yet god will not pardon : god will pardon , only for iesus christ his sake . then i believed iesus christ was both god and man , and made peace betwixt god and man : christ did for us all the commandments of god , and died for us , he payed death for us ; and therefore for his sake god will pardon us , if we believe in christ . i heard that which mat. 7. ask and ye shall have , seek and ye shall find , knock , and it shall be opened , &c. then my heart said , i will pray as long as i live , and knock at heaven dore . again i heard that word , enter in at the streight gate , &c. my heart said , sure it is so , narrow and hard is the way to heaven , broad and easy is the way to hell ; i desire to walk in the narrow way to heaven . again , christ died for us , and thereby saveth us ; and saith , come to me all that are weary , and i will give you rest . then my heart said , great is my weariness , for many are my sinnes , and i desire rest in christ . i heard that christ only is our redeemer and saviour , my heart did much joy in it ; and i desired to pray and heare the word as long as i live . another word of christ i heard , whoever forsaketh father or mother , or brother or lands for my sake , &c. my heart said , ô lord let it be so , i have for christ his sake left all , and come to pray . and i desire now to confess before the church of roxbury , and do submit to your government , and gods ordinances among you . he was going on , but shortness of time made me take him off . when i had read this confession , and the witnesses had spoke as before , some of the elders present , did move that seeing there be two more to speak , and the time streight ; and seeing mr peirson had in private taken in writing their confessions , which they perceived by his testimony , to be for substance the same which they expressed in publick ; what if the assembly should heare mr peirson read those two remaining confessions , according as he had taken them ? the motion was acceptable to the assembly , and he did read them , which are as followeth . piumbuhhou . first , this i say in the presence of god , and in your presence , verily i knew not how or what to confess or god , before i prayed . i knew not who gave me life and being , but i thought my life was of my self . i confess i was born in sin , my parents were sinners , and i thought i had life from none but my parents , therefore my sins were very great : from the first time that i saw light , untill this day , i do nothing else but sin ; hard is my heart , proud is my heart , and hypocriticall : i do hypocriticall acts , to this day . i act foolishly , and deceitfully ; therefore so many are my sinnes , that i am not able to express them ; only this i say , that i am naught . then i heard that waban prayed , and they said to me , pray to god : but i hated it , for i had a wife , and many children , and therefore i cared not for praying . i thought if they were any of them sick , the pauwaus could make them well , therefore i believed not waban , when he exhorted me to pray to god . then my wife and children died : then my afflicted poore heart came in , and the minister came to me and said , pray to god , because god afflicteth and tryeth you ; my heart said , when the minister spake to me , let it be as you say , that god may shew me that mercy : then my heart said , i will pray to god , from henceforth , as long as i live . then i heard the minister preach of the great works of god , in making heaven and earth , and therefore fear the great punishments of god ; and because my heart so feared , and condemned me , therefore i did believe that god is , who had punished me , and took away my children . again , i heard from mat. 5. christ saith , blessed are the poore in spirit , for theirs is the kingdome of god : and blessed are the mercifull , for they shall find mercy ; my heart said , i am a poore man , and therefore i will pray to god so long as i live : and i desire to find mercy with god . again , now my heart saith , i am weak and doubting , and full of misbelief . again , i heard that word of christ , which saith , come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden , and yee shall find rest ; my heart said , be it so o lord : and now i will pray to god , as long as i live ; my heart said , surely i am greatly laden with many , and great sins : and therefore i will go to christ , and pray unto him , as long as i live . again , christ saith , take up my hurden , and learne of me , for i am humble and meeke ; then my heart said , surely i am a great sinner , and therefore i desire to learne of christ , and to follow him . again christ faith , yee shall find rest to your soul ; and therefore my soul desired to pray as long as i live , that i may find rest to my soul in christ . again , my heart did gladly hear the word of christ , and the great redemption of christ . again , i learned in a catechism , that christ sendeth his spirit into my heart , to break it , to make it repent , to convert me , to cause me to believe : my heart said , therefore i desire to pray to god , and to believe for pardon , and adoption , and peace with god . then hearing of the mercy of christ , my heart said , i am like a dead man , and therefore i desire to be with christ as long as i live : my heart did not know how to convert , and turn to god , therefore my heart did gladly pray to god for it ; my heart did desire to pray , because i heard , christ is our redeemer , and doth deliver our soules . i cannot deliver my selfe , therefore i desire that christ may be my deliverer : therefore i betrust my soul with christ as long as i live ; and because christ is my mercifull god , therefore let him do with my soul what he will . when mr peirson had read this confession , he was desired to go on , and read the last , which was wabans confession , and is as followeth . waban . first , i confess , that before i prayed , it was hard to love another fashion then my old course : my parents were sinners , and in my mothers belly i was in sin : after i was born , the same way of sin i followed . when i was a child i grew up in sin , and i did not know that they were sins , but now of late i know them ; in my youth also , in the same sins i lived , and did not know them to be so , but by the remebrance of my waies , i do remember my sins , and hereby i am made to understand , that my parents taught me to love sin . and after they were dead , others taught me to sin : i liked to be taught to commit sin ; those that taught me , said to me , choose to be a pauwau : they said , if you be a pauwau , you may make others to live ; and if you he a pauwau , god will blesse you , and make you rich , and a man like god . then i desired so to do : also i alwaies desired other sins , for my heart did desire to grow up in those sins , alwaies lust i desired , alwaies my heart labored and desired to know how to adde to , and to multiply my sins . thus it came to pass that i knew abundance of sins , before i knew my waies were sin . when the english came hither , they said , when i came to the englist houses , that i loved the devil : then i was very angry , and my words were , you know the devil : i do not know the devil , and presently i would go out of the house : sometime they spake meekly to me , and would say , god is in heaven , and he is a good god : yet i regarded not these words , but strongly i loved my sins : it was hard for me to believe what the english said : after many yeares , i sometime believed a word , but i left not my sin . when i began to understand more , i began to doubt , but i desired not conversion from sin . afterward , when the english taught me , i would sit still , because they would give me good victuals ; then i sometimes thought , certainly god is in heaven : then my thoughts said , it may be i have sinned . again i thought , if i prayed , god could not understand mee ; then i found it hard to believe , and love god , because i was almost an old man , because i thought , if any could read the book , he would love god . i asked mr iackson , whether god knew our language ? hee answered , yea : god knoweth all languages in the world , and therefore now pray unto god ; then i first thought , i will pray unto god ; a little i thought of praying ; sometimes i would a little pray when i eat ; about that time you came to teach us ; then i remembred the word , glad tidings was sent us from heaven ; then my heart said , now i will pray , because the minister is come to my house , now i heard the word of god . then you called the children to catechism : and one question is , who redeemed you ? then you taught , that christ died for our sinnes . then my heart thought , that christ is a very great life-giving god . then i feared not pauwaus , nor loved them ; and the minister taught , that we must take heed of all these sins . then my heart said , i will leave off my sins ; and again my heart said , i will pray to god as long as i live . further you taught , that christ died for sin , was buryed , rose again , ascended : then my heart hoped and desired , oh that it might be so , that i might have eternall life by christ , because christ is a great life-giving god . but then i found that i did not understand right words , and therefore i walked not in the right way : when the word of god said , six daies shalt thou labour , then i was strong , yet i did not labour ; and i was soon weary of praying to god : and therefore i saw , i found not the right way unto righteousness ; therefore now i verily see that i am a sinner , and did not believe : my heart feared because of my great sins , and my heart feareth that i do not yet much know the word of god . sometime my heart saith i believe , i am a believer : but my heart wandereth away , and the deceits of my heart i sometime know , and my poverty i know , but my heart careth not for that ; i reject riches , but my heart saith strongly , i will pray to god so long as i live ; i do not throughly know the vanity of my mind . i have heard the word but believed it not . i remember that word of christ , the pharisees said , why doth you master eat with publicans and sinners : christ said , those that are not sick need not the physitian , but they that are sick . my heart said , sure i do not need the physitian : but my desire is now , that i may need him , and spirituall life by him . again , i heard that word of christ , a leper came to christ , and worshiped him , saying , lord if thou wilt , thou canst make me cleane : and christ touched him , and he was perfectly healed . then my heart said , that outward healing which he had , my soul desireth , that i may have it in my soul : for christ healeth the outward diseases of the body , but especially the inward filth of the soul ; this i desire may be healed . again i heard that word , go learn what that meaneth , i desire mercy and not sacrifice : i came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . then my heart said , my own righteousness cannot obtain mercy for me ; then my heart said , oh i fear that christ the truest righteousness is not in my heart : i am almost ready to die ; and now i desire to know christ . when mr peirson had done reading these two last confessions . mr wilson spake to this purpose , though they have all spoken well of jesus christ , in their confessions , and especially the last viz : monotunkani● , yet he desired further to heare how they were instructed in the knowledge of christ . this question touching christ , i called piumbathou to answer , and his answer was to satisfaction : and then many other catecheticall questions were propounded , which would be too long to rehearse , as touching grace , ordinances , sacraments , baptisme and the lords supper : about repentance and faith , all which they readily answered , & so as that there was no reply . nish●hko● , answered the question what faith is , mr allin asked him , whether he had that faith in his heart , which he now spake off ; to which after a pause , he answered to this purpose , that he feared himself about it , and if he spake , he must say no! but he hoped in the lords mercy that he would work it in him , and help him to believe . then mr danforth said , i ask you nishohkou this question , and answer me in english whether the same lusts which you have so much confessed , do not follow you still ; and what you do to resist them ? i said that a question to the like purpose was asked him , when he made confession in private , to which he answered in broken english , if the assembly pleased i would read that : but he was desired to answer now , and his answer was to this purpose ; that the word of god is all one like a sword : and he did with that , resist his temptations . he was asked further , if he did diligently watch against his sins : he answered , he did not well know what a diligent watch is , but he hoped that jesus christ would keep him . then mr danforth called anthony and asked him , whether he believed that it was the duty of men to labour six daies in the week ? after a pause , he answered , he believed it was gods command , but he confessed he did not obey it so much as he ought to do ; and saith mr danforth , that i would have asked you next , whether you obey it , for you ought to do so ; and follow labour , and cloath your selfe and family better , and you ought to give towards the maintenance of gods ordinances . after this i remember no more questions . then i declared to the congregation , that they having heard their confessions ; if they thought meet , they might hear what testimonies we have to produce touching their conversation , but it went not forward , and so we ceased the work , and reverend mr wilson concluded with prayer . after the publick meeting , the messengers of the churches met together , and considered what answer to give to our church : and the vote among them all was , that as touching their confessions , which was the work of the day , they were satisfactory , and they appeared in that respect , to be fit matter for church estate . the end these are to testify to all men whom it may concern , that two of five indian youths , viz. cales and ioel , that are instructed and educated in the grammer school at cambridge , were publiquely examined at the commencement in cambridge ( mon. 6. 9. 59. ) concerning their progress in the learning of the latine tongue , out of buchanans translation of davids psalmes , and they gave good satisfaction unto our selves , and also to the honorable magistrates , and reverend elders that were present , and others that were judicious , as we have had opportunity to inquire off : and we conceive , that the other three indian youths , that are trained up in the same school , have made some competent proficiency , for the short time that they have been with us : in witness whereof we have subscribed our hands . camb. sept. 6. 1659. charles chauncy praesident of haward colledge in cambridge . elijah corlet londinensis olim & jam ludimagister cantabrigiensis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a39226e-650 [ note here that god hath so blessed this youth , that hee is one of our school-masters , and an hopefull young man . ] tears of repentance: or, a further narrative of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england: setting forth, not only their present state and condition, but sundry confessions of sin by diverse of the said indians, wrought upon by the saving power of the gospel; together with the manifestation of their faith and hope in jesus christ, and the work of grace upon their hearts. related by mr. eliot and mr. mayhew, two faithful laborers in that work of the lord. published by the corporation for propagating the gospel there, for the satisfaction and comfort of such as wish well thereunto. eliot, john, 1604-1690. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a84357 of text r207106 in the english short title catalog (thomason e697_16). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 150 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 42 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a84357 wing e524 thomason e697_16 estc r207106 99866177 99866177 118441 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a84357) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 118441) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 107:e697[16]) tears of repentance: or, a further narrative of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england: setting forth, not only their present state and condition, but sundry confessions of sin by diverse of the said indians, wrought upon by the saving power of the gospel; together with the manifestation of their faith and hope in jesus christ, and the work of grace upon their hearts. related by mr. eliot and mr. mayhew, two faithful laborers in that work of the lord. published by the corporation for propagating the gospel there, for the satisfaction and comfort of such as wish well thereunto. eliot, john, 1604-1690. mayhew, thomas. mather, richard, 1596-1669. [36], 47, [1] p. printed by peter cole in leaden-hall, and are to sold [sic] at his shop, at the sign of the printing-press in cornhil, near the royal exchange., london : 1653. includes a preface signed: rich. mather. the seventh of a series of 11 pamphlets, commonly known as the "eliot tracts," published in london from 1643 to 1671. signatures a2 and l are cancellans. original a2 began "to his excellency the lord general cromwel·'; original k4 has advertisement after "finis." on bottom half of page. annotation on thomason copy: "may. 21.". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng indians of north america -massachusetts -early works to 1800. missions -america -early works to 1800. massachusetts -history -colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -early works to 1800. a84357 r207106 (thomason e697_16). civilwar no tears of repentance: or, a further narrative of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england:: setting forth, not only the eliot, john 1653 30380 9 0 0 0 0 0 3 b the rate of 3 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-10 john pas sampled and proofread 2007-10 john pas text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion tears of repentance : or , a further narrative of the progress of the gospel amongst the indians in new-england : setting forth , not only their present state and condition , but sundry confessions of sin by diverse of the said indians , wrought upon by the saving power of the gospel ; together with the manifestation of their faith and hope in jesus christ , and the work of grace upon their hearts . related by mr. eliot and mr. mayhew , two faithful laborers in that work of the lord . published by the corporation for propagating the gospel there , for the satisfaction and comfort of such as wish well thereunto . isay , 42. 3. a bruised reed shall be not break , and the smoaking flax , shall be not quench . london : printed by peter cole in leaden-hall , and are to sold at his shop , at the sign of the printing-press in cornhil , near the royal exchange . 1653. to his excellency the lord general cromwel . what the jews once said of their centurion , he loved our nation , and built us a synagogue , the same may we affirm upon a more noble accompt of your lordship , and of those faithful centurions and soldiers under your conduct ; by how much the adventure of your lives in the cause of god , for the good of your country , is a more infallible demonstration of your love to it : forasmuch as the king of saints , is also king of nations , and when he shall be the desire of all nations , will prove their safest interest . vpon consideration whereof , it was but equal that mr. eliot a faithful laborer of christ in spreading the everlasting gospel to the poor indians , should prefix your lordships name to his relation of the progress of divine grace amongst them : and with his judgment , we of the corporation , who are subordinately intrusted , do so far concur , especially moved thereunto by that liberal and exemplary contribution to this glorious work lately promoted by your lordship , and your officers with the army , that we thought not fit either to sever that narrative , and this of mr. mayhew's , or to send them abroad under any other name to the publick view . coopers-hall , london , march , 26. 1653. signed in the name , and by the appointment of the said corporation , by william steel , president . to the much honored corporation in london , chosen to place of publick trust for the promoting of the work of the lord among the indians in new-england . worthy sirs , it hath not been from any disrespect to your selves , that i have not formerly directed to your presence , and presented into your hand , what have already been let go , which made relation of the work of god among the indians in this island ( commonly called martins vineyard ) this year there was an opportunity not to be refused , of certifying the right worshipful john endicot esquire , governor of the massachussets in new-england of what i had to communicate concerning the indians , from whose hand also you will receive it ; but yet i may not for several causes , neglect the writing to your selves the same things , with more particulars since adjoyned , in the conclusion to accompany the former unto your pious and prudent consideration , to which they are committed to be ( as i have received them from god ) the tokens of more grace in store to be bestowed on indian souls . highly esteemed in the lord jesus , when the lord first brought me to these poor indians on the vinyard , they were mighty zealous and earnest in the worship of false gods , and devils ; their false gods were many , both of things in heaven , earth , and sea : and there they had their men-gods , women-gods , and children-gods , their companies , and fellowships of gods , or divine powers , guiding things amongst men , besides innumerable more feigned gods belonging to many creatures , to their corn , and every colour of it : the devil also with his angels had his kingdom among them , in them ; account him they did , the terror of the living , the god of the dead , under whose cruel power and into whose deformed likeness they conceived themselves to be translated when they died ; for the same word they have for devil , they use also for a dead man , in their language : by him they were often hurt in their bodies , distracted in their minds , wherefore they had many meetings with their pawwaws ( who usually had a hand in their hurt ) to pacifie the devil by their sacrifice , and get deliverance from their evil ; i have sometimes marvelled to see the vehemency of their spirits , which they acted with no less bodily violence therein . the pawwaws counted their imps their preservers , had them treasured up in their bodies , which they brought forth to hurt their enemies , and heal their friends ; who when they had done some notable cure , would shew the imp in the palm of his hand to the indians , who with much amazement looking on it , deified them , then at all times seeking to them for cure in all sicknesses , and counsel in all cases : this diabolical way they were in , giving heed to a multitude of heathen traditions of their gods , and many other things , under the observation whereof , they with much slavery were held , and abounding with sins , having only an obscure notion of a good greater than all , which they call mannit , but they knew not what he was , and therefore had no way to worship him . what an entrance i had at first amongst these miserable heathen , how called thereunto , and what success god blessed us with , hath been in some measure already published , which will i hope through the dew of gods blessing from heaven , have such a gracious increase , that the blossoming and budding time shal at least be acknowledged , and by many more god blessed for it , in the growth of the fruit to more maturity ; since it hath pleased god to send his word to these poor captivated men ( bondslaves to sin and satan ) he hath through mercy brought two hundred eighty three indians ( not counting yong children in the number ) to renounce their false gods , devils , and pawwaws , and publickly in set meetings , before many witnesses , have they disclaimed the divinity of their formerly adored multitude , defied their tyrannical destroyer the devil , and utterly refused the help of the pawwaws in any case ; neither have they at any time , either by threatnings or flatteries been drawn thereto , although their lives have been in hazard ; yea , eight of their pawwaws have forsaken their devillish craft , and profitable trade as they accounted it , for to embrace the word and way of god . the indians which do pray to god , were not compelled thereto by power , neither also could they be allured by gifts , who received nothing for about seven years time , much less that which counterpoyse their troubles , and exceed to the drawing of them from the beloved waies of their own worships : surely it were great uncharitableness , and derogatory from the glory of god , to think that none of these are truly changed , and that god himself by his word and spirit , hath not in mercy prevailed in their hearts against these evils ; nay , may we not hope and be perswaded by this , and some other appearances of god amongst them , that some of them are truly turned to god from idols , to serve the living and true god ? serve him , through mercy they do in some hopeful reformations , walking inoffensively and diligently in their way , which i hope will more plainly appear when they are in a way more hopeful ( by the blessing of god to their further well-being ) which i hope will be in the best time . i cannot but take notice of this good providence of god by the way , that he hath mercifully preserved all the indians which call upon his name ( from the begining of the work unto this day ) from all extraordinary evil , whereby the devil and witches use to torment the bodies and minds of men , not one of them or their children ( as i know ) or have heard have been touched by them in this kind ( only a pawwaw or two , have not been delivered from his imps presently after his renouncing of them , but for some time have had the sence of them in his body with much pain : ) the mischief that the pawwaws and devils usually do to the common indian this way , is both by outward and bodily hurt , or inward pain , torture , and distraction of mind , both which i have seen my self : to accomplish the first , the devil doth abuse the real body of a serpent , which comes directly towards the man in the house or in the field , looming or having a shadow about him like a man , and do shoot a bone ( as they say ) into the indians body , which sometimes killeth him . an instance whereof i can give , whereby it may the more plainly appear , that it is a great mercy to be delivered therefrom ; and it is of a youth , who living with his parents upon a neck of land , they did not pray unto jehovah , yet their neighbors who lived there with them , did ; this youth was hurt after the same manner , and then presently his parents pulled down the house they lived in , and fled to an island near by , where i saw the indian thus hurt in his thigh , he was grievously tormented , and his kindred about him mourning , not knowing where to find any comfort , or help , for cure could not be had from their gods or pawwaws : i then took the opportunity to reason with them about their way , with the best wisdom god gave me , but all in vain , for they would not hear to seek the true god , notwithstanding he had shewn his displeasure so apparantly against them for their former refusing of him , but they still followed on their wonted serpentine machinations : the pawwaws , and their devillish train , with their horrible outcries , hollow bleatings , painful wrestlings , and smiting their own bodies , sought deliverance , but all in vain , for he died miserably . hereby , and by several other things , i perceive that they are not ( in a manner ) indifferent , whether they serve their own gods or not , or change them ( as some think ) for they are naturally like the heathens of chittim and kedar , which would not change their gods , which yet are no gods ; when god blames his people for changing their glory for that which doth not profit ; i hope therefore that it is something of grace , that many chuse to worship the true god . but touching the former vexing mischiefs , a sachem , and no good friend to the work , could not but acknowledg the blessing of god among the praying indians ; when i came over ( said he ) at the further end of the island , there was a storm ( mentioning the aforesaid evils , with some more ) but when i came to this end i found a calm , the praying indians were all well , they arose in the morning , prayed to god , and went about their business , and they are not hurt nor troubled like the other indians : and the pawwaws themselves , some of them do say , that they cannot make their power seize on any of them : questionless they have tried their skill , and satan hath not been wanting to assist them , who is so unwilling to fall down from his rule , and to be driven from his old possessions . a pawwaw told me , who was of no small note among the heathen formerly , and also with the best , now he hath forsaken his pawwawing , that after he had been brought by the word of god to hate the devil , and to renounce his imps ( which he did publickly ) that yet his imps remained still in him for some months tormenting of his flesh , and troubling of his mind , that he could never be at rest , either sleeping or waking : at length one time when i went down to keep the farthest lecture about seven miles off , he asked me some questions , whereof this was one , viz. that if a pawwaw had his imps gone from him , what he should have instead of them to preserve him ? whereunto it was answered , that if he did beleeve in christ jesus , he should have the spirit of christ dwelling in him , which is a good and a strong spirit , and will keep him so safe , that all the devils in hell , and pawwaws on earth , should not be able to do him any hurt ; and that if he did set himself against his imps , by the strength of god they should all flee away like muskeetoes : he told me , that he did much desire the lord , it might be so with him . he further said , that ever since that very time god hath in mercy delivered him from them , he is not troubled with any pain ( as formerly ) in his bed , nor dreadful visions of the night , but through the blessing of god , he doth lie down in ease , sleeps quietly , wakes in peace , and walks in safety , for which he is very glad , and praises god . this last spring , the indians of their own accord made a motion to me they might have some way ordered amongst them , as a means whereby they might walk in good subjection to the law of god , wherunto they desired to enter into covenant ; they told me that they were very desirous to have their sins suppressed which god did forbid , and the duties performed , which he hath commanded in his word ; and thereunto they desired me to inform them , what punishment the lord did appoint to be inflicted on those which did break any part of his law , for they were very willing to submit themselves to what the will of the lord is in this kind . i was not willing on the sudden to draw forth in writing an answer to their desire , but rather chose to take a longer time of consideration in a work of so great concernment , and refer them to the word of god , shewing them many places for their information , most whereof they had heard of formerly : they also further desired , that they might have some men chosen amongst them with my father and my self , to see that the indians did walk orderly , and that such might be incouraged , but that those which did not , might be dealt with acording to the word of the lord ; i could not but approve and incourage the motion , seeing they spake not as those in psal. 2. 3. let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us , but sought totall subjection and strict obedience to god : yet i told them that it was a matter of great weight , shewing them many things which i thought necessary for them to know , but needless now to relate . a day of fasting and prayer to repent of our sins , and seek the gracious help of our god for christ jesus sake , we appointed ; and another shortly after to finish the work in : some of the indians spake somthing for their benefit ; and about ten , or twelve of them prayed , not with any set form like children , but like men indued with a good measure of the knowledg of god , their own wants , and the wants of others , with much affection , and many spiritual petitions , savoring of a heavenly mind ; and so are they streitned in respect of help from man , that it appears the more plainly to be the dictates of gods spirit . a platform of the covenant in answer to their desires , i drew forth the same morning in the indian language , which i have here sent in english . wee the distressed indians of the vineyard ( or nope , the indian name of the island ) that beyond all memory have been without the true god , without a teacher , and without a law , the very servants of sin and satan , and without peace , for god did justly vex us for our sins ; having lately through his mercy heard of the name of the true god , the name of his son christ jesus , with the holy ghost , the comforter , three persons , but one most glorious god , whose name is jehovah : we do praise his glorious greatness , and in the sorrow of our hearts , and shame of our faces , we do acknowledg and renounce our great and many sins , that we and our fathers have lived in , do run unto him for mercy , and pardon for christ jesus sake ; and we do this day through the blessing of god upon us , and trusting to his gracious help , give up our selves in this covenant , wee , our wives , and children , to serve jehovah : and we do this day chuse jehovah to be our god in christ jesus , our teacher , our law-giver in his word , our king , our judg , our ruler by his magistrates and ministers ; to fear god himself , and to trust in him alone for salvation , both of soul and body , in this present life , and the everlasting life to come , through his mercy in christ jesus our savior , and redeemer , and by the might of his holy spirit ; to whom with the father and son , be all glory everlasting . amen . after i had often read this covenant and expounded it unto them , they all with free consent willingly and thankfully joyned therein , and desired jehovah his blessing for jesus christ his sake , the lord be gracious to our beginnings . within two or three weeks there came an indian to me in business , and by the way he told me , that some indians had lately kept a day of repentance to humble themselves before god in prayer , and that the word of god which one of them spake unto , for their instruction , was psal. 66. 7. he ruleth by his power for ever , his eyes behold the nations , let not the rebellious exalt themselves . i asked him what their end was in keeping such a day ? he told me those six things : first , they desired , that god would slay the rebellion of their hearts . secondly , that they might love god , and one another . thirdly , that they might withstand the evil words and temptations of wicked men , and not to be drawn back from god . fourthly , that they might be obedient to the good words and commands of their rulers . fiftly , that they might have their sins done away by the redemption of jesus christ . and lastly , that they might walk in christs way . now for the state of things with us , we are by the help of god about to begin a town that they may cohabit and carry on things in a civil and religious way the better ; the praying indians are constant attenders to the word of the lord , and some of them ( i hope ) conscionable seekers after the knowledg of god , and themselves , and not without obtaining ( by the grace of god ) some saving benefit to their own souls , which will by his own blessing , in the best time , more plainly appear . about 30. indian children are now at school , which began the eleventh day of the eleventh month . 1651. they are apt to learn , and more and more are now sending in unto them . the barbarous indians , both men and women , do often come on the lecture dayes , and complaining of their ignorance , disliking their sinful liberty , and refusing the helps , and hopes of their own power , seek subjection to jehovah , to be taught , governed , and saved by him , for jesus christs sake . the name of the lord alone be praised for what is begun ; what is further needfull , i earnestly desire may be fervently prayed for , and expected by faith , to be effected , and finished by the gracious hand of god , who have laid the foundation , and will not leave his own works unperfect , which is the comfort of an unworthy laborer in the lords vinyard , and an earnest desirer to be remembred at the throne of grace . having a little more liberty , i shall certifie you of somthing more , which i have taken notice of amongst the poor indians . i observed that the indians when they chose their rulers , made choyce of such as were best approved for their godliness , and most likely to suppress sin , and encourage holiness , and since they have been forward upon all occasions , to shew their earnest desire thereof . there was an indian that was well approved for his reformation , that was suspected to have told a plain lye for his gain ; the business was brought to the publick meeting , and there it was notably sifted with zeal and good affection ; but at length the indian defending himself with great disdain , and hatred of such an evil , proved himself clear , and praised god for it . the same indian was a little before , very sick , and he told me that when he thought he should die , he did so love god , that he was not unwilling to die , and leave his wife , and children , or any thing else , but that he was only desirous to live for this cause , that he might be more taught by the word of god , and be helpful to teach the indians the way of god . i have also observed how god is pleased to uphold some of these poor indians against opposition . i was once down towards the further end of the island , and lodged at an indians house , who was accounted a great man among the islanders , being the friend of a great sachem on the mayn ; this sachem is a great enemy to our reformation on the island : at this mans house when i had sate a while , his son being about thirty years old , earnestly desired me in his language , to relate unto him some of the ancient stories of god ; i then spent a great part of the night ( in such discourse as i thought fittest for them ) as i usually do when i lodg in their houses , what he then heard ( as he expressed ) did much affect him : and shortly after he came and desired to joyn with the praying indians to serve jehovah , but it was to the great discontentment of the sachems on the mayn , and those indians about him : news was often brought to him that his life was laid in wait for , by those that would surely take it from him , they desired him therfore with speed to turn back again ; the man came to me once or twice , and i perceived that he was troubled , he asked my counsel about removing his habitation , yet told me , that if they should stand with a sharp weapon against his breast , and tell him that they would kill him presently , if he did not turn to them , but if he would , they would love him , yet he had rather lose his life than keep it on such terms ; for ( said he ) when i look back on my life as it was before i did pray to god , i see it to be wholly naught , and do wholly dislike it , and hate those naughty waies ; but when i look on that way which god doth teach me in his word , i see it to be wholly good ; and do wholly love it . blessed be god that he is not overcome by these temptations . the next thing i judg also worthy to be observed , my father and i were lately talking with an indian , who had not long before almost lost his life by a wound his enemies gave him in a secret hidden way , the mark whereof , he had upon him , and will carry it to his grave : this man understanding of a secret plot that was to take away his enemies life , told my father and i , that he did freely forgive him for the sake of god , and did tell this plot to us that the mans life might be preserved : this is a singular thing , and who among the heathen will do so ? i observe also that the indians themselves do indeavor to propagate the knowledg of god , to the glory of god and the good of others : i heard an indian ( after i had some discourse with the indians in the night ) ask the sachem , and many others together , how they did like that counsel they heard from the word of god : they answered , very wel ; then said he , why do you not take it ? why do you not do according to it ? he further added , i can tell you why it is , because you do not see your sins , and because you do love your sins ; for as long as it was so with me , i did not care for the way of god ; but when god did shew me my sins , and made me hate them , then i was glad to take gods counsel : this i remember he spake , with some other things , with such gravity and truth , that the sachem and all the company was not able to gain-say . myoxeo also lately met with an indian , which came from the mayn who was of some note among them ; i heard that he told them of the great things of god , and of christ jesus , the sinfulness and folly of the indians , the pardon of sin by christ , and of a good life ; and so were they both affected , that they continued this discourse two half nights , and a day , until their strength was spent : he told him in particular , how a beleever did live above the world , that he did keep worldly things alwaies at his feet ( as he shewed him by a sign ) that when they were deminished , or increased , it was neither the cause of his sorrow , or joy , that he should stoop to regard them , but he stood upright with his heart heavenward , and his whol desire was after god , and his joy in him . now much honored in the lord , and all that love christ jesus in truth , let me prevail with you that we may be presented by you at the throne of grace in his worthiness to obtain those blessings , that concerns his kingdom and glory ; our comfort and salvation : and you are , and shall also be , ever humbly so prayed for , by him , who is from the vinyard the 22. of october , 1652. yours obliged , and ever to be commanded in the work of the lord jesus thomas mayhew . to his excellency , the lord general cromwel ; grace , mercy , and peace be multiplied . right honorable , envy it self cannot deny that the lord hath raised and improved you in an eminent manner to overthrow antichrist , and to accomplish , in part , the prophesies and promises of the churches deliverance from that bondage : in all which service , the lord hath not only kept your honor unsteined , but also caused the lustre of those precious graces of humility , faith , love of truth , and love to the saints , &c. with which , through his free grace , he hath enriched you , to shine forth abundantly beyond all exception of any that are , or have been adversaries to your proceedings . now as the design of christ in these daies is double , namely , first , to overthrow antichrist by the wars of the lamb ; and secondly , to raise up his own kingdom in the room of all earthly powers which he doth cast down , and to bring all the world subject to be ruled in all things by the word of his mouth . and as the lord hath raised and improved you , to accomplish ( so far as the work hath proceeded ) the first part of his design , so i trust that the lord will yet further improve you , to set upon the accomplishment of the second part of the design of christ ; not only by indeavoring to put government into the hands of saints , which the lord hath made you eminently careful to do , but also by promoting scripture government and laws , that so the word of christ might rule all . in which great services unto the name of christ , i doubt not , but it will be some comfort to your heart to see the kingdom of christ rising up in these western parts of the world ; and some confirmation it will be , that the lords time is come to advance and spread his blessed kingdom , which shall ( in his season ) fill all the earth : and some incouragement to your heart , to prosecute that part of the design of christ , namely , that christ might reign . such considerations , together with the favorable respect you have alwaies shewed to poor new-england , hath imboldned me to present unto your hand , these first confessions of that grace which the lord hath bestowed upon these poor natives , and to publish them under the protection of your name , begging earnestly the continuance of your prayers for the further proceeding of this gracious work : and so committing your honor to the lord , and to the word of his grace , and all your weighty affairs to his heavenly direction , i rest your honors to serve you , in the service of christ john eliot . to the reader . christian reader , i know thy soul longeth to hear tydings of gods grace powred out upon these goings down of the sun , because the spirit of god by the word of prophesie , useth to raise up and draw forth such actings of faith , as accord with the accomplishment of those prophesies , when the time of their accomplishment is come . when israel was to return from babylon , the spirit by the word of prophesie , raised up such actings of faith , as were put forth in the exercise of all gifts necessary for the accomplishment thereof . daniel prayeth . zerubbabel hath a spirit of ruling , the peoples affections are loose from their dwellings , and have a spirit of traveling . ezra , nehemiah , and all the rest of the worthies of the lord , are raised at that time to accomplish what is prophesied . in these times the prophesies of antichrist his down fall are accomplishing . and do we not see that the spirit of the lord , by the word of prophesie , hath raised up men , instruments in the lord hand , to accomplish what is written herein . and the spirit of prayer , and expectation of faith is raised generally in all saints , by the same word of prophesie . in like manner the lord having said , that the gospel shall spread over all the earth , even to all the ends of the earth ; and from the riseing to the setting sun ; all nations shal become the nations , and kingdoms of the lord and of his christ . such words of prophesie hath the spirit used to stir up the servants of the lord to make out after the accomplishment thereof : and hath stirred up a mighty spirit of prayer , and expectation of faith for the conversion both of the jewes , ( yea all israel ) and of the gentiles also , over all the world . for this cause i know every beleeving heart , awakened by such scriptures , longeth to hear of the conversion of our poor indians , whereby such prophesies are in part begun to be accomplished . yea , the design of christ being to erect his own kingdom , in the room of all those dominions , which he doth , and is about to overturn : you shall see a spirit by such words of prophesie powred forth upon the saints ( into whose hands christ will commit the manageing of his kingdom on earth ) that shall carry them forth to advance christ to rule over men in all affairs , by the word of his mouth , and make him their only law-giver , and supream judge , and king . it is a day of small things with us : and that is gods season to make the single beauty of his humbling grace , to shine in them , that are the veriest ruines of mankind that are known on earth ; as mr. hooker was wont to describe the forlorn condition of these poor indians . i see evident demonstrations that gods spirit by his word hath taught them , because their expressions , both in prayer , and in the confessions which i have now published , are far more , and more full , and spiritual , and various , then ever i was able to express unto them ; in that poor broken manner of teaching which i have used among them . thēir turning doctrins into their own experience , which you may observe in their confessions , doth also demonstrate the teachings of gods spirit , whose first special work is application . their different gifts likewise , is a thing observable in their confessions , wherein it is not to be expected that they should be all eminent , it is not so in any society of men ; but in that there be some among them that are more eminent , it is a sign of gods favor , who is raising up among themselves , such as shall be his instruments to conveigh a blessing unto the rest . their frequent phrase of praying to god , is not to be understood of that ordinance and duty of prayer only , but of all religion , and comprehendeth the same meaning , with them , as the word [ religion ] doth with us : and it is observable , because it seemeth to me , that the lord will make them a praying people : and indeed , there is a great spirit of prayer powred out upon them , to my wonderment ; and you may easily apprehend , that they who are assisted to express such confessions before men , are not without a good measure of inlargement of spirit before the lord . the points of doctrine that are here and there dropped in their confessions , may suffice at present for a little taste to the godly discerning saints , that they are in some measure instructed in the chief points of salvation , though there be no doctrinal confession on purpose set down to declare what they have learned , and do beleeve . if any should conceive that that word which they so often use [ i thought , or i think ] should need explication , as a godly brother did intimate to me on the fast day , let this suffice , that it is to be construed by the present matter : for sometimes it is a thought of faith ; sometime of fear ; sometime of vnbelief ; sometime of carnal reason ; and sometime of ignorance . lastly , it is plainly to be observed , that one end of gods sending so many saints to new-england , was the conversion of these indians . for the godly counsels , and examples they have had in all our christian families , have been of great use , both to prepare them for the gospel , and also to further the lords work in them , as you may evidently discern in most of their confessions . beloved reader , i have no more to say as necessary to prepare for the following matter , only to beg , yea earnestly to beg the continuance of all your prayers ; by the power whereof ( through the grace and intercession of christ ) i beleeve this wheele of conversion of these indians , is turned : and my heart hath been alwayes thereby encouraged , to follow on to do that poor little i can , to help forward this blessed work of spreading and exalting the kingdom of our dear savior jesus christ , under the direction and protection of whose word and grace , by faith committing you ; i rest , your unworthy brother , in our dear savior , john eliot . to the christian reader . the amplitude , and large extent of the kingdom of jesus christ upon earth , when the heathen shall be his inheritance , and the uttermost parts of the earth his possession ; and when all kings shall fall down unto him , and all nations do him service , all contrary kingdoms and powers being broken in pieces and destroyed , is a thing plainly and plentifully foretold and promised in the holy scriptures ; psal. 2. 8. and 22. 27. and 72. 11. and 86. 9. dan. 2. 35. 44 , 45. and 7. 26 , 27. zech. 14. 9. and although as yet our eyes have never seen it so , nor our fathers afore us , many nations and people having hitherto been overspread , and overwhelmed in pagan blindness and ignorance , having scarce ever heard of christ , or of his name ; and many others that in some sort have heard of him , having no more grace but to make and maintain opposition against him , and against his kingdom , some more professedly , and others more covertly and under fairer pretence , as in the great dominions of the turk , and of the pope , is apparent ; yet the time is coming , when things shall not thus continue , but be greatly changed and altered , because the lord hath spoken this word , and it cannot be that his word should not take effect : and if the lord have spoken it , his people have good ground and reason to beleeve it , and to say as the holy apostle in another case , i beleeve god that it shall be even as it was told me , act. 27. 25. yea , to beleeve it and wait for it , as for that which in gods appointed and due time shall surely come to pass , and not fail , as hab. 2. 3. and not only so , but heartily to desire it , and fervently to pray for it , as a thing wherein the glory of god , and of jesus christ is not a little concerned and interessed ; for if the multitude of people be the kings honor , prov. 14. 28. it must needs be the honor of christ jesus the king of sion , when multitudes of people do submit unto him as to their king ; and therfore it should be earnestly craved of god by all his saints in their prayers , that so it may be , according as the sanctifying of gods name , and the coming of his kingdom are the two first petitions in that rule and pattern of prayer commanded , and taught by our savior to his disciples , matth. 6. 9 , 10. and no man needs to doubt but that those things which are matter for faith and prayer to be exercised about their accomplishment , are matters of thanksgiving when once they come to pass . which being so , the godly christian , who shall read or hear this ensuing relation concerning the workings of gods grace towards these indians in new-england , and the confessions of sundry amongst them , will , i doubt not , see abundant cause of thanksgiving to the lord therein . for hereby it will appear , that the kingdom of the lord jesus which every faithful soul , doth so much desire to see enlarged , is now beginning to be set up where it never was before , even amongst a poor people , forlorn kind of creatures in times past , who have been without christ , and without god in the world , they and their fathers , for i know not how many generations ; yea , so far from knowing and acknowledging god in christ , that they have been little better than the beasts that perish . but now they that were far off , the lord is at work to make them neer unto himself by the blood of jesus , as eph. 2. 13. that they which in time past were not a people , might ere long become the people of god ; and they be called beloved , which were not beloved ; and in the place where it was said unto them , ye are not my people ▪ that there ere long , they might be called , the children of the living god , as 1 pet. 2. 10. rom. 9. 25 , 26. which is the lords doing , and it ought to be marvelous in our eyes . and the truth is , there are many marvels in it ; marvelous free-grace , and riches thereof , to look upon a people so wretched and unworthy ; yea , it were marvelous grace so much as once to offer the salvation of god in christ to any such as they are , being not only the poor and maimed , halt and blind , but also , as it is in luk , 14. 21. ranging and roving in the high-waies , and hedges ; and yet behold , even these are not only invited , but their hearts inclined to come in . mavelous wisdom and power is in it also , that of matter so rugged , and unlikely the lord should ever frame and fashion any gracious and holy building to himself , which i hope he is now a doing . and to say no more , his mervelous soveraignty and liberty is therein to be observed also , who till now of late hath seen meet never to look after this people , but hath suffered them all this while to walk in their own waies , waies of sin , and waies of death : yea , and though there hath been plantations of the english in the country now 20. years and more , yea , some a matter of 30. years , or thereabout , yet of all this time ( except some little workings in a few ) no considerable work of grace hath appeared amongst the indians till now of late ; so true is that saying , the times and seasons , the father hath put them in his own power , act. 1. 7. if any shall say , oh but , we are doubtful whether any sound and saving work be yet wrought in them or no : such an one i would wish seriously to weigh and consider the ensuing confessions , and then perhaps he will be better satisfied touching this point ; for there he shall find many expressions savoring of their clear sight and sence of sin , and that not only of gross and external sins , but also of such as are more inward in the heart and soul : also he shall find expressions tending to shew their expecting all righteousness and salvation by christ alone . now considering how the work of the spirit of god is said by christ himself to consist in great part in convincing of sin , and of righteousness ; of sin in mens selves , and of righteousness in christ , joh. 16. 9. and considering also , how the least beginnings of grace are accepted of him that would not break the bruised reed , nor quench the smoaking flax , matth. 12. 20. and lastly , considering how it were not reasonable to expect such ripeness in these people , as might be expected and found in others , who have had more time and means , and better help and breeding than these have had : if these things i say be considered , it may be an inducement to hope the best in charity concerning the work of grace in their souls , as charity hopeth all things , beleeveth all things , 1 cor. 13. but thus much at the least i conceive is cleer , and cannot be denied that since the word of god hath been taught and preached among them , the spirit of the lord hath been working thereby in the hearts of many of them such illumination , such conviction , &c. as may justly be looked at ( if not as a full and through conversion , yet ) as an hopeful beginning and preparation thereto , if the lord be pleased to go on with what he hath begun , as i hope he will . and if there were no more but only an hopeful beginning , and preparative to conversion , yet even this were matter of much comfort to the saints , and of thanksgiving to the lord ; as it was in israel at the building of the temple , when no more was yet done , but only the foundation laid , ezr. 3. 10 , 11. yet even then they sung for joy , giving praise and thanksgiving to the lord : how much more should it be so , if the work of regeneration be already truly wrought in any of them , as i hope it is in sundry ; in such case , how ever it be with men on earth , sure there is joy in heaven amongst the angels of god , when there is so much as one sinner that is truly brought home to god by repentance , luke 15. 7. 10. but how shall we know that the confessions here related , being spoken in their tongue , were indeed uttered by them in such words , as have the same signification and meaning with these that are here expressed , for we have only the testimony of one man to assure us of it ? it is true , we have only the testimony of one man for it ; but yet it is such an one , as is unwillingly alone in this matter , having seriously endeavored to have had divers other interpreters present at natick that day , but could not obtain what he did desire and endeavor herein ; a man whose pious and painful labors amongst this people , have rendred him approved and highly honored in the eyes of his brethren about him , for indefatigable diligence , and earnest love to the lord jesus , and their poor souls ; a man whose integrity and faithfulness is so well known in these parts , as giveth sufficient satisfaction to beleev that he would not wittingly utter a falshood in any matter whatever , and much less so many falshoods , & that in such a publick manner , in the view of god & the world , as he must needs have done if he have coyned these confessions of his own head , and have not to his best understanding truly related them in our tongue , according as they were uttered by them in theirs . if any shall then ask , if there be such a work of god amongst them , why were they not combined and united into church-estate , when there was that great assembly at natick , on the thirteenth of octob. last ? such an one may do well to consider , that the material temple was many yeers in building , even in the daies of solomon , who wanted no helps and furtherances thereunto , but was abundantly furnished therewith , and longer in re-edifying after the captivity ; and therefore no marvel if the building of a spiritual temple , an holy church to christ , and a church out of such rubbish as amongst indians , be not begun and ended on a sudden ; it is rather to be wondered at , that in so short a time , the thing is in so much forwardness as it is . besides , it is a greater matter to have indians accepted and owned as a church amongst themselves , and so to be invested with all church-power as a church , when yet they are not furnished with any to be an able pastor and elder over them , by whom they might be directed and guided in all the affairs of the church , and administrations of the house of god : this i conceive is a far greater matter than the admitting of them as members into any church or churches of the english already so furnished ; which latter ( for ought i know ) might speedily be done , and with much satisfaction , if it were suitable in regard of their different language , and the remoteness of their habitations , whereas to the former there seems to be a great necessity , or expediency at the least , that they should first be provided of some to be afterward set over them in the lord . even amongst the english , when any company amongst us have united themselves into church-estate , it hath been usual that they have had one or other amongst them upon whom their eyes have been set , as intending them to be pastors or teachers to them ; afterward , when once they should be combined as a church , and where it hath so been , they have found the comfort and benefit of it ; whereas those few that have proceeded otherwise , have found trouble and inconveniency therein . and if it be so amongst the english , who usually have better abilities , how much more amongst the indians , whose knowledg and parts must needs be far less ? not to insist upon the rehearsal of those two reasons mentioned by the reverend author of this relation , viz. the shortness of the time to furnish the work that day , and the want of interpreters , of whom there was not any present himself . concerning which reasons , i can freely ad my testimony , that those two were the principal , if not the only reasons which that day were insisted on , and publickly rendred for deferring the inchurching of them to another time . it may be some have thought , and i hear some have spoken little less , that this whol business of the indians , of which there have been so many speeches in old england and new , is but a devise and design to get money , and that there is indeed no such matter as any work of gods grace amongst that people . but if there were any truth in this saying or surmise , i marvel why the magistrates and elders then present at natick , did upon the reasons rendred , advise the deferring of the inchurching of the indians that day , and why they did not rather hasten forward the work without any more ado , or longer delay . for the report of a church of indians would in all likelihood have more prevailed for the end alledged , than all that hath been reported hitherto but our attending in this business to the honor of jesus christ , and the good of this poor peoples souls , and so to that which rule and right reason required , rather than to what might seem conducible for wordly advantage , may be a sufficient witness of our sincerity , contrary to the conceit and surmise afore mentioned , and a sufficient confutation of it . and yet though they be not combined into church-estate , there is so much of gods work amongst them , as that i cannot but count it a great evil , yea , a great injury to god and his goodness for any to make light or nothing of it . to see and to hear indians opening their mouths , and lifting up their hands and their eyes in solemn prayer to the living god , calling on him by his name jehovah , in the mediation of jesus christ , and this for a good while together ; to see and hear them exhorting one another from the word of god ; to see them and hear them confessing the name of christ jesus , and their own sinfulness , sure this is more than usual . and though they spake in a language , of which many of us understood but little , yet we that were present that day , we saw them , and we heard them perform the duties mentioned , with such grave and sober countenances , with such comely reverence in gesture , and their whol carriage , and with such plenty of tears trickling down the cheeks of some of them , as did argue to us that they spake with much good affection , and holy fear of god , and it much affected our hearts . nor is it credible to me , nor for ought i know to any that was present that day , that in these things they were acted and led by that spirit which is wont to breath amongst indians , the spirit of satan , or of corrupt nature , but that herein they had with them another spirit . but if there be any work of grace amongst them , it would surely bring forth , and be accompanied with the reformation of their disordered lives , as in other things , so in their neglect of labor , and their living in idleness and pleasure . i confess the allegation is weighty , and i deny not but some sober and godly persons , who do heartily wish well to this work , have been as much troubled in their minds touching this particular as any that i know of . but yet somthing may be said in answer therto , & chiefly this , that since the word of god came amongst them , and that they have attended thereto , they have more applied themselves unto labor than formerly : for evidence whereof , appeal my be made to what was seen at natick that day , and is still to be seen in that place , i mean the grounds that they have fenced in , and clawed and broken up , and especially their capacious meeting-house , the dimensions whereof are expressed in the relation : little did i think when i saw that fabrick , but that some english carpenter or other had had the chief hand in the framing and erecting of it ; and that more hands than indians , yea , and more english than one had been employed about it . but now understanding that the indians alone were the builders of it , it is a good testimony to me both of their industry , and likewise of their skill ; for where these are utterly wanting , yea , where there is not some good measure of them , such a building i conceive could never be raised . it is true , that considering the manner of their bringing up , being little accustomed to labor , but the contrary , it is not much to be marveled if they be not comparable therein to some english , who from their child-hood have been trained up thereto ; yet we see they are coming to it , and i hope will fall to it more and more ; let all that love their souls , pray for them that they may , yea , let all that love the lord jesus christ pray for them , that the work of god may still prosper amongst them , that many more of them may be turned from darkness to light , and from the power of satan unto god ; and that being converted they may be preserved in christ , and be built up in him to further growth and perfection , from day to day . and let unfeigned thanksgiving be rendred to the lord by his saints for all that is already wrought amongst them : and oh , let the english take heed , both in our dear native country , and here , lest for our unthankfulness , and many other sins , the lord should take the gospel from us , and bestow our mercy therein upon them , as upon a nation that would yeeld the fruits thereof in better sort than many of us have done . the sins of the jewish nation to whom the gospel was first preached , provoked god to take his kingdom from them , and to call in the gentils : yet it appeareth by rom. 11. 11. 14. 31. that this mercy vouchsafed to the gentiles , shall in time provoke the jews to an holy jealousie , and emulation , to look after that mercy again that once they refused , that so through the mercy bestowed on the gentiles , they ( i mean the jews ) might at last again obtain mercy . happy were the english if we could yeeld the fruits of gods gospel , that it might not be taken from us ; and happy also if the mercy coming to these indians ( though not yet taken from us ) might provoke us so to do , that so the kingdom of god , the gospel of salvation , being not taken from us , and given to them , but though given to them , yet might still continue with us , and with our posterity from generation to generation . dorchester in new-england this 13th of 10ber 1652. rich. mather . a brief relation of the proceedings of the lords work among the indians , in reference unto their church-estate ; the reasons of the not accomplishing thereof at present : with some of their confessions ; whereby it may be discerned in some measure , how far the lord hath prepared among them fit matter for a church . these indians ( the better and wiser sort of them ) have for some years inquired after church-estate , baptism , and the rest of the ordinances of god , in the observation whereof they see the godly english to walk . i have from time to time , delayed them upon this point , that until they were come up unto civil cohabitation , government , and labor , which a fixed condition of life will put them upon , they were not so capable to be betrusted with that treasure of christ , lest they should scandalize the same , and make it of none effect , because if any should through temptation fall under censure , he could easily run away ( as some have done ) and would be tempted so to do , unless he were fixed in an habitation , and had some means of livelihood to lose , and leave behind him : such reasons have satisfied them hitherunto . but now being come under civil order , and fixing themselves in habitations , and bending themselves to labor , as doth appear by their works of fencings , buildings &c. and especially in building , without any english workmans help , or direction , a very sufficient meeting-house , of fifty foot long twenty five foot broad , neer twelve foot high betwixt the joynts , wel sawen , and framed ( which is a specimen , not only of their singular ingenuity , and dexerity , but also of some industry ) i say this being so , now my argument of delaying them from entering into church-estate , was taken away . therefore in way of preparation of them thereunto , i did this summer call forth sundry of them in the dayes of our publick assemblies in gods worship ; somtimes on the sabbath when i could be with them , and sometimes on lecture daies , to make confession before the lord of their former sins , and of their present knowledg of christ , and experience of his grace ; which they solemnly doing , i wrote down their confessions : which having done , and being in my own heart hopeful that there was among them fit matter for a church , i did request all the elders about us to hear them reade , that so they might give me advice what to do in this great , and solemn business ; which being done on a day appointed for the purpose , it pleased god to give their confessions such acceptance in their hearts , as that they saw nothing to hinder their proceeding , to try how the lord would appear therein . whereupon , after a day of fasting and prayer among our selves , to seek the lord in that behalf , there was another day of fasting and prayer appointed , and publick notice thereof , and of the names of indians were to confess , and enter into covenant that day , was given to all the churches about us , to seek the lord yet further herein , and to make solemn confessions of christ his truth and grace , and further to try whether the lord would vouchsafe such grace unto them , as to give them acceptance among the saints , into the fellowship of church-estate , and enjoyment of those ordinances which the lord hath betrusted his churches withal . that day was the thirteenth of the eighth month . when the assembly was met , the first part of the day was spent in prayer unto god , and exercise in the word of god ; in which , my self first ; and after that , two of the indians did exercise ; and so the time was spent till after ten , or near eleven of the clock . then addressing our selves unto the further work of the day , i first requested the reverend elders ( many being present ) that they would ask them questions touching the fundamental points of religion , that thereby they might have some tryal of their knowledg , and better that way , than if themselves should of themselves declare what they beleeve , or than if i should ask them questions in these matters : after a little conference hereabout , it was concluded , that they should first make confession of their experience in the lords work upon their hearts , because in so doing , it is like something will be discerned of their knowledg in the doctrines of religion : and if after those confessions there should yet be cause to inquire further touching any point of religion it might be fitly done at last . whereupon we so proceeded , and called them forth in order to make confession . it was moved in the assembly by reverend mr. wilson , that their former confessions also , as well as these which they made at present , might be read unto the assembly , because it was evident that they were daunted much to speak before so great and grave an assembly as that was , but time did not permit it so to be then : yet now in my writing of their confessions i will take that course , that so it may appear what encouragement there was to proceed so far as we did ; and that such as may reade these their confessions , may the better discern of the reality of the grace of christ in them . the first which was called forth is named totherswamp , whose former confession read before the elders , was as followeth : before i prayed unto god , the english , when i came unto their houses , often said unto me , pray to god ; but i having many friends who loved me , and i loved them , and they cared not for praying to god , and therefore i did not : but i thought in my heart , that if my friends should die , and i live , i then would pray to god ; soon after , god so wrought , that they did almost all die , few of them left ; and then my heart feared , and i thought , that now i will pray unto god , and yet i was ashamed to pray ; and if i eat and did not pray , i was ashamed of that also ; so that i had a double shame upon me : then you came unto us , and taught us , and said unto us , pray unto god ; and after that , my heart grew strong , and i was no more ashamed to pray , but i did take up praying to god ; yet at first i did not think of god , and eternal life , but only that the english should love me , and i loved them : but after i came to learn what sin was , by the commandements of god , and then i saw all my sins , lust , gaming , &c. ( he named more . ) you taught , that christ knoweth all our hearts , and seeth what is in them , if humility , or anger , or evil thoughts , christ seeth all that is in the heart ; then my heart feared greatly , because god was angry for all my sins ; yea , now my heart is full of evil thoughts , and my heart runs away from god , therefore my heart feareth and mourneth . every day i see sin in my heart ; one man brought sin into the world , and i am full of that sin , and i break gods word every day . i see i deserve not pardon , for the first mans sinning ; i can do no good , for i am like the devil , nothing but evil thoughts , and words , and works . i have lost all likeness to god , and goodness , and therefore every day i sin against god , and i deserve death and damnation : the first man brought sin first , and i do every day ad to that sin , more sins ; but christ hath done for us all righteousness , and died for us because of our sins , and christ teacheth us , that if we cast away our sins , and trust in christ , then god will pardon all our sins ; this i beleeve christ hath done , i can do no righteousness , but christ hath done it for me ; this i beleeve , and therefore i do hope for pardon . when i first heard the commandements , i then took up praying to god , and cast off sin . again , when i heard , and understood redemption by christ , then i beleeved jesus christ to take away my sins : every commandement taught me sin , and my duty to god . when you ask me , why do i love god ? i answer , because he giveth me all outward blessings , as food , clothing , children , all gifts of strength , speech , hearing ; especially that he giveth us a minister to teach us , and giveth us government ; and my heart feareth lest government should reprove me : but the greatest mercy of all is christ , to give us pardon and life . totherswamp the confession which he made on the fast day before the great assembly , was as followeth : i confess in the presence of the lord , before i prayed , many were my sins , not one good word did i speak , not one good thought did i think , not one good action did i doe : i did act all sins , and full was my heart of evil thoughts : when the english did tell me of god , i cared not for it . i thought it enough if they loved me : i had many friends that loved me , and i thought if they died , i would pray to god : and afterward it so came to pass ; then was my heart ashamed , to pray i was ashamed , & if i prayed not , i was ashamed ; a double shame was upon me : when god by you taught us , very much ashamed was my heart ; then you taught us that christ knoweth all our harts : therefore truly he saw my thoughts , and i had thought , if my kindred should die i would pray to god ; therfore they dying , i must now pray to god : and therefore my heart feared , for i thought christ knew my thoughts : then i heard you teach , the first man god made was named adam , & god made a covenant with him , do and live , thou and thy children ; if thou do not thou must die , thou and thy children ; and we are children of adam poor sinners , therefore we all have sinned , for we have broke gods covenant , therefore evil is my heart therefore god is very angry with me , we sin against him every day ; but this great mercy god hath given us , he hath given us his only son , and promiseth , that whosoever beleeveth in christ shall be saved : for christ hath dyed for us in our stead , for our sins , and he hath done for us all the words of god , for i can do no good act , only christ can , and only christ hath done all for us ; christ have deserved pardon for us , and risen again , he hath ascended to god , and doth ever pray for us ; therefore all beleevers souls shall goe to heaven to christ . but when i heard that word of christ , christ said repent and beleeve , and christ seeth who repenteth , then i said , dark and weak is my soul , and i am one in darkness , i am a very sinful man , and now i pray to christ for life . hearing you teach that word that the scribes and pharisees said why do thy disciples break the tradition of the fathers ? christ answered , why do ye make void the commandements of god ? then my heart feared that i do so , when i teach the indians , because i cannot teach them right , and thereby make the word of god vain . again , christ said if the blind lead the blind they will both fall into the ditch ; therfore i feared that i am one blind , and when i teach other indians i shal caus them to fall into the ditch . this is the love of god to me , that he giveth me all mercy in this world , and for them al i am thankfull ; but i confess i deserve hell ; i cannot deliver my self , but i give my soul and my flesh to christ and i trust my soul with him for he is my redeemer , and i desire to call upon him while i live . this was his confession which ended , mr. allin further demanded of him this question , how he found his heart , now in the matter of repentance his answer was ; i am ashamed of all my sins , my heart is broken for them and melteth in me , i am angry with my self for my sins , and i pray to christ to take away my sins , and i desire that they may be pardoned . but it was desired that further question might be forborn , lest time would be wanting to here them all speak . then waban was called forth , whose confession was as followeth ; no former confession of his being read unto the elders . before i heard of god , and before the english came into this country , many evil things my heart did work , many thoughts i had in my heart ; i wished for riches , i wished to be a witch , i wished to be a sachem ; and many such other evils were in my heart : then when the english came , still my heart did the same things ; when the english taught me of god ( i coming to their houses ) i would go out of their doors , and many years i knew nothing ; when the english taught me i was angry with them : but a little while agoe after the great sikness , i considered what the english do , and i had some desire to do as they do ; and after that i began to work as they work ; and then i wondered how the english come to be so strong to labor ; then i thought i shall quickly die , and i feared lest i should die before i prayed to god ; then i thought , if i prayed to god in our language , whether could god understand my prayers in our language ; therefore i did ask mr. jackson , and mr. mahu , if god understood prayers in our language ? they answered me , god doth understand all languages in the world . but i do not know how to confess , and little do i know of christ ; i fear i shall not beleeve a great while , and very slowly ; i do not know what grace is in my heart , there is but little good in me ; but this i know , that christ hath kept all gods commandements for us , and that christ doth know all our hearts ; and now i desire to repent of all my sins : i neither have done , nor can do the commandements of the lord , but i am ashamed of all i do , and i do repent of all my sins , even of all that i do know of : i desire that i may be converted from all my sins , and that i might beleeve in christ , and i desire him ; i dislike my sins , yet i do not truly pray to god in my heart : no matter for good words , all is the true heart ; and this day i do not so much desire good words , as throughly to open my heart : i confess i can do nothing , but deserve damnation ; only christ can help me and do for me . but i have nothing to say for my self that is good ; i judg that i am a sinner , and cannot repent , but christ hath deserved pardon for us . this confession being not so satisfactory as was desired , mr. wilson testified , that he spake these latter expressions with tears , which i observed not , because i attended to writing ; but i gave this testimony of him , that his conversation was without offence to the english , so far as i knew , and among the indians , it was exemplar : his gift is not so much in expressing himself this way , but in other respects useful and eminent ; it being demanded in what respect , i answered to this purpose , that his gift lay in ruling , judging of cases , wherein he is patient , constant , and prudent , insomuch that he is much respected among them , for they have chosen him a ruler of fifty , and he ruleth well according to his measure . it was further said , they thought he had been a great drawer on to religion ; i replyed , so he was in his way , and did prevail with many ; and so it rested . the next that was called , was william of sudbury , his indian name is nataôus ; his former confession read before the elders , was as followeth : i confess that before i prayed , i committed all manner of sins , and served many gods : when the english came first , i going to their houses , they spake to me of your god , but when i heard of god , my heart hated it ; but when they said the devil was my god , i was angry , because i was proud : when i came to their houses i hated to hear of god , i loved lust in my own house and not god , i loved to pray to many gods . five years ago , i going to english houses , and they speaking of god , i did a little like of it , yet when i went again to my own house , i did all manner of sins , and in my heart i did act all sins , though i would not be seen by man . then going to your house , i more desired to hear of god ; and my heart said , i will pray to god so long as i live : then i went to the minister mr. browns house , and told him i would pray as long as i lived ; but he said i did not say it from my heart , and i beleeve it . when wahan spake to me that i should pray to god , i did so . but i had greatly sinned against god , and had not beleeved the word , but was proud : but then i was angry with my self , and loathed my self , and thought god will not forgive me my sins . for when i had been abroad in the woods i would be very angry , and would lye unto men , and i could not find the way how to be a good man : then i beleeved your teaching , that when good men die , the angels carry their souls to god ; but evil men dying , they go to hell , and perish for ever . i thought this a true saying , and i promised to god , to pray to god as long as i live . i had a little grief in my heart five years ago for my sins : but many were my prides ; somtime i was angry with my self , and pityed my self ; but i thought god would not pardon such a proud heart as mine is : i beleeve that christ would have me to forsake my anger ; i beleeve that christ hath redeemed us , and i am glad to hear those words of god ; and i desire that i might do al the good waies of god , and that i might truly pray unto god : i do now want graces , and these christ only teacheth us , and only christ hath wrought our redemption , and he procureth our pardon for all our sins ; and i beleeve that when beleevers dy , gods angels carry them to heaven : but i want faith to beleeve the word of god , and to open my eyes , and to help me to cast away all sins ; and christ hath deserved for me eternall life : i have deserved nothing my self ; christ hath deserved all , and giveth me faith to beleeve it . willam of sudbury : his indian name is nataôus . the confession which he made on the fast day before the great assembly was as followeth . before i prayed to god , i commited all sins ; and serving many gods . i much despised praying unto god , for i beleeved the devil , and he did dayly teach me to sin , and i did them : somtimes hearing of god my heart did hate it , and went to my own house , because i did love to commit all sin there . about six years ago , a little i liked to hear of god , and yet i hated that which was good : hearing that cutshamoquin prayed , then i thought i will pray also : a year after , i heard of praying to god , and i went to mr. browns house and told him i will pray to god as long as live ; he said , i doubt of it , and bid me cut off my hair , and i did so presently ; and then i desired to be like god , and jesus christ , and to call on him , but i found it very hard to beleeve ; yet i thought , i wil pray as long as i live . hearing that word , that christ dyed for us , was buried & rose again , and hearing of that word also , seek peace & imbrace the word : then i began to beleeve that christ died for us , for sin ; and i saw my heart very full of sin . and hearing that word , that christ went to the mount olives , and ascended , i beleeved and thought , oh that god would pardon me ; but i fear he will not , because i have been so long time a sinner . somtime i am angry with my self , for my many evil thoughts in my heart ; and to this day i want grace , and cannot confess , because i have been so great a sinner : and this day i confess , a little i pray , and that i can pray but a little and weakly . when i heard that word of god , that all from the rising to the setting sun shall pray i first under stood it it not , and wondered how it should be : after i saw that when they beleeve and obey god , then he will teach them to do right things , and god will teach us to do al things for god , sleeping and waking to be with god . but still do foolishly , and not according to my prayer : i cannot get pardon of my sins , for my sins are great in thought , word , and deed : and no man can cast off his own sins , but that is the work of christ only to work it in us ; a man cannot make a right prayer but when christ assisteth him ; then we shall do all things well . i beleeve that christ is god , and the son of god because when he dyed , he rose again , and he dyed for our sins ; and i beleeve he is in heaven and ever prayeth for us , and sendeth his gospel unto us : and i am angry with my self , because i do not beleeve the word of god , and gospel of jesus christ . the next which was called forth was monequassun , who is our school-master ; whose former confession , read before the elders , was as followeth . i confess my sorrow for all my sins against god , and before men : when i first heard instruction , i beleeved not , but laughed at it , and scorned praying to god ; afterward , when we were taught at cohannet ( that is the place where he lived ) i still hated praying , and i did think of running away , because i cared not for praying to god ; but afterwards , because i loved to dwell at that place , i would not leave the place , and therefore i thought i will pray to god , because i would still stay at that place , therefore i prayed not for the love of god , but for love of the place i lived in ; after that i desired a little to learn the catechisme on the lecture daies , and i did learn the ten commandements , and after that , all the points in the catechisme ; yet afterwards i cast them all away again , then was my heart filled with folly , and my sins great sins ; afterwards by hearing , i began to fear , because of my many sins , lest the wise men should come to know them , and punish me for them ; and then again i thought of running away because of my many sins : but after that i thought i would pray rightly to god , and cast away my sins ; then i saw my hypocricy , because i did ask some questions , but did not do that which i knew : afterward i considered of my question , and thought i would pray to god , and would consider of some other question , and i asked this , question , how should i get wisdom ? and the answer to it did a little turn my heart from sin , to seek after god ; and i then considered that the word of god was good ; then i prayed to god because of the word of god . the next lecture day you taught that word of god , if any man lack wisdom , let him ask it of god , who giveth freely to them that ask him , and upbraideth no man , james , 1. 5. then again a little my heart was turned after god , the word also said , repent , mourn , and beleeve in jesus christ : this also helped me on . then you taught , that he that beleeveth not christ , and repenteth not of sin , they are foolish and wicked ; and because they beleeve not , they shall perish : then i thought my self a fool , because i beleeved not christ , but sinned every day , and after i heard the word , i greatly broke the word . but afterward i heard this promise of god , who ever repenteth and beleeveth in christ , god will forgive him all his sins , he shall not perish ; then i thought , that as yet , i do not repent , and beleeve in christ : then i prayed to god , because of this his promise ; and then i prayed to god , for god and for christ his sake : after that again i did a little break the word of christ . and then i heard some other words of god , which shewed me my sins , and my breakings of gods word ; and sometimes i thought god and christ would forgive me , because of the promise to them that beleeve in christ , and repent of sin , i thought i did that which god spake in the promise . then being called to confess , to prepare to make a church at natick , i loved cohannet ; but after hearing this instruction , that we should not only be hearers , but doers of the word , then my heart did fear . and afterward hearing that in matthew , christ saw two brethren mending their nets , he said , follow me and i will make you fishers of men , presently they followed christ ; and when i heard this , i feared , because i was not willing to follow christ to natick ; they followed christ at his word , but i did not , for now christ saith to us , follow me : then i was much troubled , and considered of this word of god . afterward i heard another word , the blind men cryed after christ and said , have mercy on us thou son of david , but after they came to christ , he called them , and asked them , what shall i do for you ? they said , lord open our eyes ; then christ had pity on them , and opened their eyes , and they followed christ ; when i heard this , my heart was troubled , then i prayed to god and christ , to open mine eyes , and if christ open my eyes , then i shall rejoyce to follow christ : then i considered of both these scriptures , and i a little saw that i must follow christ . and now my heart desireth to make confession of what i know of god , and of my self , and of christ : i beleeve that there is only one god , and that he made and ruleth all the world , and that he the lord , giveth us al good things : i know that god giveth every day all good mercies , life , and health , and all ; i have not one good thing , but god it is that giveth it me , i beleeve that god at first made man like god , holy , wise , righteous ; but the first man sinned , for god promised him , if thou do my commandements , thou shalt live , and thy children ; but if thou sin , thou shalt die , thou and thy children ; this covenant god made with the first man . but the first man did not do the commandements of god , he did break gods word , he beleeved satan ; and now i am full of sin , because the first man brought sin ; dayly i am full of sin in my heart : i do not dayly rejoyce in repentance , because satan worketh dayly in my heart , and opposeth repentance , and all good works ; day and night my heart is full of sin . i beleeve that jesus christ was born of the virgin mary ; god promised her she should bear a son , and his name should be jesus , because he shall deliver his people from their sins : and when christ came to preach , he said , repent , because the kingdom of heaven is at hand ; again christ taught , except ye repent and become as a little child , ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven ; therefore humble your selves like one of these little children , and great shall be your kingdom in heaven . again christ said , come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden with sin , and i will give you rest : take up my cross , and yoak , learn of me , for i am meek , and ye shall find rest to your souls , for my yoak is easie , and burden light : these are the words of christ , and i know christ he is good , but my works are evil : christ his words are good , but i am not humble ; but if we be humble and beleeving in christ , he pardons all our sins . i now desire to beleeve in jesus christ , because of the word of christ , that i may be converted and become as a little child . i confess my sins before god , and before jesus christ this day ; now i desire all my sins may be pardoned ; i now desire repentance in my heart , and ever to beleeve in christ ; now i lift up my heart to christ , and trust him with it , because i beleeve christ died for us , for all our sins , and deserved for us eternal life in heaven , and deserved pardon for all our sins . and now i give my soul to christ because he hath redeemed : i do greatly love , and like repentance in my heart , and i love to beleeve in jesus christ , and my heart is broken by repentance : al these things i do like wel of , that they may be in my heart , but because christ hath all these to give , i ask them of him that he may give me repentance , and faith in christ , and therefore i pray and beseech christ dayly for repentance and faith ; and other good waies i beg of christ dayly to give me : and i pray to christ for al these gifts and graces to put them in my heart : and now i greatly thank christ for all these good gifts which he hath given me . i know not any thing , nor can do any thing that is a good work : even my heart is dark dayly in what i should do , and my soul dyeth because of my sins , and therefore i give my soul to christ , because i know my soul is dead in sin , and dayly doth commit sin ; in my heart i sin , and all the members of my body are sinful . i beleeve jesus christ is ascended to heaven through the clouds , and he will come again from heaven : many saw christ go up to heaven , and the angels said , even so he will come again to judg all the world ; and therefore i beleeve gods promise , that all men shall rise again when christ cometh again , then all shall rise , and all their souls comes again because christ is trusted with them , and keeps their souls , therefore i desire my sins may be pardoned ; and i beleeve in christ ; and ever so long as i live , i will pray to god , and do all the good waies he commandeth . monequassun , the confession which he made on the fast day before the great assembly was as followeth i confess my sins before the lord , and before men this day : a little while since i did commit many sins , both in my hands and heart ; lusts thefts , and many other sins , and that every day : and after i heard of praying to god , and that others prayed to god , my heart did not like it , but hated it , yea and mocked at it ; and after they prayed at cohannet i stil hated it , and when i heard the word i did not like of it , but thought of running away , because i loved sin : but i loved the place of my dwelling , and therfore i thought i wil rather pray to god , and began to do it ; a little i desired to learn the ten commandements of god , and other points of catechisme ; and then a little i repented , but i was quickly weary of repentance , and fell again to sin , and full of evil thoughts was my heart : and then i played the hypocrite , and my heart was full of sin : i learned some things , but did not do what god commanded , but i sinned and playd the hypocrite ; some things i did before man , but not before god . but afterward i feared because of my sins , and feared punishment for my sins , therefore i thought again i would run away ; yet again i loving the place , would not run away , but would pray to god : and i asked a question at the lecture ▪ which was this , how i should get wisdom ? the answer made me a little to understand : but afterward i heard the word if any man lack wisdom , let him ask it of god , who giveth liberally to all that ask , and upbraideth none . but then i did fear gods anger , because of all my sins , because they were great . afterward hearing that word , that christ is named jesus , because he redeemeth us from all our sins : i thought christ would not save me , because i repent not , for he saveth only penitent beleevers ; but i am not such an one , but still a dayly sinner . afterward hearing that word , blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness , for they shall be filled : then i thought i am a poor sinner , and poor is my heart : then i prayed to god to teach me to do that which he requireth , and to pray aright . afterward hearing that word , who ever looks upon a woman to lust after her , hath already committed adultry with her in his heart ; then i thought i had done all manner of sins in the sight of god , because he seeth lust in the heart , and knoweth all the evil thoughts of my heart ; and then i did pray unto god , oh! give me repentance and pardon . afterwards when i did teach among the indians , i was much humbled because i could not reade right , and that i sinned in it ; for i saw that when i thought to do a good work , i sinned in doing it , for i knew not what was right , nor how to do it . in the night i was considering of my sins , and could not find what to do : three nights i considered what to do , and at last god shewed me mercy , and shewed me what i should do . and then i desired to learn to read gods word , and hearing that if we ask wisdom of god , he will give it , then i did much pray to god , that he would teach me to reade . after a years time , i thought i did not rightly seek , and i thought i sinned , because i did not rightly desire to read gods word , and i thought my praying was sinful , and i feared , how should i , my wife , and child be cloathed , if i spend my time in learning to reade ; but then god was merciful to me , and shewed me that word , say not , what shall i eat , or drink , or wherewith shall i be cloathed , wicked men seek after these ; but first seek the kingdom of heaven , and these things shall be added to you ; then i pr●yed god to teach me this word , and that i might do it : and then i desired to read gods word , what ever i wanted . afterward hearing that we must make a town , and gather a church at natick , my heart disliked that place ; but hearing that word , that christ met two fishers , and said , follow me , and i will make you fishers of men , and they presently left all and followed him ; hearing this , i was much troubled , because i had not beleeved christ , for i would not follow him to make a church , nor had i done what he commanded me , and then i was troubled for all my sins . again hearing that word , that the blind man called after christ , saying , thou son of david have mercy on me ; christ asked him what he would have him do , he said , lord open my eyes ; and presently christ gave him sight , and he followed christ : then again my heart was troubled , for i thought i still beleeve not , because i do not follow christ , nor hath he yet opened mine eyes : then i prayed to christ to open mine eyes , that i might see what to do , because i am blind and cannot see how to follow christ , and do what he commandeth , and i prayed to christ , teach me lord what to do , and to do what thou sayest ; and i prayed that i might follow christ : and then i thought i will follow christ to make a church . all this trouble i had to be brought to be willing to make a church : and quickly after , god laid upon me more trouble , by sickness and death ; and then i much prayed to god for life , for we were all sick , and then god would not hear me , to give us life ; but first one of my children died , and after that my wife ; then i was in great sorrow , because i thought god would no hear me , and i thought it was because i would not follow him , therefore he hears not me : then i found this sin in my heart , that i was angry at the punishment of god : but afterward i considered , i was a poor sinner , i have nothing , nor child , nor wife , i deserve that god should take away all mercies from me ; and then i repented of my sins , and did much pray , and i remembred the promise to follow christ , and my heart said , i had in this sinned , that followed not christ , and therefore i cryed for pardon of this sin : and then hearing of this word , who ever beleeveth in christ , his sins are pardoned , he beleeving that christ died for us ; and i beleeved . again hearing that word , if ye be not converted , and become as a little child , you cannot go to heaven ; then my heart thought , i do not this , but i deserve hell fire for ever ; and then i prayed christ , oh! turn me from my sin , and teach me to hear thy word ; and i prayed to my father in heaven : and after this , i beleeved in christ for pardon . afterward i heard that word , that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair , and that there was no such custom in the churches : at first i thought i loved not long hair , but i did , and found it very hard to cut it off ; and then i prayed god to pardon that sin also : afterward i thought my heart cared not for the word of god : but then i thought i would give my self up unto the lord , to do all his word . afterward i heard that word , if thy right foot offend thee , cut it off , or thy right hand , or thy right eye ; its better to go to heaven with one foot , or hand , or eye , than having both to go to hell ; then i thought my hair had been a stumbling to me , therefore i cut it off , and grieved for this fin , and prayed for pardon . after hearing that word , come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden with your sins , and i will give rest to your souls ; then my heart thought that i do dayly hate my sins , oh! that i could go to christ ! and christ looketh i should come unto him , therfore i will go unto him , and therfore then i prayed , oh! christ help me to come unto thee : and i prayed because of all my sins that they may be pardoned . for the first man was made like god in holiness , and righteousness , and god gave him his covenant ; but adam sinned , beleeving the devil , therefore god was angry , and therefore all we children of adam are like the devil , and dayly sin , and break every law of god , full of evil thoughts , words , and works , and only christ can deliver us from our sins , and he that beleeveth in christ is pardoned ; but my heart of my self cannot beleeve : satan hath power in me , but i cry to god , oh! give me faith , and pardon my sin , because christ alone can deliver me from hell ; therefore i pray , oh! jesus christ deliver me . christ hath provided the new covenant to save beleevers in christ , therefore i desire to give my soul to christ , for pardon of all my sins : the first covenant is broke by sin , and we deserve hell ; but christ keepeth for us the new covenant , and therfore i betrust my soul with christ . again , i desire to beleeve in christ , because christ will come to judgment , and all shall rise again , and all beleevers in this life shall then be saved ; therefore i desire to beleeve christ , and mortifie sin as long as i live ; and i pray christ to help me to beleeve : and i thank god for all his mercies every day : and now i confess before god that i loath my self for my sins and beg pardon . thus far he went in his confession ; but they being slow of speech , time was far spent and a great assembly of english understanding nothing he said , only waiting for my interpretation , many of them went forth , others whispered , and a great confusion was in the house and abroad : and i perceived that the graver sort thought the time long , therfore knowing he had spoken enough unto satisfaction ( at least as i judged ) i here took him off . then one of the elders asked , if i took him off , or whether had he finished ? i answered , that i took him off . so after my reading what he had said , we called another . the next who was called forth was ponampam , who had formerly twice made confession , and both read before the elders . his first confession was as followeth . vvhen god first had mercy on us , when they first prayed at noonanetam , i heard of it , and the first word that i heard was , that all from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof , shall pray unto god ; and i thought , oh! let it be so . after i considered what the word may be , and understood by it , that god was mercyfull ; afterwards when you alwayes came to us , i only heard the word , i did not understand it , nor meditate on it , yet i found that al my doings were sins against god ; then i prayed unto god . afterwards i heard , that god would pardon all that beleeve in christ ! and quickly after i saw my sins to be very many ; i saw that in every thing i did , i sinned : & when i saw these my sins against god , i was weary of my self , & angry with my self in my heart ; but the free mercy of god , caused me to hear his word , and then i feared because every day sin was in my heart , and i thought in vain i looked to christ : then hearing this word of christ , that christ taught through every town , and village , repent and beleeve . if any one repent , and mourn , and beleeve , i will pardon him ; then my heart thought i will pray to god as long as i live : but somtimes my heart was ashamed , and somtimes my heart was strong , and god seeth my heart : i now desire to repent , and beleeve in christ , and that christ will pardon me , and shew mercy to us all . ponampam , his second confession was as followeth : when i prayed not unto god i ever sinned every day : but when noonanetam indians first prayed , i heard of it , and three nights i considered whether i should pray or no , but i found not how to pray unto god , but how not to pray : but then i heard gods free mercy in his word , call all to pray , from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof ; yet presently i lost that word , and sinned again , and committed many sins . then gods free mercy shewed me in the catechism , that god made all the world , yet my heart did not beleeve , because i knew i sprung from my father and mother : i did alwaies act many sins , because i was born in sin , and in vain i heard gods word . then i heard gods word , that christ was made man , yet i did but hear it , though i thought it might be true : i thought i would cast off all sin , but then i found that i loved them very much . i heard gods promise to abraham , to increase his children as the stars for number , but i beleeved not , because he had but one son : and thus i cast off the word , and committed sins . i heard also from the word , that all men are not alike to god , some are first to god , [ or preferred before other ; ] but i did not beleeve it because all men die alike ; therefore they are not the sons of god , and god is not their father : so still i beleeved not the word , but broke gods word dayly , and in vain i heard gods word . afterward i heard that word of god to moses , i 'le be with thy mouth , for who maketh the seeing eye , or hearing ear , is it not i ? saith the lord : then i understood a little of god , and of his word ; but still i acted much sin . afterward i heard that word of free-grace , repent , and beleeve the gospel , and who ever beleeve shall be saved ; then my heart beleeved , then i saw i had prayed but afore man , & so was my hearing , or any other duty ; and i saw other of my sins against god ; and then i saw that my heart did not beleev as it should , & i desired to be open in my doings ; i saw i brake every command of god : yet presently i lost this , and the word of christ was of little worth unto me ; and i saw i loved sin very much . then again i heard that word , that all shall pray from the rising to the sitting sun ; then i thought i will pray to god , and yet only my tongue prayed . then again i heard the catechism , that god made adam and eve , and al the world , and a little i beleeved that word . afterward i heard another word , that they are bastards , not sons , whom god afflicts not : i did a little think this to be a truth , and then i prayed more unto god , and yet i saw i feared man more than god : but notwithstanding , i have prayed unto god from that day unto this day ; yet i see i sin every day . when i heard that word that god spake to moses in the mount by a trumpet , and said , thou shalt not have any other god , thou shalt not lust , nor lye , nor kill , &c. i saw all these i had broken ; i heard the word , but sinned in what i heard : i heard that my heart must break and melt for sin , and beleeve in christ , and that we should try our hearts if it be so ; yet i could try but little , nor find but little , but still i sinned much . i heard that word , that they which cast off god , god will cast off them ; and i feared lest god should cast me away , because of my sins : i was ashamed of my sins , and my heart melted , and i thought i wil give my self to god , and to christ , and do what he will for ever ; and because of this promise of pardon to al that repent and beleeve , my heart desireth to pray to god as long as i live . ponampam ; the confession he made on the fast day , before the great assembly was as followeth : before i prayed unto god , i committed all manner of sins ; and when i heard the catechism , that god made me , i did not beleeve it , because i knew i sprang from my father and mother , and therefore i despised the word , and therefore again i did act all sins , and i did love them . then god was merciful to me , to let me hear that word , that al shal pray from the rising to the s●●ting sun ; and then i considered whether i should pray , but i found not in my heart that all should pray : but then i considered of praying , and what would become of me if i did not pray , and what would become of me , if i did pray ; but i thought if i did pray , the sacbems would be angry , because they did not say , pray to god , and therefore i did not yet pray ; but considering of that word , that all shall pray , i was troubled , and i found in my heart that i would pray unto god ; and yet i feared that others would laugh at me , and therefore i did not yet pray . afterward god was yet merciful to me , and i heard that god made the world , and the first man , and i thought it was true , and therefore i would pray to god , because he hath made all ; and yet when i did pray , i thought i prayed not aright , because i prayed for the sake of man , and i thought this to be a great sin . but then i wondered at gods free mercy to me , for i saw god made me , and giveth me all mercies : and then was i troubled , and saw that many were my sins , and that i do not yet beleeve ; then i prayed , yet my heart sinned , for i prayed only with my mouth : and then i repented of my sins , and then a little i considered and remembred gods love unto us : but i was a sinner , and many were my sins , and a little i repented of them ; and yet again i sinned , and quickly was my heart full of sin : then again was my heart angry with my self , and often i lost all this again , and fell into sin . then i heard that word , that god sent moses to egypt , and promised i will be with thee ; that promise i considered , but i thought that in vain i did seek , and i was ashamed that i did so : and i prayed , oh god teach me truly to pray , not only before man , but before god , and pardon al these my sins . again i heard that word , that christ taught through every town and village , repent and beleeve , and be saved , and a little i beleeved this word , and i loved it , and then i saw all my sins , and prayed for pardon . again i heard that word , he that casteth off god , him will god cast off ; and i found in my heart , that i had done this , and i feared because of this my sin , lest god should cast me off , and that i should for ever perish in hell , because god hath cast me off , i having cast of god : then i was troubled about hell , and what shall i do if i be damned ! then i heard that word , if ye repent and beleeve , god pardons all sins ; then i thought , oh that i had this , i desired to repent and beleeve , and i begged of god , oh give me repentance and faith , freely do it for me ; and i saw god was merciful to do it , but i did not attend the lord , only sometimes ; and i now confess i am ashamed of my sins , my heart is broken , and melteth in me ; i am angry at my self ; i desire pardon in christ ; i betrust my soul with christ , that he may do it for me . by such time as this man had finished , the time was far spent , and he was the fift in number , their speeches being slow , and they were the more slow at my request , that i might write what they said ; & oft i was forced to inquire of my interpreter ( who sat by me ) because i did not perfectly understand some sentences , especially of some of them : these things did make the work long-som , considering the inlargement of spirit god gave some of them ; and should we have proceeded further , it would have been sun-set before the confessions in likelyhood would have been finished , besides all the rest of the work that was to be done to finish so solemn a work ; and the place being remote in the woods , the nights long and cold and people not fitted to lie abroad , and no competant lodgings in the place for such persons , and the work of such moment as wonld not admit an hudling up in hast . and besides all this , though i had fully used all fit means , to have all the interpreters present that i could , that so the intetpretation might not depend upon my single testemony , yet so it was that they all failed , and i was alone ( as i have been wont to be in this work ) which providence of god was not to be neglected in so solemn a business . wherfore the magistrates , elders , and grave men present , advised together what to do , and the conclusion was , not to proceed any further at present , yet so to carry the matter , as that the indians might in no wise be discouraged , but encouraged ; to which end , one of the elders was requested to speak unto the english , the two above said reasons , viz. the want of interpreters , and want of time , to finish at this time so solemn a work ; but to refer it to a more fitting time . and i was desired to declare it to the indians , which i did to this purpose , that the magistrates , elders , and other christian people present , did much rejoyce to hear their confessions , and advised them to go on in that good way ; but as for the gathering a church among them this day , it could not be ; partly , because neither mr. mayhew , nor mr. leveridg . nor any interpreter was here ( for whom they knew i had sent , some of themselves being the messengers to carry letters time enough ) and it was gods ordinance , that when any were to judg a case , though they could beleeve one witness , yet they could not judg under two or three . also i told them , that themselves might easily see there was not time enough to finish so solemn a work this day ; therefore they advised , and god called to refer it to a fitter season ; in which advice they rested : and so was the work of that day , with prayers unto god , finished ; the accomplishment being referred to a fitter season . as for my self , the lord put it into the hearts of the elders , to speak unto me words of comfort , and acceptance of my poor labor , expressing their loving fear , lest i should be discouraged by this disappointment : i shall therefore nakedly declare , and open my very heart in this matter . the lord he knoweth , that with much fear , and care i went about this work , even unto the sensible wasting , and weakning of my natural strength , knowing that the investing these young babee in christ , with the highest , and all the external priviledges of the church , the spouse of jesus christ on earth , would have drawn upon me much more labor and care , lest they should in any wise scandalize the same ; unto which i have now more time assigned me by the lord to prepare them , yea , and a greater advantage than i had before , because this dispensation of the lord , doth give me occasion to instruct them of their need to be filled with deeper apprehensions of the weight and solemnity of that great work , though it is most true , that they also came on unto it with many fears , and questions , what they should do when they should be a church : when therefore i saw the lord by the counsel of his servants ( which is an holy reverend ordinance of christ ) and by his providence denying me the help of all interpreters , having many witnesses how much care and pains i took every way i knew , to be supplied therein ; and that the work it self was extended by the lords gracious inlarging them in their confessions , so that the day was not sufficient to accomplish it ; i say , when i saw the lord speaking that delatory word , i cannot express what a load it took off my heart , and i did gladly follow the lord therein , yea , and i bless the lord for that day , that it was carried so far as it was , for the cause of christ hath many waies gained by it , many hundreds of the precious saints , being much comforted and confirmed in their hopes of this work of christ among them , and their faith and prayers much quickned by what they heard and saw . and because all witnesses failed me , let me say but this , i began , and have followed this work for the lord according to the poor measure of grace received , & not for base ends . i have been true & faithful unto their souls , and in writing and reading their confessions , i have not knowingly , or willingly made them better , than the lord helped themselves to make them , but am verily perswaded on good grounds , that i have rather rendered them weaker ( for the most part ) than they delivered them ; partly by missing some words of weight in some sentences , partly by my short and curt touches of what they more fully spake , and partly by reason of the different idioms of their language and ours . now follow those preparitory confessions , which were read before the elders , most of them . the first that made a publick confession , and was took in writing , was peter , a ruler of ten among them , a godly man , who quickly after he had made this confession , fell sick , and died , and now injoyeth the fruit of his faith , the end of his hope , the salvaion of his soul , among the blessed ; where i am perswaded he shall be found in the great day . his confession was as followeth . vvhen i first prayed to god , i did not fear god , but i feared perdition , because the english had told me , that all should be damned , that call not upon god . but now i know that god made all the world , and i fear him ; now i beleeve that which you teach is true ; now i beleeve that god calleth us to natik , that here we may be ruled by god , and gather a church ; now i beleeve that it is gods command , that we should labor six dayes , and keep the sabbath on the seventh day : now my heart is greatly abased for all my sins ; for we see though we pray to god we are ready to offend each other , and be angry with each other , and that we love not each other as we should do ; and for this i grieve & my heart crieth : now i remember that god saith thou shalt not lust , but before i prayed to god i was full of lusts . god saith , we must have but one wife , and at first did make but one man and one woman ; but i followed many women . god saith , remember to keep the sabbath day holy ; but i did hunt , or shoot , or any thing on the sabbath day : many other sins i committed ; but now i see them , and wil cast them away because they are vile , and god forbiddeth them : when i prayed first my sins were not pardoned , for my praying is worth nothing : now i am humbled , and mourn for my sins and yet cannot deliver my self nor get pardon , therfore i trust christ with my soul . the next confession was made by john speene , as followeth . his first confession was this , when i first prayed to god , i did not pray for my soul but only i did as my friends did , because i loved them ; and though i prayed to god , yet i did not fear sin , nor was i troubled at it . i heard that when good men die , their souls go to god , and are there happy , but i cannot say that i beleeved it . afterward my heart run away into the country , after our old wayes , and i did almost cast off praying to god . a little while after that , i saw that i had greatly sinned , and then i saw all my sins , afore i prayed to god , and since i prayed to god , and i saw that god was greatly angry for them , and that i cannot get pardon for them ; but yet my heart saith i will pray to god as long as i live : i thought god would not pardon me , and yet i would cast away my sins . i did greatly love hunting , and hated labor : but now i beleeve that word of god , which saith , six dayes thou shalt labor . and god doth make my body strong to labor . john speene , this confession being short in some main points , he afterward made confession as followeth . when i first prayed i prayed not for my soul , but for the sake of men , i loved men , and for their sakes i prayed to god . before i prayed many were my sins , and my heart was heaped full , and ran over in all manner of lusts and sins . after i heard of praying to god , i let it fall and regarded it not ; after i came to hear the word , i sometimes feared , but soon lost it again . then my heart ran away after our former courses , and then what ever i heard i lost , because my heart was run away ; and many were my sins , and therfore i could not get pardon , because my heart run away , and many were my sins , and i did indeed go into the country . but afterwards , i hearing the catechism , i desired to learn it , and then i beleeved that when beleevers die , their souls go to god , and are ever happy ; when sinners die , their souls go to hel and are ever tormented ; and that when christ judges the world , our bodies rise again , and then we shall receive the judgment of christ ; the good shal stand at his right hand , the bad at his left : this i beleeved was true , and then i saw all my great follies and evils : and now my heart desired to lay by hunting , and to work every day ; and this is gods command , and therfore a good way ; god said , thou shalt work six daies , and if thou work , thou shalt eat ; therfore i beleeve it , and my heart promiseth that i will this do as long as i live . now i see i did great folly , for now i hear that god saith work ; and now i fear because god hath afflicted me , in taking away my brother a ruler : now i am troubled , i fear i sinned in not beleeving our ruler , because now god hath taken him away ; he taught me good words , but i beleeved them not , and now i repent because christ calleth me to it : great is the punishment of god in taking away our ruler ; and now i pray , and say to christ , oh jesus christ christ i have sinned : i beleeve that if i repent and be humbled , and pray not only outwardly but inwardly , and beleeve in christ , then god will pardon all my sin ; but i cannot get pardon of sin , i cannot deserve pardon , but only christ hath merited pardon for us : i cannot deliver my self from all my sins , but christ redeemeth , and delivereth from all sin : i deserve not one mercy of god , but christ hath merited all mercies for us . the next are the confessions of robin speene , who three several times came forth , and confessed as followeth . his first confession : i was ashamed because you taught to pray to god , and i did not take it up ; i see god is angry with me for all my sins , and he hath afflicted me by the death of three of my children , and i fear god is still angry , because great are my sins , and i fear lest my children be not gone to heaven , because i am a great sinner , yet one of my children prayed to god before it died , and therefore my heart rejoyceth in that . i remember my panwaning [ for he was a panwan ] my lust , my gaming , and all my sins ; i know them by the commandements of god , and god heareth and seeth them all ; i cannot deliver my self from sin , therefore i do need christ , because of all my sins , i desire pardon , and i beleeve that god calls all to come to christ , and that he delivereth us from sin . robin speen , his second confession . i have found out one word more : great are my sins , and i do not know how to repent , nor do i know the evil of my sins ; only this one word , now i confess i want christ , this day i want him ; i do not truly beleeve nor repent : i see my sin , and i need christ , but i desire now to be redeemed : and i now ask you this question , what is redemption ? i answered him , by shewing him our estate by nature , and desert , the price which christ paid for us , and how it is to be applied to every particular person ; which done , he proceeded in his confession thus : i yet cannot tell whether god hath pardoned my sins , i forget the word of god ; but this i desire , that my sins may de pardoned , but my heart is foolish , and a great part of the word stayeth not in my heart strongly . i desire to cast all my sins out of my heart : but i remember my sins , that i may get them pardoned , i think god doth not yet hear my prayers in this , because i cannot keep the word of god , only i desire to hear the word , and that god would hear me . robin speen , his third confession . one word more i cal to mind , great is my sin ! this saith my heart , i have found this sin , when i first heard you teach , that all the world from the rising to the sitting sun should pray to god , i then wondered a● it , and thought , i being a great sinner , how shal i pray to god ; and when i saw many come to the meeting , i wondred at it : but now i do not wonder at that work of god , and therefore i think that i do now greatly sin : and now i desire again to wonder at gods works , and i desire to rejoyce in gods good waies . now i am much ashamed , and fear because i have deserved eternal wrath by my sins : my heart is evil , my heart doth contrary to god : and this i desire , that i may be redeemed , for i cannot help my self , but only jesus christ hath done al this for me , and i deserve no good , but i beleeve christ hath deserved all for us ; and i give my self unto christ , that he may save me , because he knoweth eternal life , and can give it ; i cannot give it to my self , therefore i need jesus christ , my heart is full of evil thoughts ; and christ only can keep my soul from them , because he hath paid for my deliverance from them . the next are the confessions of nishohkou ; who twice made preparitory confessions ; the first of which only , was read before the elders . god in heaven is merciful , and i am sinful : when i first heard the word of god , i neither saw nor understood ; but after , when you taught these words , be wise , oh all ye people , and beleeve in jesus christ , then i prayed unto god ; yet afterwards i sinned , and almost forsook praying to god . afterward i understood , that god who made all the world was merciful to sinners : and truly i saw my heart very sinful , because i promised god to pray as long as i live , but my heart hath not so done . again i promised god i will follow christ in al things , and now i find my heart backward , and not so forward to make a church . god promiseth , if foolish ones pray to god for wisdom he will give it : this promise i beleeve , but i find my heart full of temptations ; but now i promise god , as in the psalm , * all my works shal be done in wisdom , for i confess al my works and words , have been foolish . god is wise and good , but i am foolish . god who hath made the world , sent his own son jesus : and jesus christ hath died for us , and deserved for us , pardon and life , this is true ; and he hath done for me all gods commandements , for i can do nothing , because i am very sinful . god in heaven is very merciful , and therfore hath called me to pray unto god . god hath promised to pardon al their sins , who pray unto god , and beleeve in the promise of christ , and christ can give me to beleeve in him . when he had made this confession , he was much abashed , for he is a bashful man ; many things he spoke that i missed , for want of through understanding some words and sentences : therfore before the fast day he made another confession , which was not read before the elders ; which was as followeth . nishohkou i am dead in sin , oh! that my sins might die , for they cannot give life , because they be dead : before i prayed to god , i did commit all filthynesse , i prayed to many gods , i was proud , full of lusts , adulteries , and all others sins , and therefore this is my first confession , that god is mercifull , and i am a sinner , for god have given unto me instruction and causeth me to pray unto god , but i only pray words ; when i prayed , i somtimes wondered , and thought true it is that god made the world , and me : and then i thought i knew god , because i saw these his works , and then i was glad somtimes , and gave thanks ; yet presently again i did not rejoyce in it . again somtimes i thought , now i do wel because i pray , and work not on the sabbath daies , but come to the meetings , and hear the word of god : but afterward again , i thought i do not wel , because true it is , that yet i do not truly pray ; for now i see i sin when i pray , because there is nothing but sin in my mouth , or hand , or heart , and all sins are there , for of these my sins my heart is full , because my heart doth sometimes lust , and steal , and the like . again , i was not only proud before i prayed , but now i am proud . again , sometimes my heart is humbled , and then i pray , oh god have mercy on me , and pardon these my sins ; yet sometimes i know not whether god did either hear my prayer , or pardon my sins . again , afterwards i thought i had greatly sinned , because i heard of the good way of praying unto god , but i do wickedly because i pray not truly , yea , sometimes i have much ado to pray with my mouth , and therfore i sin . i heard of that good way , to keep the sabbath , and not to work on that day , and i did so : but yet again i sinned in it , because i did not reverence the word of god ; yea , and sometimes i thought that working on the sabbath was no great matter . again , i heard it was a good way to come to the meetings , and hear the word of god , and i desired to do it ; but in this also i sinned , because i did not truly hear : yea , sometimes i thought it no great matter if i heard not , and cared not to come to hear , and still i so sinned . then i thought god was angry , because i have greatly sinned ; desiring to do well , and yet again to sin . when i desired to do well , then i sinned , and in all things i sinned . but afterward i was angry with my self , and thought i will not sin again ; and what god saith , is good , but i am sinful because i have done all these evils . again , sometimes my heart is humbled , and then i repent , and say , oh god and jesus christ , have mercy on me , and pardon my sins . now i desire truly to pray ; now i desire to reverence the word every sabbath day : now i desire to hear the word of god truly ; now i desire to bend my heart to pray , and it may be god will hear me : but quickly after a temptation cometh to my heart , and i did not desire it . again , sometimes i did think , true it is i can do nothing of my self , but jesus christ must have mercy on me , because christ hath done for me all gods commandements and good works , therfore my heart saith , oh jesus give me desires after thee : sometimes i think it is true , i have greatly sinned against god , but great are his mercies : sometimes i hear the word on the sabbath day , and he giveth it me , [ that is , maketh it my own ] sometimes i say the great and mighty god is in heaven , but these are but words , because i do not fear this great and mighty god ; and i sometimes regard not gods word , and make it of none effect , because i do not that which is good , but commit sin : sometimes i say i know christ , because i know he died for us , and hath redeemed us , and procured pardon for us : yet again i say i sin , because i beleeve not christ , for that only is right to beleeve in christ , and do what he saith ; but i think i do this in vain , because i yet do not truly beleeve in jesus christ , nor do what he commandeth , and therefore my heart plays the hypocrite ; and now i know what is hypocrisie , namely , when i know what i should do , and yet do it not . sometimes i think i am like unto satan , because i do al these sins , and sin in all things i do ; if i pray i sin , if i keep sabbath i sin , if i hear gods word i sin , therefore i am like the devil . now i know i deserve to go to hell , because all these sins i have committed : then my heart is troubled , and i say , oh god and christ pardon all my sin , for i cannot pardon my sins my self ; for the first man brought sin into the world , and therfore i am sinful , therfore i pray thee o lord pardon all the sins which i have done . again , sometimes my heart is humbled , and i desire to fear god , because he is a great god , and i desire to do what he saith , and now i desire to do the right way , and now i desire to beleeve jesus christ ; and sometimes i think it may be god will hear me , it may be he will pardon me , yet again i think i cannot be ashamed of sin ; but now i am ashamed of all my sins , and my heart is broken , and all these my sins i cast off , and take heed of : yet then again i sometimes say to god , i cannot my self be humbled , or break my heart , or cast off sin , but i pray thee o jesus help me to do it . again , sometimes i confess this is true , i cannot redeem my self , nor deliver my self , because of all these my many sins ; truly , full is my heart of sin in every thing , all my thoughts , my words , my looks , my works are full of sin ; true 〈◊〉 therefore i cannot deliver my self from sin ; oh redeem thou my soul from hel and torment , for i like not to do it with my own hand , therfore i desire jesus christ , that i may delight in him ; take thou me and my soul , because thou hast done gods word , and all good works for me , and hast procured pardon for all my sins , and hast prepared pardon in heaven , therfore i desire , oh i desire pardon : but i somtimes think christ doth not delight in me because i do much play the hypocrite , but if i truly beleeve then he will pardon , but true faith i cannot work ; oh jesus christ help me , and give it me . another who made confession , is named magus ; which is as followeth : heretofore i beleeved not , that god made the world , but i thought the world was of it self , and all people grew up in the world of themselves . when any bid me pray to god , i said i cannot , and none of our rulers beleeve or pray to god ; yet i went about to seek how to pray to god . i told the wise men , i seek how to pray to god , and all of them could not find how to pray to god . afterward i had a desire to pray god , lest i should lose my soul , but my heart run away , and i could not find how to pray to god , and therefore i thought of going away ; yet i also thought if i do go away , i shall lose my ground . but after this i heard of gods anger against me , and i beleeved it ; for god made the first man good , and told him if he did well he should live , and this day i beleeve all men should do so : and then i thought i will pray as long as i live , and i will labor , because gods promise is , if we labor we shall eat ; and i see that that is a true word ; for they that do labor do eat [ that is , have wherewith to be fed ] i see that sin alwaies hath continued , from the beginning of the world . i beleeve that word which god told eve , that in sorrow she should bring forth children , and i see it dayly to be true . i beleeve that word of god , that sin brings misery , and all shall die , because by sin , we break all the commands of god : i have been full of lusts , and thefts , &c. all my life , and all the time i have lived . i have done contrary to the command of god . and i am now grieved , now i hear of all my sins : i beleeve christ doth convert me to god , and he calleth children , and old men , and all men to turn unto god , and from their sins ; he calleth to sorrow and repentance , and ever to beleeve in christ ; and who ever doth this , shall be ever blessed in heaven ; but if he do it not , he perisheth : if he turn not from sin , dying , he shall go to hell for ever . i think also , that so long as i live , god doth give me life . i beleeve that we ought to gather into a church , to serve god as long as we live . but i do not know whether yet god hath pardoned my sins , or not ; but i know christ , and i know he hath already dyed for me , because i cannot redeem my self . another who made confession , was named poquanum ; which was as followeth . his first confession . a great while ago the english would tell me of god but i hated it , and would go out of doors , when they so spake unto me , and i murmured at it . when the indians first prayed to god , i did not think there was a god , or that the bible was gods book , but that wise men made it : when some prayed to god , i went with them , but i did not know god . afterward my mind was changed thus far , that i desired to be wise , as others were , but yet i knew nothing of god ; yea , after i prayed to god . i still did think there was no god . afterward i found this in my heart , that we pray to god for our souls , then i thought all my praying was nothing , because i was so foolish that i never thought of dying : but after , i learned , that all must die , and good mens souls go to heaven ; and then i thought of dying , and of my soul : but then i thought we prayed for nothing but that our souls might go to heaven ; i knew nothing of christ . but after , when the children were catechised , and taught the ten commandements , i hearkned , and by them i came to know that there was a god , and that there was sin against god ; and hereby god made me to see all my sins , both before i prayed to god , and since ; and i saw gods anger against me for my sins , before , and since i prayed , because sometimes i came not to the meeting ; brake my word , regarded not my children , and i see sin in me , and therfore i do greatly fear gods anger . poquanum ; his second confession was as followeth : before i prayed unto god , i greatly sinned , i prayed to many gods , and used panwaning , adultery , lust , lying , and al other sins , and many were my sins , evil thoughts , evil words , and nothing else but evil , hatred , and pride , and all sins against god , coveting other mens goods ; when i stole , i added lying to it when i had done ; i was very proud , i much hatred many men , and loved them not because i was angry with them ; and thus i did every day : i would slander my neighbors , great was my pride , i was dayly angry with my neighbors , my heart was alwaies full of such waies . when the english said , pray to god , i cared not for god , because i loved sin , nor did i desire that god should forgive my sin . afterward i heard the word , that if we truly pray , mourn for sin , cast off sin ; desire to hear the word , and beleeve in christ , god will then pardon , and when he dieth christ will lead him to heaven : i much rejoyced to hear of this pardon , but i must truly beleeve in christ , else i shal not have pardon ; and first i thought god will not pardon me , because i still sinned . but afterward i heard , that though we should pray as long as we live , and never sin more , yet that was of no value ; but we must beleeve in christ , else there is no pardon ; and this i rejoyced at . another who made confession , is named nookau , which is as followeth . his first confession . five years ago , before i prayed i was sick , i thought i should die ; at which i was much troubled , and knew not what to do ; then i thought , if there be a god above , and he give life again , then i shall beleeve there is a god above , and god did give me life : and after that i took up praying to god . now i beleeve god , one god that made all the world , and governeth it , yet this i only said with my mouth , i did not truly beleeve it in my heart . then i understood , that god made the first man good , and like god , but he sinned , and we have lost gods image , and are like the devil , and deserve hell and damnation : this i now know , and see that i am foolish , and sometime think not of god in an whol day , sometime i do think of god every day ; sometime my heart greatly sinneth , then sometime i presently fear , but again sometimes i am slow to fear ; i am very foolish because i do not understand the word , but break the word of god . i beleeve the catechism we learn to be according to the word of god ; but the writings of the bible are the very words of god , and the spirit of god is the word , and that god giveth all things that are good : i now see my sins before i prayed unto god , and since , and i beleeve that god seeth them all : and my heart feareth , because i do not yet forsake my sins , and i think god will not forgive me : because my heart is wicked ; i know not when christ forgiveth my sins , others may know , but i desire that my sins may be pardoned for christ his sake . nookau , his second confession . before i prayed to god , i greatly sinned every day , i was proud , and lived in adultery , lying , &c. and my heart alwaies full of evil thoughts , and when the english would instruct me , i then thought my waies evil , but the business of praying to god , good ; then i did think , if i could first understand , then i would pray to god , and i was glad to hear of any that did pray to god . when i heard that word at cohannet , who ever lacketh wisdom , let him ask it of god ; let fools pray to god , and he will give them wisdom : i thought i was a fool , and i beleeved that word of god . i heard that word of the dry bones , god bid them hear , and promised to put flesh , and sinews , and skin upon them , and make them live ; therefore i desired to hear , because i beleeved the dry bones , and that i was one that did not know god : afterward i was glad of praying to god . sometimes i beleeved not god , and god will not look on such , alwaies i thought god will not forgive me . i wondred at all that prayed to god , because i thought god had given them wisdom : then i thought i am glad i pray to god . sometime my heart is broken because i shall lose all in this world , and lose my soul also , because i beleeve not , for all the words of god are true which he hath taught me . now this day i think i will confess the truth ; because i have sinned , i want jesus christ : and i will truly confess god , because of that word of christ , he that confesseth me before men , him will i confess before my father : i wonder at this instruction , i desire to confess my heart . another who made his confession is named antony , upon whom the lord was pleased the last winter to lay an heavy stroke ; for he and another indian being at work sawing of board , and finishing the peece , they laid it so short , and the rowl not so stedfast , insomuch that this man being in the pit directing to lay the piece , and the other above ordering thereof , it slipped down into the pit upon this mans head , brake his neather chap in two , and cracked his skull , insomuch that he was taken up half dead , and almost strangled with blood ; and being the last day of the week at night i had no word until the sabbath day , then i presently sent a chyrurgion , who took a discreet order with him ; and god so blessed his indeavors , as that he is now well again , blessed be the lord : and whereas i did fear that such a blow in their labor might discourage them from labor , i have found it by gods blessing otherwise ; yea , this man hath performed a great part of the sawing of our meeting-house , and is now fawing upon the school-house , and his recovery is an establishment of them to go on ; yea , and god blessed this blow , to help on the work of grace in his soul ; as you shall see in his confession , which followeth . before i prayed to god i alwaies committed sin , but i do not know all my sins , i know but a little of the sins i have committed , therefore i thought i could not pray to god , because i knew not al my sins before i prayed to god , and since i heard of praying to god : formerly when the english did bid me pray unto god i hated it , and would go out of their houses , when they spake of such things to me . i had no delight to hear any thing of gods word , but in every thing i sinned ; in my speeches i sinned , and every day i broke the commands of god . after i heard of praying to god , that waban and my two brothers prayed to god , yet then i desired it not , but did think of running away ; yet i feared if i did run away some wicked men would kill me , but i did not fear god . after when you said unto me , pray , my heart thought , i will pray ; yet again i thought , i cannot pray with my heart , and no matter for praying with words only : but when i did pray , i saw more of my sins ; yet i did but only see them , i could not be aware of them , but still i did commit them : and after i prayed to god , i was still full of lust , and then a little i feared . sometimes i was sick , and then i thought god was angry , and then i saw that i did commit all sins : then one of my brothers died , and then my heart was broken , and after him another friend , and again my heart was broken : and yet after all this i broke my praying to god , and put away god , and then i thought i shall never pray to god : but after this i was afraid of the lord , because i alwaies broke my praying to god , and then my heart said , god doth nor hear my prayer . when i was sick , and recovered again , i thought then that god was merciful unto me . hearing that word of god , if you hear the word of god , and be forgetful hearers , you sin against god ; then i thought god will not pardon such a sinner as i , who dayly did so , and broke my praying to god . when i heard the commandements , i desired to learn them , and other points of catechism , but my desires were but small , and i soon lost it , because i did not desire to beleeve : then sometimes i feared gods anger because of al my sins ; i heard the word and understood only this word , all you that hear this day , it may be you shall quickly die , and then i quickly saw that god was very angry with me . then god brake my head , and by that i saw gods anger ; and then i thought that the true god in heaven is angry with me for my sin , even for al my sins , which every day i live , i do . when i was almost dead , some body bid me now beleeve , because it may be i shal quickly die , and i thought i did beleeve , but i did not know right beleeving in christ : then i prayed unto god to restore my health . then i beleeved that word , that we must shortly appear before jesus christ ; then i did greatly fear lest if i beleeved not , i should perish for ever . when i was neer death , i prayed unto god , oh lord give me life , and i will pray to god so long as i live , and i said , i will give my self , soul , and body to christ : after this , god gave me health , and then i thought , truly , god in heaven is merciful ; then i much grieved , that i knew so little of gods word . and now sometimes i am angry , and then i fear because i know god seeth it : and i fear , because i promised god when i was almost dead , that if he giveth me life , i will pray so long as i live ; i fear lest i should break this promise to god . now i desire the pardon of all my sins , and i beg faith in christ , and i desire to live unto god , so long as i live ; i cannot my self get pardon , but i dayly commit sin , and break gods word , but i look to christ for pardon . another who made his confession is named owussumag ; which is as followeth : when i first heard that waban prayed to god , and after that many more prayed . i first feared praying to god , and instruction , and i hated instruction by the word of god , and alwaies i laughed at them who prayed to god ; and i alwaies thought i will yet more commit sin : and i went into the country , and there i acted much lust , adultry , and the like , and all my neighbors , we did together seek after wickedness , and every day i was proud , and of high or open eyes . when some of my neighbors began to pray , i went away into the country , but i could find no place where i was beloved . then i heard , that when beleevers die , they go to heaven , when sinners die they go to hel ; and my heart considered , what good will it be if my soul go to heaven ? but two years ago , i began to think , i had sinned against god ; and then somtimes i feared , yet again sinned ; but my fear was of man , not of god : then ever my heart said i should be better , if i would pray to god , and somtimes i beleeved that which i was taught , yet again , last year , i sought to go away afar off , but i could think of no place , but i should be in danger to be killed . then again i much remembred my sins : and again i thought , what will become of me , if i die in my sins ? and then i thought it was good for me to pray unto god so long as i live ; and then my heart turned to praying unto god , and i did pray , and my heart feared when i heard the word read and taught , and i was glad to hear the word of god ; and then i purposed to pray as long as i live . sometime i did dayly see my sins , and fear , for i cannot get pardon , only in jesus christ . then i heard that word , i thank thee oh heavenly father , that thou hast revealed these things to babes ; and that word , that we must forgive each other : then i saw that i beleeved not one word from christ , not any word of god ; and dayly my heart wept , that christ might pardon all my sins against god and christ : and now unto this day my heart saith ▪ i desire the good waies of praying to god , but i cannot know them of my self , but jesus christ must teach me them . when i heard , that only christ must teach me them . when i heard , that only christ must pardon our sins , and that for christ god will pardon our sins , this day i rejoyce to hear that word of god , and all that christ hath taught me : and now i purpose , that while i live , i will pray unto god , and jesus christ only : and this day i see i cannot know how to find good thoughts ; but this day i desire pardon for all my sins , and to cast them away . another who made confession , is named ephraim , his indian name i have forgotten . it is as followeth : all the daies i have lived , i have been in a poor foolish condition , i cannot tell all my sins , all my great sins , i do not see them . when i first heard of praying to god , i could not sleep quietly , i was so troubled , ever i thought i would forsake the place because of praying to god , my life hath been like as if i had been a mad man . last yeer i thought i would leave all my sins , yet i see i do not leave off sinning to this day ; i now think i shall never be able to forsake my sins . i think sometimes the word of god is false , yet i see there is no giving over that i might follow sin , i must pray to god ; i do not truly in my heart repent , and i think that god wil not forgive me my sins ; every day my heart sinneth , and how will christ forgive such an one ? i pray but outwardly with my mouth , not with my heart ; i cannot of my self obtain pardon of my sins ▪ i cannot tell all the sins that i have done if i should tell you an whol day together : i do every morning desire that my sins may be pardoned by jesus christ ; this my heart saith , but yet i fear i cannot forsake my sins , because i cannot see all my sins : i hear , that if we repent and beleeve in christ , all our sins shall be pardoned , therefore i desire to leave off my sins . this poor publican was the l●st which made his confession before i read them unto the elders , and the last of them i shall now publish . i will shut up these confessions with the confession ( if i may so call it ) or rather with the expression , and manifestation of saith , by two little infants , of two yeers old , and upward , under three yeers of age when the died and departed out of this world . the story is this , this spring , in the beginning of the yeer , 1652. the lord was pleased to afflict sundry of our praying indians with that grievous disease of the bloody-flux , whereof some with great torments in their bowels died ; among which were two little children of the age above-said , and at that time both in one house , being together taken with that disease . the first of these children in the extremities of its torments , lay crying to god in these words , god and jesus christ , god and jesus christ help me ; and when they gave it any thing to eat , it would greedily take it ( as it is usual at the approach of death ) but first it would cry to god , oh god and jesus christ , bless it , and then it would take it : and in this manner it lay calling upon god and jesus christ untill it died : the mother of this child also died of that disease , at that time . the father of the child told me this story , with great wonderment at the grace of god , in teaching his child so to call upon god . the name of the father is nishohkou , whose confession you have before . three or four daies after , another child in the same house , sick of the same disease , was ( by a divine hand doubtless ) sensible of the approach of death , ( an unusual thing at that age ) and called to its father , and said , father , i am going to god , several times repeating it , i am going to god ▪ the mother ( as other mothers use to do ) had made for the child a little basket , a little spoon , and a little tray : these things the child was wont to be greatly delighted withal ( as all children will ) therefore in the extremity of the torments , they set those things before it , a little to divert the mind , and cheer the spirit : but now , the child takes the basket , and puts it away , and said , i will leave my basket behind me , for i am going to god , i will leave my spoon and tray behind me ( putting them away ) for i am going to god : and with these kind of expressions , the same night , finished its course , and died . the father of this child is named robin speen , whose confessions you have before , and in one of them he maketh mention of this child that died in faith . when he related this story to me , he said , he could not tell whether the sorrow for the death of his child , or the joy for its faith were greater , when it died . these examples are a testimony , that they teach their children the knowledg and fear of god , whom they now call upon ; and also that the spirit of god co-worketh with their instructions , who teacheth by man , more than man is able to do . i have now finished all that i purpose to publish at this time ; the lord give them acceptance in the hearts of his saints , to engage them the more to pray for them ; and oh! that their judgings of themselves , and breathings after christ , might move others ( that have more means than they have , but as yet regard it not ) to do the like , and much more abundantly . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a84357e-1920 * psalm , 101. 2. a description of the new world. or, america islands and continent: and by what people those regions are now inhabited. and what places are there desolate and without inhabitants. and the bays, rivers, capes, forts, cities and their latitudes, the seas on their coasts: the trade, winds, the north-west passage, and the commerce of the english nation, as they were all in the year 1649. faithfully described for information of such of his countrey as desire intelligence of these perticulars. by george gardyner of peckham, in the country of surrey esq. gardyner, george. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a85806 of text r7600 in the english short title catalog (thomason e1298_2). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 169 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 102 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a85806 wing g252aa thomason e1298_2 estc r7600 99858775 99858775 110834 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a85806) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 110834) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 174:e1298[2]) a description of the new world. or, america islands and continent: and by what people those regions are now inhabited. and what places are there desolate and without inhabitants. and the bays, rivers, capes, forts, cities and their latitudes, the seas on their coasts: the trade, winds, the north-west passage, and the commerce of the english nation, as they were all in the year 1649. faithfully described for information of such of his countrey as desire intelligence of these perticulars. by george gardyner of peckham, in the country of surrey esq. gardyner, george. [16], 187, [3] p. printed for robert leybourn, and are to be sold by thomas pirrepoint, at the sun in s. pauls churchyard, london : 1651. last leaf has imprimatur of nathanael brent. annotation on thomason copy: "jan: 6 1650"; 1 in imprint date crossed through. reproductions of the originals in the harvard university library (early english books) and in the british library (thomason tracts). eng indians of north america -early works to 1800. indians of south america -early works to 1800. america -discovery and exploration -early works to 1800. america -description and travel -early works to 1800. a85806 r7600 (thomason e1298_2). civilwar no a description of the new world.: or, america islands and continent: and by what people those regions are now inhabited. and what places are gardyner, george. 1651 29101 12 0 0 0 0 0 4 b the rate of 4 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 jason colman sampled and proofread 2007-06 jason colman text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a description of the new world . or , america islands and continent : and by what people those regions are now inhabited . and what places are there desolate and without inhabitants . and the bays , rivers , capes , forts , cities and their latitudes , the seas on their coasts : the trade , winds , the north-west passage , and the commerce of the english nation , as they were all in the year 1649. faithfully described for information of such of his countrey as desire intelligence of these perticulars . by george gardyner of peckham , in the county of surrey esq. london printed for robert leybourn , and are to be sold by thomas pirrepoint , at the sun in s. pauls churchyard , 1651. to the right honorable sir henry vane , junior . sir , since god hath made you eminent in doing great services to your countrey , and appointed you of that councill which the parliament hath lately established , to contrive the weal of our nation , upon their excellent instructions . this discourse having relation to divers of them , i crave leave to direct it to you. and if it be too low for your thoughts , you have goodnesse enough to afford mee a favourable construction . sir , the greatest princes in the east , receive no request without a present i have no other to you , but to desire you would favourably receive this , and reckon me among the number of your devoted servants , george gardyner , errata . page 5. line 6. for scotia read socatra p. 26. l. 2 power . r. rove●ibid . l. 6. for cameron r. come on p. 32. l. 4. r. continent for cotinents p. 39. l. 3. put in 〈◊〉 washed at flouds p. 35. l. 13. r. bold for cold p. 61. l. 13. r. tortuga for tortaga p. 62. l. 9. r. its for it is p. 87. l 5. r. clear for clean p. 101. l. 14. r. far for furze p. 116. l. 9. r. wels for willow trees . p. 118. l. 5. r. nicaragua for nicurayna p. 123 , l. 2. r. verauga for carauga p. 133. l. 8. r. caco for coco , and so where ever you come p. 143. l. 17. r. limets for climato ibid. l. ult. read painters for planters p. 145. l. 14. r. principall for principals p. 146. l. 2. r. darian p. 148 l. 〈…〉 phillip for chilip . to the english nation . in this unquiet age , i conceive , there is nothing so pertinent to a mans felicity , next to the enjoying of happy places , as to know where they are . and to think our neighbouring regions of europe receive a greater share of prosperity than we in england , is ( without doubt ) a great mistake . neither doth any part of the old world make such promises to all sorts of men as doth the new world , commonly called america . for he that shall desire to advance himself by his labour , will finde many places where he may do it with much quietnesse . he that shall desire to enjoy much land , and live in a civil government under others , may finde places enough for him to pitch upon . he that shall desire to command a countrey himself , and get into possession of it , without difficulty , wil finde many islands fit for his turn , that are fruitfull and desolate , wanting inhabitants , which at small charge may be transported thither . he that shall desire to be possest of great rich mines of gold and silver , and precious stones , and large dominions , and withall hath but fortitude , courage , and a reasonable english gentlemans estate , may by an ordinary providence over him , attain to these great matters . and that man that shall have store of commodities lie by him , which he cannot vent , although they are necessary for mans accomodation , will finde here places , that he may exchange them at , to his great advantage . but if the decipherers of this orbe had been as cautious in setting down truths , as they have been prolixious in impertinencies , our nation would certainly ere this have made greater advantages upon those regions . for , my part , as i am an english man , so i desire that name and people may grow great and famous and extend their authority and name beyond either roman , grecian , assyrian or persian nations . and if from this discourse they may draw any thing that may prove for their honour or profit , i have my aim . and i shall assure them , i have related nothing but what my own knowledg or good intelligence perswades me is certainly true , which my future actions with gods leave shall declare . i have been plain in discourse of the forreign commerce of our nation . all which i intended in a larger volumn , but the flemmings and irish taking me in my comming from those remote parts of america , took from me that greater relation , which i intended instead of this epitomie from thence , which i present with a resolution to submit to that common censure all book-makers must undergo , but with confidence i have in this subscribed my self reader , thy humble servant , george gardyner the contents of the book . chap. 1. of the commerce of the english nation pag. 1 the generall description of america , or the new world chap. 2 p. 31 of gold , silver , quick-silver , emraulds , and pearl chap. 3 p. 39 of the island of new found land chap. 4 p. 45 martins vineyard chap. 5 p. 47 long island chap. 6 p. 48 the bermudas , or somers islands chap. 7 p. 50 of the islands of lucaos , or bahama chap. 8 p. 52 of hispaniola chap. 9 p. 57 of the island of cuba chap. 10 p. 62 jamico island chap. 11 p. 66 the island of saint john de portrico chap. 12 p. 67 sancta crux , the virgins , virgin gorda , blances , anagada , sombrito chap. 13. p. 69 angula chap. 14 p. 71 saint martins chap. 15 ibid. eustas chap. 16 p. 72 saint bartholomew chap. 17 ibid. saint christophers chap. 18 p. 73 nivis , or the snowes barbada and redouda chap. 19 p. 74 monserat chap. 20 p. 75 antego , margelante , dominica , matinina , santalusa , gardelupa , dodos sanctos deseada chap. 21 ibid. the burbudos chap. 22 p. 77 trinidado chap. 23 p. 79 margreata , tortuga , gardiner , caracute , cubava and tamasca chap. 24 p. 80 of the north-west passage , and the lands called nova britania , or nova framuncia chap. 25 p. 83 new england chap. 26 p. 90 new holland chap. 27 p. 93 the swedes plantation chap. 28 p. 94 virginia chap. 29 p. 95 maryland chap. 30 p. 102 old virginia chap. 31 p. 104 florida chap. 32 p. 105 of new spain chap. 33 p. 107 the councill of new galisia chap. 34 p. 109 gutamalia kingdome chap. 35 p. 110 of panuco chap. 36 p. 111 the province of talascalia , or angels chap. 37 p. 113 youcatan province chap. 38 p. 116 the province of honduras chap. 39 p. 118 of the province of nicaragua chap. 40 p. 120 the province of castorica chap. 41 p. 123 the province of varagua chap. 42 p. 124 of the province of ciblioa chap. 43 p. 126 nevv biskay chap. 44 p. 127 chiamerla chap. 45 p. 128 culiacan chap. 46 p. 129 sacetas chap. 47 p 130 xalisco chap. 48 p. 131 guadalaiara chap. 49 ibid. mechocan chap. 50 p. 133 of the province of mexico chap. 51 p. 135 guaxcaca chap. 52 p. 137 soconusco chap. 53 p. 139 gutamalia chap. 54. p. 140 chiapa chap. 54 p. 143 verapas chap. 55 p. 144 of panama chap. 56 p. 145 carthegna province chap. 57 p. 149 the kingdome of granado chap. 58 p. 151 the province of sancta martha chap. 59 p. 154 venesiula chap. 60 p. 156 guana chap. 61 p. 158 the land of brazil chap. 62 p. 160 of the provinces of the river plate chap. 63 p. 164 of the coast between the river of plate and the straight of magellan chap. 64 p. 167 the straight of magellan chap. 65 p. 168 chillia chap. 66 p. 171 the councill of charcas chap. 67 p. 173 the kingdome of peru chap. 68 p. 176 quito kingdome chap. 69 p. 182 popyan chap. 70 p. 185 a description of the new world . chap. i. of the commerce of the english nation . the navigation and commerce of the english nation , is so proportioned , that upon the division of the world , it may properly be said , that it is traded by four severall parts . the greatest of which is america , the next in account is asia , the third africa , and the least europe , in which is our native countrey , it being a westwardly part of this division . from whence there arises to mee these questions . the first , whether the trade be equally divided according to the quality of the places traded with . the second , whether the losse to some of these places be not greater then the gains . the third , whether the trade of the common-wealth may not be increased . the fourth , how it hath been hindred , and what is the let in the grants of it . the fifth , whether there may not be a course taken to quicken the trade and encourage adventurers . to answer the first . we finde that in asia , there are six most potent emperours , which are the emperour of tartaria , of japan , of china , of turkey , of persia , and of the moguls or mogores . the tartar , hath few or no ports , the persian not many , all the rest have store of ports , and rich cities , on them , fit for commerce and trade . and it hath been affirmed by the natives of those parts , that were well acquainted with the east indies , that in india major , which is from mallabar to chesmacoram , there are 13 kingdomes , 12700 islands , desolate and un-inhabited . and in india minor , which is from siambi , to murfili , there are eight kingdomes beside many islands . and the commodities of these parts are of the best sort , and probably by the great quantities that have been yearly carried thither from europe , there is more silver then in all the other parts of the world . and although there is this greatnesse yet we send yearly , but a few ships which belong to the east india , and turkish company . the trade of america is much greater , although it be but with our own nation , which are seated in new-england , virginia , barbados , christophers , antego , santey , crus , meaguis , monferat , and barmoudas , what else of that orbe is in the hands of spaniards portugals , and dutch in any considerable place , cannot be traded with by the english , africa almost an iland joyning to asia by that narrow isthmus , part of arabia deserta neer cut asunder by the red and mediterranean seas , hath for its coasts on the mediterranean sea , egypt , barbary , and a part of mauritania , on the north sea the kingdom of morocco , fesse , tombuto , the large regions of giney , conge , and empire of monomotapa , and from the cape of bona speranza , unto the iland of scotia , the kingdom of armeto , mosambique , quilioa , melinde , magadoxo , badivis , ethiopia , and part of egypt , and from thence alongst the red sea , seila , adel , and the empire of prester john . and all these countries have many rivers and ports , and great store of people living on them . and we trade onely to alexandria , in egypt , morocco , fesse and giney , and there but little neither , all the other places being left , as terra incognita . the trade of europe , doth justly challenge a greater commerce then any of the other parts have , although it be the least . on this consideration , the ports are neer adjacent , the people more ingenious in procuring merchandize , and and their comodities more in use with us , and ours more wanting with them , as our broad cloth , &c. and from these considerations , i conclude , that unlesse in europe , there is no equality in the trade of our nation with the other parts of the world . the second question . whether the losse be not greater then the gaines to some of these places . as the end of all trade and mens carnall thoughts are commonly for silver and gold , so that countrey that hath most of it is accounted the richest . and indeed it is almost all things , for he that hath enough of that , cannot lack any worldly thing that can be had . upon which , i conceive , that the principall ayme of all forreign trade should be to bring much of it in , and carry little of it out of our countrey , and that commerce that doth not is managed to the disadvantage of our nation , and ought to be rejected . and upon examination it will be found , that the greatest trade which we drive in asia , which is to the east indies , either by the way of bagdet , caro , and the red seas , or cape of bona speranza , is with ready money . i can with confidence say , it may be managed so to the advantage of our nation , that we may have their commodity for ours , and their ports better traded . and whereas it hath been the practise of our people to carry much money thither , we may now fetch it home again . and the trade of america is prejudiciall , very dishonest , and highly dishonourable to our nation . it is prejudiciall , in that it carrieth away daily such men as might serve their country , either in fighting to defend it at home , or else abroad . 't is dishonourable , in that we are upbraided by all other nations that know that trade for selling our own countreymen for the commodities of those places . and , i affirm , that i have been told by the dutch and others , that we english were worse than the turks , for that they sold strangers onely , and we sold our own countreymen . and it is well known , that people in authority , and some that professe much to christianity of those parts , will hang a man for selling or taking away an indian that worshipeth the devill , when at the same time they allow others , and will themselves buy of their own nation , which have most barbarously been stolne out of their countrey . and 't is dishonest , if murther be so , for when they have by spirits or lying tales , forced them aboard the ships , in their transportation onely , there is yearly many starved to death , those that remain are sold to those that wil give most for them ; some for fourteen years , others for ten , and lesse , but the least four : and it were better for them to serve fourteen years with the turks , then four in the plantations with most of the masters in those places , especially in virginia , for besides , their being back-beaten and belly-beaten , it is three to one if they live out their servitude , by reason of the unwholsomenesse of the countreys . in which disasters that happen to our nation , i cannot but condole their misfortunes , as if we of all europe were of the seed of cham , when the spaniard at the same time managed their businesse so well , that scarcely will one of them serve in the indies , except it be the viceroy , or some great personage , and i know that nation in nothing exceeds us , but in their keeping together as one people . the third question . is whether the trade of england may not be increased . it is not hard to imagine , when we see the greatnesse of asia , and africa , and the little commerce that we have with them , that it may well be increased . and although the trade of europe be much greater the rest , yet doth it want much of that exactnesse which we may have in it . for where as we gain in some parts , and lose in others , it is possible to assure the land , to gain in all and lose in none . the fourth question . is , how it hath been hindred , and what is the let in the growth of it ? the people generally suppose 't is the danger of the seas , and the little security in the parts abroad , for the merchants goods and ships . in answer , i affirm , the trade of the hollanders never flourished so as in time of war , and their enemies were more strong at sea then ours , upon which we may conclude , it is not that that is the true cause . wherefore , i finde these other causes to be the obstruction in the trade . the first is , the companies of our nation , which sort of people i account a benefit or a losse , according as they are established and managed , in which the companies of england have been defective , which appeareth in the generall damages which themselves and adventurers have had with them , and few publick memorials they have erected at home or abroad that hath appeared a publick good , but divers acts have seemed the contrary . and on particulars we finde , there are five companies that are well in years amongst us , the other which was of later establishment , which really was the best ( the giney company ) is dissolved . and to omit the general damage that all the inland companies do to our nation , which is from my purpose now to treat of , the five companies of exportation are : first , the cloth company that trade into holland , hamborough , the baltick seas , and elsewhere , with all the white clothes exported the kingdome . the second is the east india company , the third the turkey , the fourrh the muscovia , the fifth the company of greenland , alias grinland . of which , i conceive , the cloth company to be the greatest monopoly , for this cause . besides the ingrossing of the commodity of white cloth to themselves , which is a great barre to the priviledge of the nation . the carrying of them out of the laud , is a pernicious thing to five sorts of men , merchants , seamen , cloth-dressers , sheare-men and diers , which last people receive the greatest damage , although they were accounted anciently the staple-manufacture of our nation . the prejudice to the cloth-dressers and diers , appears in the carrying away from them forty clothes white more then are worked at home , by which it appears , that where there is one imploy'd now in that course , there might be forty , if it were managed at home . and all that ever i heard that the company could say for themselvs is , that the trade of making white cloth would be spoiled , for the dutch and poles if they could not have it white would forbear buying of it . but i am sure the merchants buy it beyond the seas for their profit , and not to set their country-men at worke , or else they differ much from them of the company . and if they want it to trade with , they will have it as well drest by us ; as their own nation ; but if they be obstinate and will not buy it , we shall gaine and not lose , for our sea-men and merchants that make short voyages with small profit will then vent it to those parts which now have it at the second hand from them , that buy it white from us , and so the merchants will make two profits in stead of one ; and the sea-men longer voyages . the east-india company come home to this question in that it hath lost many advantagious places there , and impoverished many that adventured with them , giving them after fifteen or sixteen yeares forbearance of their money instead of 70li . yearly , which the dutch give most yeares to their adventurers 70li . for their principall . and the dutch , lately to renew their lease , which not long since was neer expired , being but for 21 yeares at the first , compounded with the states generall to have it renewed for so much longer for the summe of eight hundred thousand pound paid to them , and five hundred thousand to the west-india company , which the states owed the said west-india company . and whereas the dutch company hath whole countries , divers islands , cities , castles , forts , &c. and all taken in by the sword , to the contrary , our men hath lost money , lost time , which was considerable in those actions , and divers countries which they never got but were delivered by the natives , such was pulway , pullerroon , lantor , rosingen , wayer , timor , tiadore , ternat , and the castle of amboyna , where the dutch committed the greatest murther that of late yeares hath been heard of upon our nation , by racking , torturing by fire , and water , throwing in dungeons , and their easing themselves on them untill their bodies became blistered , then drawing them forth , and beheading some , sawing a-sunder others , at other times their cruelty hath been after the same manner , and this accompanied with revilling of our nation ; which things are in perticular related by them that escaped from those miseries , recording before the tribunall of the late king , their sufferings , and his dishonour which he heard with as much patience , as the losse of the english at the isle of ree . i know not the hearts of other men , but my minde is , that all men that acknowledge a government , and subscribe to maintaine it , ought to be protected as well abroad as at home . there is difference between the bloud of peace and war , as david saith , and this was not as the rest , of rochell , and the isle of ree , but by the snare that joab smote amasa . and upon discourse , it will be found , that act is justified by that people to this day . the cause of the dutches flourishing , our companies say , was there stock exceeding the english ; but it will appear , upon examination , that the english company had sixteene hundred thousand pounds under writ for , when the dutch had but eight . the turkey company is little before it in goodnesse , although men have not so eminently suffered , yet some have been inslaved by the turks of barbary . but the great prejudice ( as the case now standeth ) without alteration in all the companies , is the ingrossing the trade of his dominions to themselves , which might serve themselves , and divers others . for the ports of the grand seignour are many ; the chief being constantinople , there are on the coasts of the seas in his territories , the provinces of arcadia , accea , peliponesus , epirus , part of dalmatia , the island of the archipelagus and cyprus , in the mediterranean sea on the coast of the begler-begship of cairo , the provinces of troas , the fair scituated town of symrna , then aleppo , the ports of jewry , and aegypt , the trade of the great city of grand cairo , where there might be more commerce onely , then we have now in all the turkish empire . the muscovia company is alike prejudiciall , in monopolizing the trade of that large empire , which trade is not valuable in relation to the ports , for that of saint michael the archangel is the principall , and almost onely port in his dominions , but when you are within the land , there are most large territories to trade with , as the commerce of the black seas , which may conveniently be entred by the river volga , and so traded , which the grand seignour prohibits by way of constantinople , and the peace which the muscovite hath for the most part with the tartar , and many tartars stil resident in musco , by whom , were it a generall trade , divers men likely would for their profit get commerce with that nation , which would make way for a farther trade , even to the cathaians , and china's . the greenland company hath as great a share in oppression as the rest , although it is not so eminent in fame , and in this it exceedeth , that whereas the other companies are a hindrance to such merchants as might trade ( were it not for their patent ) into those countries of their divisions , this i say , is not onely a barre to those that would trade to greenland , but hath so much power , as to hinder other merchants from importing into the land the commodities they have from greenland . so that those that buy that usefull commodity , must give their rates for it . and although it be in others a fault to bring it from neerer places to hinder the trade to greenland , yet 't is reported , they are not bound by this law , being forced for want of sufficient from greenland to supply the english at second hand . now , as it is clear by this i have said , that these companies are a great hinderance to the commerce of our nation . there is also another , which the merchants complain of , and that is the dutch nation , that daily so insinuate into the trade of all places where ever they are admitted , to the putting by of the english . and were it not that we sell our countreymen for the commodity of the english plantations , i am fully perswaded , within a few years , we should be forced to have what comes from thence at a second hand from the dutch : which in reason seems strange , considering they export nothing but what they import , and we export much which we need not import , & how those that have it at a second hand , should sell a thing cheaper then him that hath it at the first , seems irrationall , yet they will do it , which is done by our irregularity in trade , and the merchants that are the great complaynants , are the chief causers of their own hinderance . but upon examination , it will be found , that the principall commerce of the whole world is in hands of the english , and the united provinces . and what we lose they get . and as it is their great care , by all means , to increase their own commerce , though with the ruine of ours , so , i conceive , it is honest and honourable , to endeavour our own good , although by their hurt . the fifth question is , whether there may not be a course taken to quicken the trade and commerce of the english nation ? as i apprehend the companies to be a great cause of hinderance in our trade , with the ill managing of the generall trade of our nation , so i think these things i have offered , doe in part demonstrate it . wherefore , i conceive , that if they were taken away , with some irregularity in trade , our nation would not be found wanting , either in inclination to trade , or abilities for trade to advance our commerce to what height we please . and because there may arise an objection against the overthrow of companies , in regard we see the hollanders have a very flourishing trade in the world , although it be managed by more companies then we have . i shall to that and the second hinderance which is the trade of the netherlands , affirme , the first constitution of companies were , or ought to have been established to keep up a trade subject to alteration , without fortification , and strength of shipping , for to those places that give us an equall engagement by oath of princes , bassadours and agents constantly leger to see right , and performance of articles , there is no need of companies , or else , why are they not in europe ? and where there is this ful assurance 't is contrary to all sence , that there should be a monopoly of the trade , and where it is not assured this way , or by forts , we lie at the mercy of those princes we trade with , that permit us but for their profit , and no longer , i conceive , it is madnesse without assurance of fortification , to assure merchants goods and ships to have any commerce with such men or countreys . and it was for this reason , that the companies of england , were first erected . for it was proposed that private men making a voyage , and according to the losse or gain of that continue or forsake the trade , and although it were profitable , yet want of ability or will would hinder them from gaining that assurance for the future , which a joynt stock well managed would do . and although the hollanders come far short of that perfection in trade which they might have , yet are they in this very circumspect . for the companies of holland , do not only fortifie in most places , where they come , but gain whole regions and provinces , which is still managed to the advantage and honour of their common-wealth . but our companies have so much swerved from this intention of their first constituting , that whereas the dutch keep the east india provinces in awe , we are miserable slaves to them . for if a prince of india , loseth on the seas by piracy of english or any other people of europe , what they have in their countrey of the english merchants wil surely , make good their lesse . or in case an english power , or french , &c. saying , he were english , should come into the red seas , and take ships bound for any turkish port , or cameron land , and desire trade , & be surprized , and getting free , revenge themselves on the goods and persons of the arabs or turkes , the english merchants in turkey under the command of the grand seignour , would surely pay for it in their persons and goods . the greenland company was first established to bring in the whole commerce of the whale-fishing into england , and with much honesty might they have barred others from comming thither , in regard , the english were the first discoverers of it , but instead of going before others , we come behinde them , and far-short of the dutch , which appoint us their leavings , instead of taking ours . the dutch which is a second hinderance to us in our commerce , overtop us very strangely , if wee seriously consider the people , and their country , which is comprehended within the title of the united provinces . in which lyeth only zealand , holland ; frisland , utrick , and these provinces they have entirely , the biggest of them no greater then kent . they have a little part of east flanders , brabant , and a good part of gelderland , which places doth not afford them common necessaries , for they have most of their flesh from emden , holsten and westphalia , their corn from the countreys on the baltick seas , for their housing and shipping , their timber and iron from norway , germany , and lukeland , their hemp , pitch , and tar , as we from muscovia , or the baltick seas . and for commodities of exportation to maintain the great trade , they have at sea , their land is as barren and deficient , so that their trade consists meerly in what they get from one nation , and sell to another . and upon a ttue examination it wil be found , what they have gotten from us in the east indies , and in or about our country , is the foundation of all their staple manufacture . and to come to some perticulars , we find that the spices of the east indies , the herrings they have on our coasts , and our white cloth which they dresse and die , is the very ground of all their commerce , all which comes to them for little , or at least , no visible payment . for we get nothing for our . herrings nor for the spices , they have from those places , which formerly were ours , and though they speak of their paying for them to some of our nation , yet it is not visible to us . and the white cloth , they have at the third part they make of it . and although with these , and the other commodities of our countrey , as stockings , course cloth , stuffs , &c. they make the most of their trades , yet for those they buy from us , they have without any just exception . although it were necessary , we did make the best use of our native commodities , which we misse as much of , as if we had never known the way of adventuring from our own countrey . and now i have said this , it is likely , that there are many will affirm , that they knew as much before , as i relate , but the remedy is not amply proposed . but i to excuse my self , say , that i have been often in discourse of this subject , and have not heard as much as i here shew to you . and the great physicians say , it is harder to finde out the disease , then to prescribe a remedy . and since i have done that , i conceive , i ought to be silent , yet with an intent to shew my self as forward in prescribing a remedy , as i have been in informing of this subtle disease : and in order to that , if it shal be required by those , who sit at the helme of our affairs , i shall undoubtedly bring to their knowledg a man that will shew himself most expert in serving his country this way . and when the trade of our nation shall be regulated to such exactnesse , as may procure a generall profit and honour to our nation , it will peradventure appear as small and ordinary a matter as the navigation of america , which is now a thing of little difficulty , but was formerly accompted an impossibility to the disparagement of former ages , and amazement of the present . chap. 2. the generall description of america , or the new world . this great part of the globe was unknown unto the europeans untill the year of our redemption 1492. at which time it was discovered by christopher columbus , a genowes , in the behalf of ferdinand king of castel , and leon in spain , that to this day , enjoys the greatest and richest part of it . and especially those golden and fruitfull regions , that are between the tropicks , which is commonly called the west indies . and what there is unpossest of him and the natives , and in the hands of english , dutch or french is not considerable to the rest . this title of america , comprehends as well islands , as continents , the islands for the most part lieth in the seas on this side the continent . the other of the west side are few and small , the seas that compasse this continent on the east side , are commonly called the north seas ; on the west side the south seas , which lieth between it and asia , and on the north end it hideth it selfe under the pole ; and to the south of the straight of magellan , the north and south seas meet together , and divide it from the south pole . the continent of america in seven degrees of north latitude , is very narrow from sea to sea , that is to say , from porto bello to panama eight leagues , a rough & rocky passage , from whence both north and south , the land groweth exceeding broad to the north beyond knowledg , and to the south , one thousand leagues , as 't is guest . it containeth divers regions and provinces , in which are comprehended some good and wholsome places , other bad and unwholsome , and as there is indifferents , so there is extreams . and as the best places are within the tropicks , so the more north or south you goe , the more barren and cold you finde the climates , even to unsufferable extremities . the passage and course of sayling to the most parts of america , is by the wind that bloweth a gentle gale , constantly between the tropicks east , or east south east , not much wavering unlesse by a tornado or hericano . the natives of america , at this day are of three sorts ; the first , that live the most civilly , are them that live within the government of the spaniards , after the same manner that they do , in apparell , building , trades and religion . the second sort , are those that live under the contribution of the english , portugals , dutch , french , &c. and these keep still their ancient customes , religions , and manners : and these i say are divided under severall governours , or kings , and live in towns , some of which are paled round , conteining houses covered with mats , their frames of arbour works , the best are made more substantiall of great poles and mats , covered with the bark of trees , their food is what the woods , seas and rivers affords naturally , and their bread of that grain we call virginia wheat , and of this their wives plant about their towns , whom they accustome also to do their other household work , the men spending their time in hunting and fishing , being attended by the boys , whom they breed up to this kind of life with themselves . and this way of living runs throughout all america , north and south , for this sort of people . the third kind of indians which are on the land , they call in the spanish dominions ( where there is the most of them ) chickameckians , and in the islands canables . in which sort of people , the craibey islands do so abound , that they prove bad neighbours to the english and french , that are there seated , as those in the land are to the spaniards . and these indians live upon what they get from the strangers that are neer them , & the other more civil indians : and some of them are so inhumane , that they will eat mans flesh . their common food is what they get by hunting and fishing . and such of them that have islands , and provinces to themselves , live in such kind of habitation ( as i have said , the second sort of indians do . ) the religion of all of them , that are not made spanish christians , is to worship stones , beasts , or fowls , and serpents , but generally the devill , whom they much fear , and therefore worship . their priests are conjurers and witches and in those arts can do very strange things . the statures of the natives differ as with us in europe , but their complexions generally are tawny and swar●hy , as also their skins . although in divers places , i suppose , they would be otherwise , did they not anoint their flesh with oiles and grease , and bask themselves in the sun and winde , against which they have little or no defence , going almost all naked , excepting amongst those civill indians with the spaniards . their naturall weapons , are generally batoo●s , bowes and arrows . their bows are made of some bending wood , their arrows of canes and reeds , headed with fishes bones , and flints , with which they are excellent marksmen . the heads of divers they poyson to do the more mischief . there are naturall to these parts which are wild in the woods , divers kinds of beasts and fowles , many of which are not elsewhere in the world to be found , as also many fruits not known amongst us . amongst the plantations , there is not any thing wanting that is to be had in europe ; and much more , which is naturall to those parts , but the substance of flesh , fisn , and fruits is not so substantiall as that of europe , and not any thing comparable with that in england : which is the cause that they are much easier of digestion , and causeth a more constant appetite then we have with us . the treasures that are yearly drawn from the bowels of the spanish regions , are infinitely great . and in the subjection of any other prince or people of europe , there is neither mine of gold , silver , quick-silver , emraulds , or beads of pearl , all which are in great plenty in the spanish dominions . and in regard i shall in my relations , speak of many countreys , that are plentifull of these riches , i shall here describe how they are obtained . chap. 3. of gold , silver , quick-silver , emraulds , and pearl . the gold is engendred in the mountains , from whence by rains and flouds into the plains , and rivers , where for the most part they find it . that of the plains , is in veines of hard earth that conteineth part pure grains of gold like pompeon-seeds , which is the best , but the most that is got in the indies , is in the rivers , where it is found mixed with the sand in pouder , even as the sand it self . they separate it from the earth , and sand , by washing in a bowle of the fashion of a barbers bason . where they finde it in hard veines , they break them with the hammers , and make them fit to wash : first , putting the earth or sand into the bason , and receiving water into one side of it , turn it out at the other , untill they have washed out the earth from the gold , which as the heavier substance remains behind at the bottome of the bowle . the silver mine is found in the earth in veines or branches , much like the tinne or cole in england , and is worked almost in the same manner under the ground . the way of separating the silver from the drosse , is first to take the oare , and break it in hammer-mils , and grind it to powder , then sift it through a copper searse , and put it into a furnace , under which they maken fire by degrees , mixing with every fifty quarts of pouder five of salt , and stiring it , together with quick-silver , which they squeeze through a piece of holland upon the said pouder and salt , and when they finde the quick-silver , sufficiently incorporate with the silver , then they put it altogether in a cauldron , in which there is water , and a wheel , that going round , turneth out the earth and drosse with the water , the quick-silver , and silver , as the more heavy substance remains behind , which they take from the cauldron , and wash it after the manner of gold , till they finde it clean from all drosse , and filth , and then putting it into a cloth , they strain forcibly from it some quick-silver , the remainder being as a leafe of silver . and to separate the silver from the quick-silver , they put it into a violent fire , and cover it with an earthen pot of the fashion of a sugar loaf , which is also covered with coals , and kept very hot , and from a hole in the said pot , to which is fashioned a pipe , like the pipe of a limbeck , they receive the quick-silver , which evacuates by the same pipe , leaving the silver of the same form it was put in , but wanting much of the bignesse and waight . the quick-silver and vermillion , is found together in rocks , or very hard earth . that part that is found to contein the quick-silver , they break to pieces , and putting it into earthen fire-pots well luted , they set it on a violent fire ( made in the indies of straw , which they find to be excellent for that work ) what of it evacuateth out of the pot , goeth up , till meeting nothing to receive it , it falleth down cold , in the same manner we have it . the remainner in the pot , being sufficiently separated from the drosse and earth , the fire is taken away , and when it is throughly cold , they open the pot , and poure out the quick-silver into leather baggs , which keepeth it best , conveighing it where they please in them . those that open these pots , and stirreth the silver and it together , in refining the silver , swallow a pellet of gold , that lying in the stomack , draweth the quick-silver , which in time getteth into their bodies , from whence it goeth out with the said pellet in excrement . and if the pot be not throughly cold , when 't is open ; it is two to one , if they lose not their teeth or hair , dis-figure their noses and faces , and many times utterly spoile themselves . wherefore , they are very cautious in this action . the emraulds are in great abundance in divers parts of the spanish countreys , they get them in veines of stone , that is almost like chrystal , some as big as a hazel nut , and of severall colours , as whitish , green and white , and the most perfect absolute green . the pearls are found in greatest plenty in the north seas , and they are roundest and most orient , although there are great store at the island of pearls in the south seas , which is some 25 miles from panama . in the north seas , where i say are the best ; the principall fishing for them is at the river of haca , which runneth between the province of sancta , martha and carthagena , and also at the islands of margreata , and cumana . they are found in oyster-shels of the colour of heaven , fastned to gravell or rocks , six , nine , and twelve fathome under water , and brought from thence by negro slaves , which are so expert in diving , that some of them will continue half an hour under water . chap. 4. of the island of new found land . in order to a perticular description of this new world , i shall first speak of the islands , of which the most seprentrionall , is new-found land , which stretcheth north and south , from 46 degrees and a half , to 50 and a half of latitude . the natives of this place are few , and savage , neither is there any thing in this countrey to invite a plantation , it is so rockie , and barren . but for the commoditie of fish , which are taken on the coast in great plenty , there are some men that do endure the heat of summer , and cold in winter , both which come in extreams , some are french , but the most english , in whose hand lieth the supream power , the plenty of fish ( wch sort is wel known in england , by the name of new-found land fish ) inviteth many ships thither , whose lading is procured sometimes by themselves , but for the most part by the dwellers in the place . this island lyeth at the mouth of the river canida , distant from the continent at the north end neer half a league , and the south west point is about a league from cape briton , and by the one of these ways , you passe to the river canida . chap. 5. martins vineyard . the next island that is seated is martins vineyard . it is a small island on the coast of new england , and the governour is appointed by the councill of boston , the chief government , in new england ; it is 20 miles long , and 10 broad : and upon it are forty english families , with divers peaceable indians , that live by hunting and fishing . the soil is rocky , but affordeth some english grain , and virginia corn . they have no commerce , but with the indians of the mayn , for skins of bever , &c. and some little corn they send to boston . there is great plenty of fish on the coast , which they procure the indians to catch them at an easie rate . chap. 6. long island south west of martins vineyard , lieth long island . it is in length sixty english mlles , and fifteen in breadth . the north east end is seated by some english , which have been thrust from new england for their judgement . the most of them holding the christian tenent of confession before baptisme . at the south west end , there are some few dutch and english . this island is a fruitfull soil for english grain and milet , and of a good air . the seas about it are well stored with fish , and the woods , with deer and turkeys , and it hath many quiet indians , that live by hunting and fishing . the dutch plantation layeth claim to this island , so doth the south government of new england , but at present , the inhabitants live without duty to either . there are divers other islands on this coast , but not any seated , or considerable to a plantation . the principall on the coast of new england , are in the naraganset , and masytusis ▪ bayes , and neer the swedes plantation . some few in delaware bay . and smiths island at the north cape of virginia ; and from the cape charls , which is the south cape of the chesapeack bay in virginia , till you come to cape hatrask , are no islands . this cape is a point of an iland in 36 degrees , and from thence till you come to the point of st. helena , which is in 32 degrees , all the coast along are broken islands uninhabited , the best is within cape hatrask in the same height . it is called roanock , and is of 18 miles compasse to the south-ward of the mouth of the river occam in old virginia . it is bad coming to it by reason of the shelves of cape hatrask , which lyeth far out at sea , by which cape , he that will go to the said island must passe . chap. 7. the bermudas , or somers islands . this island lyeth distant from the main 200 leagues , in 33 degrees , and 20 minutes . it is 20 miles long , and something more then two miles in breadth . and temperate in relation to heat and cold , but violent in the blustring winds , which often haunteth their coasts , but a most wholsome place to live in , and wel replenished with our nation , that live there without want , for there is store of milet or virginia corn , and potatoes , divers sorts of fruits , as muskmelons , water-melons , figs , plants , papans , limons , oranges & limes : plenty of flesh , as turkeys , hens , pork and beef , and on the coast much fish . the commodity they yearly export , is some tobacco of the worst sort , beef , and pork . the spanish wracks that often happens on their coast , furnisheth them with pieces of eight . and the best sort have their negro slaves to work for them . this iland is almost surrounded with rocks and shelves , but on the south-side is an open road , and toward the east end a good harbour , but hard to hit , without an islander for pilot. when you first marke the island , it appears as a rock in the sea , going almost right up a a great way from the water , and it hath a delightfull aspect , but 't is little better then a rock , there being but two foot of mould on the greatest part of it , under which , there is a kind of hard substance , much like pumistone . ch●p . 8. of the islands of lucaos , or bahama . these islands are south-west from the barmuda's , and to the north of portorico , hispaniola and cuba , the most eminent is lucayoneque in 27 degrees . it hath almost to the west the island of bahama . from whence the channell of bahama between florida , and the sholdes de los mimbres taketh name . the current of this channell , seateth so hard to the north , that although winds be prosperous , the ships cannot enter it , and if it be crosse , they will go with the current . next to bahama , is a small isle surrounded with the shelves of bimny . there is like wise the island of abacoa , of 12 leagues long , another called yuma , of 20 leagues , and eight in breadth , in 24 degrees and a halfe . yuemeata is in 23 degrees and a half , 15 leagues in length , and north , from hispaniola , lieth samana , 7 leagues each way . and between yuemeata and guanema lieth yabaque of 10 leagues in 22 degrees and a half . the miara parvos are three smal islands that by triangle , and are compassed with shelves . south from yuemeata , is magaguana , of 20 leagues in length , and the halfe in breadth in 23 degrees , quaqua of 10 leagues in 20 degrees and a half . north from quaqua are the cacos , of five leagues , in 21 degrees . the island of mackre stands in 20 degrees , and is compassed with shelues . and in 20 degrees lieth the shelves of abreo , of 15 leagues long , but east from mackre . on these islands are no inhabitants , those that did live there were a harmless simple people , and therefore the easier taken and carried away by the spaniards that have made them so desolate , many of them seem of a good mould , and the latitude promiseth much fertility . the arie is certainly good and wholsome , and not so extream hot , as other parts of that height . there is scarcely any beast on them save a cony , that hath a taile like a rat , but pigeons and brids in great numbers ; most of them of greenish colour . there is the gumme benjamin of the best and worst sort , guacom , and sasaprila , and sasafras , and on some of them red wood and amber-greece . the english sea-men are little acquainted with these islands although they saile round them yearely . and since i petitioned for them , which was six years ago , and my absence hindred my prosecution : captain ▪ sail and others have obtained a patent , making thither on the coast of an island , which he called illutheria ; his ship was wrackt , but the people of the ship all saved , but recovered the shoare with few necessaries , i saw him after his escape from thence in a small boat of 3 tuns recovering virginia , where he procured a pinnace of near 25 tuns , with which he carried relief to those he left in the island . but i understand by a master of a bark , that went from new england , that on a division was among them , they were leaving the island . in my discourse with the said sail , i understod that none of his company knew the place they intended , or were ever there , when they undertook the voyage . the coasts of most of them are dangerous , and bad to make , and that ship that shall be neer , or amongst them must keep the lead always going , but with a wary pilot , and care in giving the islands a fair birth , they are easily recovered . the spaniards know this place well , and have a yearly trade thither for the aforesaid commodities , and amongst the islands are wracks of divers of their ships . chap. 9. of hispaniola . south of the lucayos lyeth the islands of barlevento , which are not onely the best of america , but almost beyond compare , were they as well furnished with people , as they are with necessaries to maintain them . they be in the hand of the spaniard , almost without people . for hispaniola , that is the chief , and in 18 , 19 , 20 degrees , and 150 leagues east and west , hath but one city , no town nor village , but what is inhabited by negro's , that are servants to the spaniards . here is a perpetuall summer , the winter being but the rain that falleth . this land is exceeding pleasant , and hath divers vallies , one being so great , as to reach from the one side of the island to other , that hath many golden rivers issuing into it , which vallies are always stocked with multitudes of wilde kine , goats , hogs , shag-hair'd sheep and horses , amongst which , as their deadly enemy , are many wild dogs , that are bred of such as have been lost a hunting , and run away from the spaniards : the woods have abundance of oranges , limons , limes , cotton-wool and plantens , and many green birds . the commodities the spaniards yearly export from thence is ginger , sugar , cotton-wool , cassia , fistula , sasaprila , and lignum vitae ; with tallow , and a hundred thousand hides , which are yearly gotten of those wild cattell , which are the largest of the world . there are divers rivers that afford gold , and some mines which are not now worked , great plenty of copper and other minerall . the city where the spaniards dwel , is called santo domingo , it standeth on the south side of the island neer the east end , on the west-side , the river osama in 19 degrees and a half , fairly built with stone , and walled about with a castle on the said river , between the town and the sea . here are resident the supream council of the islands , the officers of the goods and royall treasure , a mint-house , and the cathedrall , that hath for sufferance the bishoprick , of cuba portrico , fenescula , and the abbotship of jamecca . here are also monasteries of franciscans , dominicans , and mercenaries ; and two nunneries , a grammar-school , and an hospitall . the people in this city , live in great pleasure , enjoying , beside the foresaid plenty of flesh , many excellent fruits all the year long , as bonanoes , pine-apples ; custard-apples , plantens , papans , musk-melons , water-melons , and many other fruits and hearbs , store of turkeys , and poultrey . and their bread they make of the root yuca , called cascaby , but they have plenty of milet and potatoes . on the coasts , are first the point of nisao , ten leagues to the west of santo domingo ▪ and eighteen leagues , further is the port ocoa , which is a bay , where the fleets of nova hispania take refreshing , when they do not anchor in the nooke of sepesepin , which is neer unto it , or in another called the fair haven , two leagues before you come to ocoa . and 20 leagues beyond ocoa is the port of asua . and 30 leagues more westwardly there is a large point right against the island of bola , which lieth five leagues from the coast . the most westerly point , is called cape tibron . it hath an island three leagues from it west called caprio , and sailing along the coast you will see an island called camito , and further in the nooke of yaguana there is an island called guanabo , of eight leagues long . of the north side of the island the most westwardly cape and port is saint nicol , as from whence north-east and by east , lyeth the island of tortaga , neer the coast of hispaniola , it is of five leagues length , and governed by a frenchman . and further along the coast is montey cristey , the west cape of the port of nativedad , to the east of which there is a great bay called port real . this island is so full of harbours , as he that will coast it , cannot well misse of one where he pleaseth , most of which afford refreshing of fresh meat and good water . in many parts of this island , especially on the north side are english men always lying to kil cattle , for their hides onely , they live in tents , ten , and twenty in a company , and have shallops to attend them , to conveigh them away when they please , most commonly to turtagues ▪ which is their head quarter , for it is neer lying . chap. 10. of the island of cuba . this island lyeth west from hispaniola , and is 200 leagues long east and west , the broadest part not 45. what hispaniola affordeth is here in good plenty , but the land neither so pleasant nor wholsome . the gold of this island is not so good in his allay , as that of hispaniola , but copper is here in greater quantity . it hath two remarkable things , the one is a valley of 20 leagues , that within the earth hath stones as round as a bullet , and from hence the spaniards may furnish themselves with shot of all sizes . the other is a fountain of a kind of pitch which runneth continually . all the natives here , as well as at hispaniolia , are destroyed by the spaniards , but in both places they have store of negro servants : their delicatest fare in this island is patridges , which are in great abundance . over all the island , the spaniards breed them up tame , and esteem them the sweetest eatable flesh in the world . it hath two fair towns , the best , which is of greatest resort , is the town of havana , that lyeth on the north-coast in 22 degrees : it hath neer 900 housholds , there is resident in it the governour of cuba , a cathedrall with monasteries of dominicans , franciscans , and one of nuns . in this haven all the spanish ships of the indies , meet together , and return to spain : the town is rich but unfortified to the land , but the harbour is strongly secured by two castles , that lye a little within the mouth of it . this harbour is counted an exceeding good one for security of ships , but on the south-east part of the island , there is the harbour or port of saint james , which for greatnesse and goodnesse , is esteemed one of the best in the world . it lyeth 40 leagues from cape tibron , in hispaniola , in 20 degrees . it hath the city of saint . james standing on the side of it , two miles from the sea . this city is of 300 houses , but of small commerce . it hath a monastery of franciscan friars , and nothing else remarkable . to the west of it 25 leagues , lyeth the port of spirito sancto , and further west lyeth the queens gardens , which is a shelf of sholds and islands , and 20 leagues further the port of trinitie , in 21 degrees and 30 leagues still westwardly the cape of the crosse , and 10 further the gulfe of xaqua , between which and cape anthony , which is the westerliest point of cuba , there are many small islands and sholds along the coast . the north coast is a cold coast , and hath many good harbours , besides that of the havana , the next in account to it is saint jaquis , which is 8 leagues east from the said haven , and not farre distant from the island , called the kings gardens from this city of saint jaques , the bishop hath his title . chap. 11. jamico island . this island lyeth twenty leagues from cuba full south in 17 degrees and a half of latitude east and west it is fifty leagues , north and south , in the broadest place 20. it hath the fruits and cattle of hispaniola , but no mines of gold or copper . it is very plentifull of milet and swine , but more subject to turnados and hericanos then any of the other islands . here the inhabitants live in a plentifull manner , and have on the north side of the island , the city of sivil , fairly built , it hath a governour and an abbot , a monastery of franciscan friars , who have their cloyster nuns . the westwardliest cape of the island is called morauta , and from thence along the north coast 10 leagues distant lyeth the port of jauca . and ten leagues forward the port of melila , and ten leagues further standeth the port of sivil , from whence the coast windeth to cabo dilfalcon . west from jameco are the islands of curymanos . and of the south coast five leagues lyeth the hermingo's which are dangerous shelves . chap 12. the island of saint john de portrico . this island lyeth from the hispaniola 15 leagues . it is 45 leagues east and west , and north and south 23. it aboundeth in all hispaniola hath , and it is the first place the spaniards have in the indies . and the city of portrico , which standeth on the north east part of the island , is strongly fortified , and naturally well scituated for defence in 18 degrees of latitude : it hath a governour , a bishop , and his cathedrall , and officers of the kings treasures , with two monasteries of friars . and 30 leagues to the west of this town standeth the village of asricebo . and 33 leagues south-west from portrico , standeth the town of saint jerman , t is on the west-end of the island . the north coast is foul and shelvie , but east from portrico is the river of luysa and canoba . and the furthest west on the south coast is caprio , and west from it at sea 5 leagues lyeth the island of mona , a small island , and as far north to other little islands . and the natives here and at jameca , have been totally destroyed by the spaniards , so that at this day there is not one to be found . chap. 13. sancta crux , the virgins , virgin gorda , blances , anagada , sombrito . fast from portrico , lye the caribeys , which by the spaniards are called the wether islands : the natives are men-eaters , and a very warlike couragious people . the most westerly is sancta crux , it lyeth in 16 degrees and a half , and is sixteen leagues in length : it is in the hand of the english , but few live there . the plague that hath been so hot in these ilands , begun at this , as men report , although the other hath been since as sickly , i suppose it is the cause , it is no better seated , for undoubtedly this is the best iland , and the largest the english possesse in the indies , and neerest adjoyning to the spaniard , which might be made ( if it were well managed ) a great advantage : it is capable of the same fruits , roots and seeds hispaniola hath , and sugar-canes , and lyeth neer adjoyning to the virgins , which are a little iland compassed with shelves neer eight or ten more the greatest of ten leagues , with virgin , gorda , and the blancos , or white ilands . and west from virgin gorda , lieth anagada , which is seven leagues long in 18 degrees and a half , and compassed with shelves . and neer to it lyeth sombrito , another small ile . these are all inhabited with canibles , except sancta crux , whether sometimes they come a roving also . chap. 14. angula . angula is the next which hath ten leagues of length , and is in 18 degrees . it hath some few english on it with excellent salt-pits , and a good road for ships . chap. 15. saint martins . saint martins lyeth in 17 degrees , and a half , of fifteen leagues long , now possest by the dutch , being lately forsaken by the spaniards , that had a castle in it , garison'd by souldiers . it is compass'd with smal ilets , and hath good plenty of salt . chap. 16. eustas . it is commonly call'd stasies , and seated by flushingers of zealand , as the principal owners : it hath 10 leagues in length , and maketh good west india tobacco . chap. 17. saint bartholomew . this island is full of caniballs , and hath 10 leagues of length . chap. 18. saint christophers . saint christophers is of ten leagues in length , and seated by english and french , each having a governour of their own nation . there is a kind of equality in their strengths , for what the english want of the french number , they make good by their english spirits , which doe not degenerate with the climate . this island is so populous , that ground can hardly be obteined . the french and english are intermixed so together , that with much difficulty could either hinder a secret designe though there is constant gaurds upon each others borders . they make some sugar in this island , some indico , and cotton-wooll , but most tobacco . chap 19. nivis , or the snowes barbada and redouda . the english that seat it call it neavis . it is of five leagues in length , lying within a league of st. christophers . here is the best sugar of the caribey islands , some indico , but little cotton or tobacco . it is an aguish country and unwholsome , but by the good government that hath been amongst them , the people live the happiest of all the caribey islands . and in 17 degrees lyeth the barbada and redouda , each of five leagues , and in the hands of the canibals . chap. 20. monserat . monserat is seated by irish , of five leagues neere the redouda . the inhabitants plant most tobacco and some indico . chap. 21. antego , margelante , dominica , matinina santalusa , gardelupa , dodos sanctos , deseada . antego lyeth between 14 and 15 degrees . it hath a good air , and is planted by the english with tobacco , indico , cotton-wool , and sugar . it lyeth ueer unto gardelupia , and dodos sanctos on which there lives some french with the canibals , which are in great numbers on these two ilands . the deseada is six leagues to the gardelupia in 14 degrees and a half , seated by the canibals margalante , is five leagues from dominique , and seated by the canibals , with french amongst them . dominica lyeth in 13 degrees , and is 12 leagues in length . it hath good roads , and watring places , but in danger of the canibals , that are the lords of this iland , with whom the french live in peaceable manner . and neer dominica , is matinina and sancta lusia , which is 14 degres 20 minutes , and both possest by canibals . chap. 22. the burbudos . this iland is commonly called the barbados , but the ancient name is the burbudos to the seacors of the indies or carer a de las indies . it is a lee island as those of barbevento , & the caribes are to weather of the starbord bow . it lyeth in 13 degrees 30 minutes , and thoroughly inhabited with english , and negroes their servants . this iland flourisheth so much , that it hath more people and commerce then all the ilands of the indies : their principall commodity is sugar of the worst sort , indico and some cotton-wool and little tobacco . here are pieces of eight in greatest plenty of any english plantation in america . in so much that of late they buy and sell most small matters for ready money : it is strong in men , but no fortification yet perfected , and not easily brought under by a common way of war . there are store of oxen and kine in this plantation , as also swine which they keep up in pends , & horses , but by reason of the great number of inhabitants and occasion for beasts of draught and burthen , cattell is a good commodity , so is all kind of provision , and it yeildeth the best return . it hath divers fruits and poultrey : and as there is a greater trade here then in the rest of the islands , yet in regard the sellers are well matched by the buyers , i conceive it the worst plantation to goe to either to live or make a voyage and returne . for what is here , is as well in the rest of the islands , and much more conveniency to plant , for here they have too many people , and in them there is too few , and in most of them ground enough . chap. 23. trinidado . and more southwardly are the rest of these lee ilands , of which the greatest is the trinidado , in eight degrees of north latitude : it hath fifty leagues east and west , and almost 30 in breadth : the air is here very pestiferous , which makes that this is the unwholsomest iland in the whole indies , but many indians that being bred to it , live there without much sicknesse : it hath a colony of spaniards seated in a town called saint joseph , where is resident a governour , and about 200 spaniards with the help of the indians make much of that tobacco , which is sold in spain , for spanish tobacco , to the english , and others . the most orientall part of it is the point de la jaleria , from whence du north lyeth the small iland of tobago , compassed with ilets : in the south-side is the round point andrada , and on the west-side the gulf of paria , which lyeth between it and the firm land : to the north are saint vincents and granado , two little ilands . chap. 24. margreata , tortuga , gardiner , caracute , cubava , & tamasca . twenty leagues west from trinidado lieth margreata : it is 16 leagues east and west , and the half in breadth : it hath but little water , yet plentifull of pasture , and many cattle , with two spanish towns , which standeth neer the sea : it hath a fortresse to defend it , and a good harbour , which is before the town : in this fortresse , resides the governour , and treasure for the king of spains customes , of pearl , which is worth at the least fifty thousand pounds yearly . and two leagues from this town within the land is the other , whose inhabitants are most planters , but that on the sea is possest by merchants , & divers for pearls , which are in good plenty on this coast . and the ile cabagua , a league off at sea from whence every saturday at night , the pearl fishers return to margareta . to the east of cubagua , are losfralos , which is four little ilands close aboard the shore . and to the east are the witnesses , and west lyeth tortuga , and farther west lyeth the ile of gardiner : it is ten leagues long , and by it curaco : in which the dutch have a fort and some souldiers : neer unto which is another iland called curacute of 14 leagues in length . and north from curacute is the iland of aruba : in which two last mentioned , there are some peaceable indians , that speak spanish . from the trinidado along the coast , there are few ilands , save those that are at the mouth of the river amisons and oroinoque , which are low and flat , and on the violent risings of the rivers commonly overflown , which makes the inhabitants provide them lodgings in the trees , which are there very great : these indians have their ganoes to attend them , by which they passe not only to their neighbours , but fish , and go to the land at pleasure . furthermore on the land of brazil , there are some small ilands , the most remarkable is the tamerica : it is inhabited by the portugals , it hath a fair town on the south-side ; and a harbour , with store of red wood . chap. 25. of the north-west passage , and the lands called nova britania , or nova framuncia . that which is most remarkable in this north part of america , is the straight of the north-west passage , which is generally talked of , and indeed is nothing but a narrow difficult passage to buttons bay , the entrance being properly called hudsons straight , in regard of his first finding it : the mouth of this straight lyeth in 62 degrees , and because of the impossibility of this mathematicall story , i shall say , there is certainly no such straight , as this which they call anian , or the north-west passage : it hath been so thorowly searched into by our nation that can give no incouragemēt to a farther trial , save that story men tel of a manuscript in portugall , shewed to one of our merchants of the passage that way , of a portugall ship of the phillipinas droven from thence by foule weather , through this straight to portugall , but to men that know the distance between that streight , and those ilands , it would seem the most ridiculous story in the world , beside the falsity of the informers : the greeks relation being a far better story , for he saith in regard he was taken by squire candis in the south-sea , and lost all he had , to procure some relief in his old age , he would advise the english a speedier way to the east-indies then they now took . and this intelligence he giveth after he is retired to his native country , to repose from his troublesome way of adventuring to sea . from whence we may easily guesse , for the bad turn our nation did him , he would not wish us a good one , but the scope of his intelligence being but to have a bill of exchange to receive money , as he pretended to come into england . but how likely it was , that he would leave those rich parts of america , which he lived in with the spaniards to retire to his own nation , and from thence to undertake a voyage for us to the worst place in the world , a rationall man cannot apprehend . but were there such a passage , it would much more concern the portugals , and the spaniards , then it doth the english , for their trade is to the north part of the east indies , and ours to the south : theirs to the moluccos , philipinaes , japan , and china , whereas we seldome passe beyond bantam in java , but were there a passage that way , yet it were not to be chosen before the other , for could a man sail in a strait line : first , from england to the straight , and then from the straight to the east indies , it would prove a farther way than the other by the cape of bonaspei . but those that know any thing of those seas , know that the sea course to any part of north america is as low as 23 , 24 , 25 , or 30 the highest . for the wind which bloweth in the south sea east and west , as well as in the north , that is to say , for the most part west without the tropicks , and almost constantly . east within them . wherefore you must go out of your way aswell from the north part of america , to the east-indies , as from england to this supposed straight : and there is as much difference in relation to pleasantnesse in voyages , as between summer and winter . for when you are clean of the bay of biscai in all the voyage , by the cape you find no cold weather till you return to the same place again , but to the contrary , is so cold & icy about the straight in the middle of summer , that there is no making way without much difficulty and trouble . and in the south sea , where the sun keeps the same course as in the north in june , sir francis drake in compassing the world found so much cold in thirty eight degrees north latitude , that he was forced into a southerly course . and this makes a strong probability that there is no sea to the north of america , but that the land of this new world reacheth by the north parts ; even to the northwardly provinces of the empire of japan , or tartaria . for i finde that the winds that blow west and north-west in england being sea-winds are not so cold , as those that come east and north-east , which are land-winds . which i apprehend the onely cause of difference in the temperature of the air with us , and the north parts of america . for new england that lyeth in 41 & 42 is much colder in the winter then the most northwardly parts of england , which are in 56. and those parts of america , that are in that height are cold , almost the whole year through , as the undertakers in the north passage plainly prove , and this is caused certainly by the land-wind , which that heigh for the most part bloweth west , and northwardly , which is so much more colder , in regard it cometh from those vast regions that are far thicker and untill'd , & uninhabited with wood swamps , and such moist crudities , as are not in europe . on the land of the north-side hudsons straight , there hath been seen some of the wild natives , but how they live is a kind of miracle . and from the south of this strait , till you come to new england is but one plantation , which is at the fort of kebeck , on the north-west side the river canada , 100 leagues from the island antecostey , that lieth at the mouth of the said river . the french drive a great trade with the natives for bever-skins in exchange of hatchets , knives , penny looking-glasses , bels , beads , and such toys . there are good store of the natives in these parts all alongst the coast , and are willing to exchange such commodities as they have , for such truck as the french bring them , although it is to be done with much care to prevent their treachery . chap. 26. new england . the plantations of the north government of new england , beginneth about 44 degrees , and the coast is indifferently seated with english , almost as southwardly as 41. this countrey at first was laid out in severall proportions to divers noblemen and gentlemen of england , each having within his circuit ▪ a severall power . but at this day , it hath but three divisions onely , that is to say : the north and his bounds , the middle and the south ; the north government is the worst , and hath fewest people : the middle government is that of boston , which is the best , and hath most inhabitants . the south is the government of new plimouth , in which is the best ground : the north government hath scarce a town worthy the name of a village ; but the middle hath many towns and villages . the principall is boston fairly built , the great street is neer half a mile long , full of wel-furnished shops of merchandize of all sorts . here is resident a councill , and the governour , which is yearly chosen from amongst them : this town hath a good port , called the bay of bòston , with many ships , which is secured with a castle , guarded with souldiers and ordnance . neer boston lyeth charles town , and five miles into the countrey is the town of cambridge , that hath a university with many students . the south government is that of new plimouth , that hath the name from the town , which is an indifferent market town . the land of all this region is generally barren and rocky , but the care of the inhabitants supplyeth the naturall defects of the country , from the proceed of the commodities it affordeth , which is pipe sraves , clabbord , fish , english grain , and fruits , with the building of ships , which they often sell to other parts , and iron works ; with these they drive a trade to most parts of europe , especially to spain ; the canary and caribey islands : it is a wholsome air , and the english people are well-colour'd , and have many children which thrive well in that countrey . they punish sin as severely as the jeivs did in old time , but not with so good a warrant . and they have brought the indians into great awe , but not to any gospell knowledge . chap. 27. new holland . to the southwest of new england , lyeth the dutch plantation . it hath good ground , and good ayr , but few of that nation inhabiting there , which maketh that there is few plantations in the land , and but one village , whose inhabitants are part english , and part dutch . here is resident the the governour appointed by the west india company . this village lyeth on hudsons river in 40 and a half , three miles within the mouth of the river , and almost joyning to a fort that hath guns , but they are unmounted . there is the fort of orange , 30 miles up the said river , and there is a mill to saw boards for the colony : they have here indifferent plenty of english and indian corn , but the best profit is the trade with the natives for bever , and other skins . those that trade here pay 16 in the hundred custome to the west-india company of holland . these dutch are mischievous neighbours , for with their indian trade they supply the natives with guns and ammunition , which in time may prove their own confusion , and doth already prejudice their neighbours . chap. 28. the swedes plantation . the swedes are seated between the dutch and virginia , in a village by a fort which lyeth eight miles within delaware river . on the north side the said river , they are few in number , and their principall businesse is their commerce with the indians , for they have little or no cattle . they furnish the indians with guns and weapons as the dutch do , and once in a year have commonly a supply and relief from swethland , by a ship that fetcheth their skins and other truck . chap. 29. virginia . virginia is to the southward of the swedes , and the north cape of the great bay that leadeth to virginia , and maryland lyeth distant from the swedes fort neer 130 english miles : this bay is 240 miles up navigable for the biggest ships , it lyeth almost north and south , and it receiveth divers rivers , which issueth into it from the west and east ; those on the west-side are both the biggest and most : those on the east-side are not many nor great . this coast is also a flat coast as is new holland , and the swedes . the english are seated on the east-side the bay , from the said point called cape charles , and by the creeks and bay-side 30 miles up the bay . without the said cape are certain islands called smith's islands , which are broken low grounds , unfit for habitation . on the west-side the bay , within cape henry 8 miles lieth the water , call'd lin-haven , which issueth there into the bay : it hath divers branches , on which there are plantations even to the head of most of them . and between the said haven , and james river , which is distant 12 miles is two small creeks that are indifferently seated , but on the side of the great bay , there is no plantation between the cape and james river , which is distant from it 20 miles : this river floweth more then 120 miles , and almost so far navigable for good ships . it is shelvie and dangerous without a good pilot : it receiveth divers rivers and creeks on the east-side : the most eminent is the elizabeth river , which issueth into the great river within eight miles of the sandy point , that is the first point of the south-side the great river , and over against point comfort island , by which you must keep close aboard , by reason the river is there onely to be entred , four miles higher then elizabeth river , is nawcimond river , which two are the principall ; and on the west-side the most eminent , and best is chickhomoney , whose mouth is 10 miles beyond james town : this main river , as also the rivers and creeks that run into it , are seated by the water-side , onely by reason of the conveniency of carriage . and between point comfort , and york , there is a small river , called the pecoson river , which is seated , and then a little further york river , which is a fair river , and navigable 20 miles for ships . this river is seated neer fifty miles up , but on the east-side better than on the west . and the other rivers which run into the bay between this and maryland , are payankatank and to pahanoc , and the great river of patowmek are unseated with any but the natives . here is good plenty of millet , but not much english grain . for which this region is not so naturall as new england or new holland , for the crops within a year or two will degenerate . their onely commodity is tobacco , which i think to be more naturall to the countrey then any other thing . the best sort is the sweet sented , which is not inferiour to the spanish : cattle are of the same price here as in england and new england , and by reason there are no markets , and little money to buy them , fresh meat is very scarcely eaten . the virginia proverb is , that hogs and women thrive well amongst them . but the later ( i think ) are indifferently subject to the fate of those men that go there which is much sicknesse or death . for the air is exceeding unwholsome , insomuch as one of three scarcely liveth the first year at this time ; though formerly they report , the mortality hath stretcht to the taking away of eleven of twelve . the reason of this is not the latitude , for that is 37 degrees , and a half . in which lyeth many excellent wholsome countreys , but i conceive it to be the changeablenesse of the weather , which is mighty extream in heat and cold , and as various as the wind both winter and summer . the next cause is the swamps , standing-waters and marishes , and mighty store of rivers , and low lying of the land . there is two other pernicious companions that haunt the english inhabitants , the one is the disease , called the country duties , which they originally caught of the indians , and the cure is the same they use in england for the french pox , it being almost alike . the other is the rattle-snake , so called , for the rattle in her taile , whose bitings are present death . and this vermine in the summer is so stirring that they are in the fields , woods , and commonly in their houses , to their great anoyance , yet this mortality doth rather harden the peoples hearts , then bring them to god , for i think they are the farthest from conscience and morall honesty , of any such number together in the world . and for want of administration of justice , there are many have left the place , and are gone to maryland , which lyeth up the bay . the virginia bread is commonly of millet , called poane . and if the servants have enough of that , their complaint wil procure no remedy . the rivers and creeks afford much fish in summer , and furze in the woods , good store of deer and turkeys in winter , and fowl by the water-side in divers places , and yet is provision so scarce that they are all the year furnished with fish and pease , and bisket from new england . the great resort of shipping is in winter , for then is the tobacco struck into cask , and fit for sale . this countrey is for the most part plain , with few hils , and were it not so woody , probably not altogether so unwholsome . it is without any minerall , save iron , stone , which is in great plenty . in divers parts of the countrey , the natives are under contribution of the governour , and pay him great tributes of skins , and he them with good priviledges over the english , which in time may prove a third massacre . chap. 30. maryland . this province is divided from virginia by the great river patomuk . it lying on the north-side the said river , and west-side of the great virginia bay . it is more wholsome then the parts of virginia now seated , and better for english grain . the english inhabitants are few , and those of different religions ; for some amongst them are papists , but most protestants . there hath always been toleration in religion , and is at this present . the natives of this place have never been treacherous to the english , but doth them good service in their grounds , cattle , and hogs . many of their children being bred up amongst them : they live here in greater plenty than at virginia , as having more range of the woods , and fewer neighbours with indian woodsmen to kill them meat . those that are come from virginia , are seated on the river bolus , the next to the river patomuk up the bay , and by such as are drawing thither from new england , and daily go from virginia , it is likely to be a flourishing countrey . chap. 31. old virginia . south frō this uirginia , lieth the province , known by the name of old uirginia , it is remarkable for cape hatrask , that lyeth in neer 36 degrees . from which cape far out at sea is flat shelvy ground . the cape is a point of a broken island , and hath between it and the main roanock island to the south of the river ockam , which there issueth into the sea . this river is deep within and broad , but so shallow at the mouth , that a pinnace can hardly enter it at high water , otherwise it were convenient for a plantation . for it is farre beyond uirginia in all respects , or any land we possesse in the main . the indians of this river pay contribution to the governour of uirginia . and along this coast till you come to florida , is no plantation , nor inhabitants but the natives . chap. 32. florida . this province begins in 34 degrees , and hath on the eastcoast before you come to the cape of florida , two forts , in which are spanish garrisons . the first and most northerly is the fort of saint mark , within the point of saint helena , in 32 degrees and a half distant from the havena incuba 100 leagues . the other is called saint augustine , which is the principall , because the haven is good , and neer the channell of bahama , in 29 degrees 40 minutes . the point of canes in 28 which hath to the south the river ages , and at the cape of florida , are many little islands called the martors , and these islands reach from the said cape within a league , and a half of cuba . the head of the martors to the east hath an island of 14 leagues but very narrow . the out-most eastern point lyeth in 24 degrees and a half , and from the cape of florida to the government of pancuco along the coast of the sea , is 300 leagues , which seas are called the gulf of new spain . in all this coast there is no town nor plantation , and few indians , by reason the spaniards have taken them away to other parts . there hath not been worked mines either of gold or silver in this florida . neither have the spaniard any commodity from them save indians . this gulf of new spain , or mexico hath two entrances ; the one is between youcatan and cuba , where the stream commeth fiercely in , the other is between cuba , and the cape of florida , where it runneth more violently out . chap 33. of new spain . besides this province of florida , the king of spain in this northern america , hath three great kingdomes . the first and principall is the kingdom of new spain , the second is the kingdome of galisia , the third the kingdom of gutemalia , and the province of varagua , that adjoyneth to the straight of dearian , and is properly of the councill of panama . the kingdom of spain hath in it a viceroy and councill , intituled the viceroy of mexico . and within his government the province and bishoprick of mexico , that of tlascala , guaxaca , mechoan , chiapa , yucatan , and panuco . the indirns of this kingdome are of two sorts ; the chickamecans , which are a sort of rogues , that live much after the manner of toreges , or ancient irish , by robbing and spoiling passengers on the way : towns and villages . and the other live even as decently as the spaniard , and are of all trades and vocations , as they are , of sharp wits , and of great agility of body , as appeareth by their extraordinary feats of activity on the rope , and tumblings . this kingdome is a high countrey , for the most part of it , and for riches , pleasantnesse , and wholsomnesse , accounted one of the best in the world , as lacking nothing naturally that is to be had , excepting wine and oil , which they might also have , but that it is forbidden , to plant vineyards , or olive yards by the king of spain , and it hath divers things not elswhere to be had both of trees , herbs and drugs . chap 34. the councill of new galisia . this kingdome of new galisia , hath no viceroy , but is governed by a councill , whose bounds is parted from new spain at the port of nativity on the south sea , to the north , north-west , and north-east . it hath no bounds , but may inlarge their territories , as they see occasion on the indians . it hath already these provinces . the first guadalaiaca , xalisco , sacaticas , chiamerla , culiacan , new biscai , and sivaloa . and this kingdome is not much inferiour to new spain , and it hath the same sorts of indians . chap. 35. gutamalia kingdome . this kingdome of gutamalia is governed as the other by a council , without a viceroy , and is the southwardliest region of this north america , and hath within its bounds the provinces of gutamalia , from whence the kingdome taketh name . soconusco , chiapa , suchitepeque , verapas , honduaras , and cacos . saint saviour , and saint michael , nievaraqua , chuluteca , taquesgalpa , and costarica , or the rich coast . the indians in these provinces are more warlike than the rest , and have more unwillingly submitted to the spanish yoake , and therefore they have had almost continuall wars , the most of the indians living till very lately after the manner of the chickamecians ; though many of them are docible as the indians of mexico . this is a rich wholsome kingdome , not inferiour to galisia , but rather exceeds it . but when i come to each perticular province , i shall name them as they adjoyn on the coast of the sea . chap. 36. of panuco . this province is neer adjoyning to florida , and parted from it by the river of palms , which lyeth in 28 degrees of north latitude . that part of it that lyeth next to mexico , is the best , and hath the greatest plenty of victuals , with som gold : the other side , which is next florida , is poor and barren . this province hath three spanish towns : panuco , in something more then 23 degrees . it is distant from mexico 65 leagues , neere a river , whose entrance is a haven : it is governed by a chief justice , provided by the viceroy of new spain . the village of saint james , of the valea , 20 leagnes to the west of panuco . the village of saint lucas , 8 leagues from panuco , to the north-east , neer to the sea . there is no river nor haven in this coast but panuco , and palmes which are not very good , and not many indians . chap. 37. the province of talascalia , or angels . the next to panuco , on the coast of the north sea lyeth this province of talascalia or losanels ; with in its government are four spanish cities . the best is losangels , seated by a river that runneth into the south sea . it standeth off the side of a long plain east from mexico 22 leagues , and containeth neer 3000 housholds , in four streets , governed by a chief justice , and in it are resident the cathedrall , with monasteries of dominick , augustine , franciscan , lamersed , and carmelite friars , with one of nuns , and a colledge of more than five hundred indian children to be instructed in the spanish religion and language . and north of the angels is the city of talascalia , in more than 20 degrees of height with two thousand five hundred houses , in which is a fair cloyster of franciscan friars . in the province of losangles , the city of guaxaca , is the third , in which are three monasteries of friars , and two of nuns all very rich . this town is pleasant and of a wholsome aire , and not far from the river of alurado , the city of vera crux is an english mile from the sea , five leagues from the port of saint john delua ▪ of four hundred spanish housholds , besides indians . in it resides the kings treasurer for the customes . this province hath abundance of flax , wheat , sugar and ginger , diversity of hearbs , and fruits , abundance of cattle , hogs and horses , many silver mines , 200 chief indian towns , and at least 40 monasteries of friars . the harbours and ports are on the north sea , the best of which is saint john de lua , which is made by a small island , whose bank is kept up by a wall , in which are iron and brasse rings , where by cables they more fast their ships . this island hath on it a castle , which commandeth the harbour , that is entred by two channels ; the one to the north is the slat , the other is called the galisian channell . here the ships bound for nova hispania , and mexico unlade , and to the north of this port on the coast of this province is the river sempoalia , and upward the river of casons , and neer the government of panuco , fuspea , and tamagua , and to the south of the said saint john delva , is first the river of almerica , and further south , the river of alvarado . chap. 38. youcatan province . the north part of this province adjoyneth to the south of talascalia . it is a pen-insula , and in compasse 150 leagues . the temperature is hot and moist , it hath no river , but is full of good willows . it is a woody country , nor will it bear english grain , neither hath it gold or other minerall . but it hath many inhabitants , that are of the civillest sort of indians , in new spain , and great plenty of millet , swine , all sorts of cattle , horses , and much poultrey , much cotton , bombast , and ashurs . the inhabitants are healthy , and live to great age . there are four spanish towns , the city of meridia , in the midst of the province in 20 degrees . in it are resident the governour , the officers of the revenue , and royall treasure , and cathedral suffragan to mexico , with one monastery of franciscan friars . the village of valiodalid is 31 leagues from meridia to the south ; and neer the coast of the hondur as is salimanca , a fair town . and on the north coast the village of saint franciscus of campeach , in 20 degrees , fifty leagues from meridia . it is a reasonable good haven , but of little depth , on the coast of this province are many rocks , flats and isles , that there is scarcely any sayling within foure leagues of the shore , on which there is the greatest flouds and ebs of any part of new spain . chap. 39. the province of honduras . this province of the honduras adjoyneth unto the south part of yucatan , his coast stretcheth along the north sea as far as nicurayna , which is neer 150 leagues . it is a hilly countrey , plentifull of all sorts of cattle , and store of wheat , and mines of gold and silver : it hath six spanish towns and many peaceable indians . the city of valiodalid , standeth in 16 degrees , 40 leagues from the north sea . here is resident the governour , a cathedrall and a monastery of lamersed . the city of adios , is 30 leagues from valiodalid , to the west the village of saint petro , is 11 leagues from the port of cavalos , where the officers royall are resident , because the port of cavalos is sickly , to which the ships come . this port of cavalos , is in 15 degrees on the north sea , there are few in it besides blackamores , and some factors , by reason of the unwholsomnesse of the place . the city of truxcillio , is 64 leagues from the cavalos , to the north-east a league from the north sea . the village of saint george is populous of indians , and rich in gold . the septentrionall point of this coast is the cape of eburus , in 16 degrees east , off which 20 leagues lyeth the river of pitch , and a little further riobaxco , and beyond it the river of balahama , and in 14 degrees and a half lyeth the river salt , and after that the cape of the three points , and from north the island of utilia , and to the north-east hellen and lyvanai , and in 14 degrees the cape of thanks be to god . and north from thence the three islands called , take away sleep . chap. 40. of the province of nicaragua . nicaragua lyeth next to the south-side of honduras : it is aplentifull countrey of coco , cotton-wool , millet , cattle , and much gold . it hath five spanish towns , & abundance of peaceable indians , which are most expert in the spanish tongue . the first and principall town is saint james , 12 leagues from the south sea , at the head of the lake , nicaragua , where the governour is resident , the royall officers and cathedrall , with five monasteries of lamersed , and many peaceable indians . the city of granado , standeth on the borders of this great lake , neer which is a famous volcan , that burns perpetually ; casting forth fire and smoak . a friar imagined there was much gold in it , because it never consumed the land about it , wherefore he caused a caldron to be fastned to a huge chain , and let it into the furnace . but the violence of the fire soon consumed it , and with all the friars hopes . this great lake of nicaragua , is full of islands , and by a kind of river hath an issue into the north sea , which river or passage it navigable for great vessels . and the head of this lake is within five leagues of the south sea , and good ground to be cut , by which it were easie ( if the spaniard so pleased ) to have passage from the south seas to the north sea . at the head of the said lake , the village of nalio , standeth in 11 degrees and a half on the south coast , and is the best port on that coast . on the north seas ( for this province reacheth from the north to the south seas ) is first the river of gare , that divideth nicvaragua , from honduras , south of it the river wipre , next the port of saint john , which is the voiding river , that comes from the great lake , that hath a great island lying in the mouth of it . in the south sea it hath the nalio , the port of saint james , and the port of paria , and nicoya , and on the coast the island of chroa , saint mary , and saint mark . chap. 41. the province of castorica . this province lyeth between nickuragua , and caragua , between which it hath 90 leagues in length . it is a good land and very fruitfull in millet , wheat , flax , and sugar , plenty of mines both of gold and silver , and it hath two spanish towns : the first and best is curtago , the other mendoco . it hath two ports , one on the south sea , the other on the north . chap. 42. the province of varagua . this province lyeth between costarica , and panama , adjoyning on the south part to the strait of dariana . the northerliest is in 11 degrees , it hath east and west 50 leagues , and in breadth 25 , and is washed as costarica , with the north and south seas . it is a mountainous countrey full of bushes , without pasture or cattle , wheat or barley , but it hath some miller , but full of rich mines of gold . the indians are few , and they be in continuall wars with the spaniards . it hath the city of conception 40 leagues from nombred ' dios , where the governour and officers are resident . the village of trinity , six leagues to the east of the conception , neer the river of bethelem , and three leagues from the north sea , the city of santey fei , standeth 12 leagues from the conception , to the south . in it are melting-houses , and deputy officers . the city of charles neer the coast of the south sea , 50 leagues from santey fei . at the end of this varagua beginneth the southern america . and therefore i shall return back to the other parts of this north america , which is not yet discovered . chap. 43. of the province of ciblioa . this province of ciblioa is the most northerly province that the spaniards possesse in america . it hath but one spanish town , but many well built cities of indians . the spanish town is called saint john of ciblioa . it hath a strong garrison of spaniards and mexican indians . the fairest indian town is quibra , that hath also a spanish garrison . this town is in 40 degrees , and distant from cibiloa 200 leagues , from whence it lieth due north . this region is apt for english grain , and produceth all sorts of our hearbs and fruits . here are store of all sorts of our cattle , and the oxe of the countrey , which hath a bunch of flesh on his back of the bignesse of a mans head , and his hair is shaggy and long , his horns smaller than our kines horns , but his body much bigger : this is an inland province , and lyeth from the sea many leagues . chap. 44. new biskay . this province lyeth on the south-west of cibola : it hath store of provision and cattle , and divers mines of silver . it hath two fair spanish towns , that is to say , sancta barbola , and the baro of saint john , with divers peaceable indians . it is an inland province , but of much commerce , by reason of the silver-mines . chap. 45. chiamerla . this province lyeth in more then two and twenty degrees of height . it is ten leagues broad , and something more in length : it lyeth along the south sea , but hath no ports of name . it hath a town of spaniards , call'd saint sebastian . it hath many rich silver mines , and sufficient of cattle , and all sorts of grain and fruits . chap. 46. culiacan . this province is the most northerly province the spaniards possesse on the coast of the south sea . it is west of chiametla : there are much cattle , seeds and fruits of england ; it hath two spanish towns : one is called the virgins , by which there are some silver mines ; the other the village of saint michael ; this is a small province , and hath no eminent port on the sea . chap. 47. sacetas . sacetas lyeth south-east from biscai . it is very wholsome in some parts of it , and as sickly and unwholsome in other parts , which causes that in some places there is much want , and in other places as much plenty . but to amend all defects , there are in most places rich silver mines . it hath three spanish towns , the best is erena , the second nombre d' dios , and the worst durangi : the chickmeacan indians do much annoy these parts , but there are great numbers of civill indians that live in peaceable manner . chap. 48. xalisco . this province hath the city of compostella , neer the south sea in 21 degrees , nineteen minutes : there is the village of the purification south-west from gudeleria , 30 leagues : this land is hot and sickly , but hath mines of gold and silver , good store of provisions , and excellent horses , that are well bred for any service . chap. 49. guadalaiara . guadalaiara is the best of all the provinces of the kingdome of new galisia , and the most southerly : it hath all sorts of grain , hearbs and fruits of new spain , and plenty of kine , horses , and swine ; it is a wholsome good air , and hath many silver mines : the chief city and head of the kingdome is guadalaira in 20 degrees . heere resideth the councell , the officers of the goods and royall treasure , a cathedrall , two monasteries of friars , and one of nuns . and 30 leagues from guadalaira , is the village of saint mary , and another called the holy ghost : this province is much troubled with the chickemecan indians , but hath many well governed civill indians that live orderly , and very richly . chap. 50. mechocan . this province lyeth between the province of mexico , and the kingdome of the new galisia , it hath in breadth by the coast of the south sea 80 leagues , and 60 within land . here are many good mines , and it is a fruitfull land , and hath much wheat , millet , coco , all sorts of spanish fruits , cotton-wool , the rich drug of cocheneel , store of cattle and fish , and the indians are industrious , and given to labour : the chief city is mechoacan : it stands in 18 degrees 15 minutes and 47 leagues from mexico . the city of pascurio , standeth seven leagues to the east of mechoacan : it hath the cathedrall , and two monasteries of augustine and franciscan friars . and 35 leagues from pascurio north-east is the village of saint michael , in a rough country . the next is the village of salya , then the village of saint phillip . the village of sackatula , is 40 leagues south west from mechoacan , neer the south sea in 18 degrees , 90 leagues from mexico . and the village of colina in 18 degrees 20 minutes . on the coast of the south sea neer the confines of galisia the port of natividad , is in 19 degrees , and from this port they make their navigation to the philipin ' as in east-india . besides these towns rehearsed , which are possest by spaniards , there are 94 head-towns for indians , with schools of doctrine for indian children , and 130 ordinary towns . chap. 51. of the province of mexico . this province falleth between mechoacan and talascalia , it hath in length north and south 130 leaugues , and in breadth 18. the chief city and head of new spain is seated in this province called mexico . it is an inland city lying in 19 degrees and a half , in the midst of two great lakes , that compasse it about , the one is salt , the other fresh : the fresh voydeth into the salt , each of five leagues in breadth , and eight in length , and both are in compasse 33 leagues . there are three causways by which they go into the city , the shortest of half a league long , the longest a league and half , the other a league : it hath neer 70 thousand houses , the most of spaniards built with brick fair and high . and here resideth the viceroy of new spain and councill , the inquisition office and judges , the officers of the revenues , and royall treasure , a founding house and a mint house , with the archiepiscopall , metropolitan , and monasteries of franciscan , dominican , and austin friars , the company of jesus el carmen lamersed , the bare foot and trinity friars , 10 monasteries of nuns , one colledg of indian children , and the retired from the world , and repenting whores , a university , and divers hospitals . in this province are reckoned to be six ▪ hundred thousand tributary indians , one hundred and fifty monasteries , with multitude of schools to teach indians children , and many gold and silver mines , infinite plenty of all sorts of cattle , and sheep , grain , hearbs and fruits , and what else is necessary for the delight of man in an abundant manner , with the rich cocheneel . the coast of this province reacheth to the south sea , on which there is an excellent port called aquepulco , in 17 degrees , six leagues from the river lopes , and eight leagues more west is the sitalia , and four leagues further the river metla . chap. 52. guaxcaca . guaxcaca province , commeth to the coast of the south sea , and it lyeth between mexico and gutamalia province along the coast of the south sea one hundred leagues : it hath 5 spanish towns , the chief of which is antiquera ; in it are resident the governour of the province , a cathedrall , many monasteries of friars . it is distant from mexico eight leagues , from whence it lyeth south west . the next to it is sapolecai , the third saint jago de nexapa , the fourth the village of the holy ghost : this province hath store of gold , and silver mines , and one of chrystal , boreal , much coco , cotton-wool , wheat , and millet , and cocheneel , plenty of all sorts of cattle and swine , and not one river in the countrey but yieldeth gold . there are 350 head-towns of indians , and 120 monasteries of friars , and many of nuns , and schools of indian children to be instructed in the spanish language , and popery , and three hundred thousand tributary indians . in this province is the valley from whence ferdinando cortez the first conqueror had his title of marquesse of the valley . the ports on the south sea are the haven of guatulaco , in 15 degrees and a half : it is great , good , and much frequented . the port of tecoantepequa , neer the other , which is but reasonable good , but it hath a great town , standing on it , from whence they make great fishings , especially for shrimps , with which they trade the inland countreys . chap. 53. soconusco . this is the westerliest province of the kingdom of gutamalia , it joyneth to the province of guaxcaca , from whence it lyeth on the south sea east , south east 34 leagues and far into the land . it is plentiful of wheat , coco , millet , and cattle . it hath but one spanish town , which is called guearettan , where the governour is resident . and in her coast are the rivers coatan , in her west border , east of which is gapernacalte , and east south-east colata . chap. 54. gutamalia . the province of guattamall , is the head of the kingdome of gutamalia , it joyneth to the province of soconusco , and on the south sea , it stretcheth 70 leagues , the countrey is of a good temperature , and plentifull of cotton-wool , wheat , millet and cattell , and other seeds and fruits , the winds and rains in october are very furious . it hath five spanish towns besides many iudian towns and villages . the head city is saint james of gutamalia , in which the councill is resident . it lyeth in 24 degrees and a half , and of above a thousand spanish housholds , and here are the kings officers of the goods and royall treasure , a melting house and a cathedrall , which is suffragan unto mexco , a monastery of dominicans , franciscans , mercenarians , augustines , jesuits , and two of nuns , with an hospitall or colledg . this city is furnished with all sorts of provisions , and dainties , and standeth exceeding pleasantly on the side of a large plain , neer a burning mountain . and 40 leagues from saint james is the city of saint saviour the village of trinity , sixty and four leagues from the port of axavatla . it is a chief commissioner-ship , with the title of his majestie in a plentifull soil . it is a place of great traffick . and the port atouch , for the ships of peru and new spain . and 62 leagues from saint james is the village of saint michael , the haven of this town is called the bay sonseca , which is distant from the town two leagues . this province hath abundance of gold , some silver , store of balm , and liquid amber , copal , suchicopal excellent liquours , and the gumme animi , with beasts that breed the bezar stone . but the volcans here are very noysome to those that lie neer them , for they often burst forth casting out fire-stones and ashes . and here are more of those volcans or fire-pits than in all india besides . chap 54. chiapa . this province is an inland province , it is mediterranean to soconusco , mexico , tabasco , and verapas , and in length 40 leagues , and something lesse in breadth . it hath store of wheat , millet , and other grain and seeds , much cattle , but few sheep . it hath but one town of spaniards , which is called the city royall , 70 leagues from saint james of gutermalia , to the north east , which is governed by an ordinary justice , and in it is resident , the cathedrall : two monasteries of dominicke friars , and one of nuns . there are many indian towns in her climates , and the natives are excellent planters , and musitians . this city royall is in 18 degrees and a half , built round and of a marvellous scituation , sixty leagues from the north sea , and as far from the south . chap. 55. verapas . this also is an in-land province of gutemalia , and is mediterranean to chiapa , youcatan , honduras , and gutamalia of 30 leagues over , it is a moist countrey , and hath plenty of millet and wheat , cotton-wool , coco , and much of that sort of fowls , whose feathers make the rare coloured indian pictures , and this is a great merchandize amongst them . the spaniards have onely one small town , with a monastery of friars , and one school to instruct the indian children . the governour is a chief justice : between this province and the south america , is the provinces of costarica , honduras , varagua , and mearagua , which joyneth to gutemalia , on the coast of the south-sea . and thus have you the northern america . here a map . chap. 56 , of panama . panama hath a council that hath for jurisdiction , no more than the province of panama , & the election of the governour of varagua , in regard they are appointed principals of the navigation for the dispatch of peru , & ordering the king of spains treasure , which is yearly transported to porto belio , over the strait of darion , and from thence to spain . it adjoyneth on carthagena , and popian , to the south east and south-west . the chief city is panama , seated on the south sea in 9 degrees north latitude , consisting of 700 housholds : the most part of the inhabitants are merchants . here is also resident the councill , and officers of the royall treasure , monasteries of dominican , franciscan , and lamersed , and augustine friars ; with two of nuns , and a cathedrall . the haven is indifferent good , but the ships come not within a league of the town , the biggest ships not further than perua , three leagues of the town , at which place they lie dry at low water . the air at panama is extream unwholsome , and the place very sickly , but it is mended and made durable , for the profit is brought in by the vast summes yearly brought there to carry to spain , of which the inhabitants get part . the village of nata , lyeth on the south sea west from panama , 30 leagues , it hath a reasonable port . on the north sea , there is the town of nombred ' dios , it hath a good port , but the place is so unwholsome , that the trade of merchandize is removed from thence to the city of saint philip , the harbour is called the port obelo , in which the spanish ships , do unlade those merchandizes , that are to be trasported to panama & so to peru , and receiveth in such goods as are return'd , to be transported to spian . to secure the entrance into this harbour , are two strong castles , between the city and the sea , and a third neer the town . and on this coast are reckoned , first the bay of carabaco , neer the confines of varaqua , to the east of it , the river of trinity , the conception and bethelem , an island , and the river of caugre , up which river from saint chilip , they transport theeir merchandize bound for peru , unto the house of the croses , which is at the head of the said river , and from thence to panama , which is distant from the said house five leagues . and 12 leagues to the west from nombre d'dios , is the port of longgote , and in 9 degrees the port of hians , the port of the aventure in six , porto belio in five , and against it the island of the lookings , and the bastemontos . and two leagues from nombre d'dios , the river of sardinilia , and the isle of sardinia , and the river of millet , and the river of snakes , and in the gulf of curaba the town of saint mary . on the south coast the cape of saint mary , and point of war . and towards panama , the gulf of paris , where stands nata , the point of chiami , the river of chepo , and the balsa , in the inward part of the gulf of saint michael , north from the island of pearl . chap. 57 , carthegna province . this countrey lyeth on the north sea , and is parted from the province of panama , by the river of darian , from whence unto the river magdalen , is 80 leagues . the land is mountainous and hilly , full of high trees ; this region is fruitfull in some places , and in other some as barren . the seed of england will grow but in few parts of this countrey , but here are many cattle , horses and swine . the temperature of this countrey is hot and very rainy , neither is there mines worked either of gold or silver , but much rozen and liquors , which they have from trees , and sanguis dragonis . the city of cartagena , standeth neer the sea two leagues west from point canta , in ten degrees of height . it hath more then six hundred housholds , and in it is resident the governour , the king of spains officers of the royall treasure , and the cathedrall suffragan to the archbishop of granado , with monasteries of deminick , and franciscan , friars . the scituation is plain , and almost an island , on the north side compasseth it , and to the land an arm of the sea , which reacheth to the lake of canapote . at the entrance of the haven , there is an island without inhabitants . the village of saint james of tolu , is two leagues from cartagena south-west the village of saint margito , and 30 leagues from cartagena , to the south the village of sancta crux , is 70 leagues from cartagena by the sea and great river of magdalen , and twenty from sancta martha , six from the sea , where the marchandizes that are bound to the kingdome of granado are delivered out of the ships , and from thence are transported up the river in canowes . chap 58. the kingdome of granado . this kingdome lyeth from the sea , adjoyning on the south part of cartagena . it is a very rich countey in mines of emraulds , gold , steel , and copper , store of pastures , with all sorts of cattle , wheat , millet , fruits , and hearbs . the indians are great traders , and able men of body , ingenious in the sciences of the spaniards . the merchandize commeth up the the river magdalen , on which this land lyeth . their chief city is sancta fee , scated on the bottome of a hill , in four degrees to the north of the equinoctiall line of more than six hundred housholds . in which is resident in behalf of the king of spain , a councill for managing of the affaires of the kingdome , the officers of the royall treasure , a melting house , and a cathedrall metropolitan , two monasteries of friars , and in her borders more than fifty thousand tributary indians . the city of tocampa standeth on the river cati , which runneth into magdalen . this city hath also many indians tributary , so hath all the other spanish towns , which are first saint michael , then the city of trinity , 20 leagues from sancta fee north-west , the town of palms , fifteen leagues from sancta fee west north-west . and the city of tunis north-east from sancta fee 22 leagues : it stands upon a hill of an extraordinary scituation . here is a great garrison of souldiers , and the best market in all the realm . here is also the city of meridia , the city of victorey , the village of saint christopher , the city beles , and the city of marequeata , all spanish cities , with many hundred large towns and villages of indians . through this region they passe from cartagena by land to peru , commonly by post , but not otherwise , by reason that it is fifteen hundred leagues from cartagena to cosco . this region cannot be entred by land from cartagena , by reason of the great waters and mountains that are in the way , wherefore they passe up the river magdalen , with merchandize from the custome-house of malamba , on the said river , from whence to the first landing in the kingdome of granada is one hundred and fifty miles . chap. 59. the province of sancta martha . this province of martha , lyeth between cartagena , and the river hacha , on the north sea . it is a plentifull countrey of millet , potatoes , much gold , emraulds , and other rich stones , and copper , and hath five spanish towns , the city of sanct a martha , in ten degrees of north latitude , where is resident the spanish governour , the king of spains officers of his treasure , and a cathedral suffragan to that of granado . the city of tenerif standeth on the river magdalen , which parteth this province from cartagena . the village of palms , is two leagues from this river , twenty to the south of tenerif , the city of losreas is 30 leagues from the river hacha . on the coast of this government is the river biaba , piaras , aguamur , and sancta martha . the indians of this province are commonly in war , which is a hinderance to the spaniards quiet enjoying the riches . it exceedeth in stones of such value and quantity , as is not elswhere to be found in india . chap. 60. venesiula . the province of venesiula , lyeth on the north sea , parted from sancta martha , by the river of hacha , on the east is the province of suava , or new andelosia , as the spaniards call it . the coast of the sea is neer 130 leagues of length . in this land are veins of gold , of more than two and twenty carracts and a half . it is plentifull of wheat and other seeds , for there are two harvests in a year . it hath abundance of all kind of cattle , great and small , cotton and sasaprila . the city of coro standeth in ii degrees in a good air , the governour for the king of spain resideth here . it hath also a melting-house , and cathedrall with monasteries . the city of the lady of carvalteda , on the sea coast 8 leagues from coro , with a bad haven . saint james is within the land three leagues to the south of carvelteda . the new valentia is sixty leagues from coro , and seven from the port of brubufa xeres 15 leagues south from valentia . the new sigonia is 20 leagues to the south of xeres . the city of tacuio , standeth ten leagues from segavia , south-west truxcillio , eight leagues from coro south and by east . on this coast , the principall river is the river hacha , which parts this province from sancta martha , neer the mouth is a rich town and beads of pearl of the best in india . chap. 61. guana . this region comprehendeth all the land that lyeth between the province of venesula and brazil , which beginneth at twodegrees of south latitude ; this land is more famous for report , than for any certain knowledge of the riches thereof , for at this day , there is no more than one spanish town called codoa , which lyeth on the sea coast from trinidado . the spaniards are neer it , and have better opportunities to know the riches of it than any other . but the indians which are in great part fled from the spanish countreys , are so much their enemies , as not to permit them to come amongst them without wars , which is a great hinderance to the spaniards undertakings . but although this countrey promiseth much , in truth to this day there are no mines found and worked either of gold or silver , although it is very probable by the latitude , that it doth abound in both . the rivers are many and great , that issue into the sea frō this coast , of which the most famous are the rivers orinoque , or orileania , which entreth into the sea with sixteen mouths . the best enterance is by the branch du west from trinidado the river of amasions is more southerly , and issueth into the sea under the line . the mouth or entrance of this river is more shallow then orinoque , neither is it so well known , although the english and dutch have traded up them both with the indians for these commodities naturall to the countrey , bees wax ; cotton-wool , cassia fistula , bolearmoniack , teralemna , and divers other drugs , and wood fit for dyers , and some balsomes . the people love our nation above any other , and would be glad to assist us on any design . the air in this countrey is in some places extream hot and moist , in other places constantly hot and dry , and in other some very temperate all the year long . chap. 62. the land of brazil . this province beginneth where guana endeth , at two degrees of south latitude , where there is a point called the cape of snakes , from whence it lyeth along the coast of the north sea to 25 degrees , and on the back side west , lyeth the provinces of the river of plate . the air is the whole year through very hot , the winter which is our summer , distinguished only with the rain that falleth at that season . here are many venemous worms and great serpents , t is plentifull of pastures , cattle and horses , little millet and no english grain , wherefore their bread is casabi or potatoes , which are in good plenty . there are great shews of silver and gold , but none gotten , nor mines certainly known . the chief commodity is sugar , cotton-wool , bombast , and brazil-wood . it hath neer the sea coast about 20 portugall towns , many ingeniowes , or sugar works : the first town of the countrey is called tamerico , and 5 leagues to the south of that farnambuck or rescif , then all saints 100 leagues from farnambuck in 14 degrees 40 minutes . the town of the sure haven in 16 degrees and a half : the holy ghost in 20. there is another town on the river generio , in 23 degrees neer which they cut much brasel-wood . there are on the coast eight or ten ports , more principall than the rest , which are the river saint dominick north-east off farnambuck , by the cape of saint augustine , which standeth in 9 degres . the island of tamerico before rehearsed , the river of saint francis in 10 degrees and a half . it is very great . the bay of all saints is 3 leagues and 13 up into the land . the river of trinidado , and the river of canamon in 13 degreees and a half . the river of beads in 14 degrees and a half , and the river of the virgins in 16 , and portesceurae in 17. the river of parague , in 20 : neer the town of sanctus spiritus , and in 23 degrees cold cape beyond saint vincent . this province hath been in difference between the portugeses , and west india company of holland , and as the dutch got great footing there without right , so the portugals , since their falling from spain have surprized them again , and recovered them by the same slight they got the east indies from us , but not with such vile murthers , as they committed on the english . they have now the town of resif , onely which not long since was neer lost . chap. 63. of the provinces of the river plate . the provinces of plate , take name from the river on which they lye , the passage to them is up the said river , but they are almost on the back of brazil . they are large and far wholsomer then brazil , plenty of sugar , ginger , wine , wheat , millet , all sorts of english fruits , store of cattle , swine , and horses , but no mines that are worked . they are subjected by the spaniards , and united to the councill of peru , on the south sea for neernesse of lying to that kingdome , there is a common passage from these provinces thither by land over the mountains , the most of the land is indifferently inhabited . this province hath three spanish cities , the best is the city of ascension . it lyeth in 23 degrees and a half of south latitude west from brazil , and east from peru , 300 leagues up the river of plate on the north-side . in it is resident the spanish governour , the officers royall , and a cathedrall , suffragan to the archbishop of lima , in peru. the next is the city royall , distant from the ascension eighty leagues north-east . the city of bucnos ayres standeth on the river plate , one hundred leagues from the mouth of the same . these provinces are full of indians , and mistisos which are spaniards children begotten on indian women . on this coast between the brazil and the mouth of the river plate , is the port of saint vincent in 33 degrees against becena burgo a small island , and six leagues to the south the river ubay the port and island dela canana in 35 degrees , and forward the river de la barca . and 20 leagues from thence the port of roderico , and in 29 degrees the island of catalina and five leagues to the south close haven . and fifteen leagues further another river called traquean . and in 32 degrees the bay of saint george . and in 35 degrees the cape of saint mary at the entring into the river plate . the south cape is called cape blanke , and the mouth of this river of plate , is thirty over and a great way up it , ten leagues in breadth with many islands , and divers great rivers issuing into it . chap. 64. of the coast between the river of plate and the strait of magelan . from the mouth of this river , the strait lyeth southwest , and is distant thence 400 leagues . it hath on the said coast : first the point of saint helena in 37 degrees , the point of francis in 38 : the river of canobi in 45. and to the south the isle of ducks . and in 47 the river of seriani , and in 49 the port of saint julian , the river of sancta crux in 50. and 12 leagues before you come to the strait of ilefonsus . but the land possest with no other but the natives , which are a gyantly people . chap. 65. the straight of magellan . this straight is famous for the troublesome passage of drake , candish , and haukins , three english men generals , each in a severall fleet : drake and candish being the first that sailed along the coast of peru , and so to the east indies , and came home by the cape of bona sperantia , circum-navigating the globe . the last being much over-matched was taken by the spaniards on the coast of peru , and convayed from thence prisoner to spain . from whence with much difficulty he obtained his freedome , although solemn engagements passed from the generall his taker for his freedome . the entrance into this strait is in 52 degrees , and the comming out into the south sea the same height . it is an extream difficult passage by reason of the meeting of the north and south seas in the channell , driving each other back , prevailing as they are favoured by the wind , which commonly bloweth there exceeding boysterously and cold . there are divers caves and bays in it , but no incouragement for a sea-man to adventure that way . the inhabitants on this strait are few , and extream savage , neither is this passage any more in use : for those that will go by the south of america to the east indies , or into the south sea to any part of the west coast of america , have a more convenient passage south of this strait in an open sea . the entrance into it is called lamear , but the sea was discovered by sir francis drake , and sir richard haukins both which were driven back by foul weather into those seas after they had passed the strait . on the coast of the south sea , which lyeth between the strait and chilli , there are no inhabitants save the wild natives , but it hath the bay of horses in 52 degrees , and the bay of saint john in 50. the cape of saint francis in 51. and 18 leagues before you come to port hearnan the bay of galago in 48 degrees 40 minutes , and north of it the bay of kings , and the isle of catilina , then the cape of saint andrew in 42 degrees where chilla beginneth . chap. 66. chillia . this coast reacheth to 28 degrees of south latitude . this region is wholsome above all other in the indies , being of an excellent temperature , as neither too hot nor too cold . it is abundantly rich in gold and silver mines , and all sorts of cattle & grain , fruits & excellent pleasant wine . the countrey men are strong and valiant beyond compare , which the spaniards know to their great cost , for they could never totally subdue this nation . the spaniards had formerly 12 spanish towns in this province , the most south was the city of chillon in an island of fifty leagues long , that almost joyneth to the firm land , which beareth the name of this whole countrey , this town had in it a monastery of friars ; and to the north of this town 41 leagues , the city of osornio seven leagues from the sea , with two monasteries of friars , and one of nuns . the city of valdiva two leagues within the mouth of the river valdiva in 40 degrees . it had thtee monasteries of friars , and one of nuns . the city imperiall in 39 degrees of height 3 leagues from the sea : in it was resident the cathedrall , and two monasteries of friars . the city of conception lyeth in 37 degrees neer the sea . and there did reside the governour of the countrey . the harbour is good , and made by an island which lyeth before a nook in the land . the port of quoquimbo , is a good harbour , and standeth in 32 degrees . the town of laserana , is next to peru. it lyeth pleasamly by the valley of quoquimbo . in this place it rains but thrice a year : this countrey is neer 300 leagues by the sea , but not above twenty into the land , where lye the andes , which are mighty great mountains , that run through the southern america , even from the strait of magellan to sancta martha of the spanish towns in chilla , there is recovered by the natives , and by them quite destroyed the city of conception , chillon , osornio , valdivia , and imperiall . chap. 67. the councill of charcas . the bounds of this councill stretcheth from chilia to peru , it hath abundance of cattle of all kinds , great shag-haired sheep bigger then goats that carry great burthens on their backs , store of corn of all sorts , fruits and wine , much gold , and the greatest mines of silver in the world . there are few spanish towns , and but one port , in regard the spaniards get neer the hill of potosi , to the city imperiall , which lyeth in 19 degrees of latitude far from the sea , and delivereth that which is exported , and receiveth the marchandize imported at the city of arica . the city of imperiall , is exceeding populous of spaniards and indians , and it standeth neer the hill of potosi , which is much to be admired for the great quantities of silver is drawn from thence , and exceeding deep caves in the earth , from whence they fetch it , that are so intricate and far in the earth , that those that go in take the popish sacraments , the danger of death is so great . this mountain is as it were pointed at by a black cloud that perpetually hangeth over it . the land about it is most extream barren , yet the great quantity of silver that is there causeth that all sorts of variety is there in great plenty , although at a dear rate . and towards the port of arica , are the mines of porco , which are more ancient and very great , but harder to work . the indians live in the best places for cattle , corn , wine , and fruits being tributary to the spaniards , that in behalf of the king of spain are lords of these great riches . chap. 68. the kingdom of peru. this kingdome is governed by a councill and viceroy . it hath to the north the councill of quipo , on the south charcas , and to the west the south sea , and to the east without limits . this kingdome is well peopled with civill orderly indians , that are in great subjection to the spaniards . peru doth abound in all sorts of fruits , seed , cattle , horses , sheep , swine , rich mines of gold , silver , quick-silver , plentifull of wine , oil , and sugar . the andes run through this province within ten leagues of the sea . in all which coasts it never raineth , but on the said hils it raineth continually , and beyond as in other regions . the plains between the sea , and the said hils , have few or no rivers , but the industrie of the inhabitants draw in trenches , ( which are artificially made ) the water either from those few rivers , or from the side of the said andes , which maketh that the said plain is mightily populous , fruitfull and pleasant even as a garden . the city of lema is neer the south sea in 12 degrees of south lalatitude , on the side of a rich and pleasant valley . it consisteth of 4000 houses . on the east-side of it runneth a fair river , by which the citizens have gardens with most excellent fruits . and this is the sole place in the world that is without thunder and lightning , which never happen here , neither is there plague or pestilence , but the inhabitants enjoy perpetually a clear and fair sky . it is the seat of the viceroy and councill , and assembly of chief justices , the officers of the king of spains revenue , the chief seat of the inquisition , a university with schools of divers indians , languages , five monasteries of friars , and one of jesuits , calao which is the port of this city is two leagues from it . it is great and good . the village of arneado is in the valley of chianeai ten leagues from lima , neer a good haven in 9 degrees . the city of truxcilo , stands in seven degrees and a half neer the sea , with monasteries of dominican , franciscan , and mercenaries , and officers royall for these bounds . the port is two leagues of the city in a bay not very good for ships . the city of saint john is seated in a most plentifull place , and the indian inhabitants are the fairest and most wel-favoured people in the indies . the city guanang is to the south of lema . it hath monasteries of dominican , franciscan , and mercenaries , and one of nuns , and the best houses of any city in peru of brick and stone . it standeth in a temperate place , and is very healthy . the city of cosco , is the head city of peru , by a title that it hath from the kings of spain . it lyeth in 13 degrees and a half south of the equinoctiall . it is a very great city , and hath four great streets that go to the four parts of the world . it hath many monasteries and nunneries , with a cathedrall , and divers schools of indian children . the city of ariquipa is in 16 degrees on the sea side . it is a rich and flourishing place , and in a wholesome climate : the other cities of spaniards are inland , but these rehearsed are the most eminent . the inconveniency of this countrey is the great earthquakes that often happen especially about jema . there are three wonderfull springs of water in this countrey , a water that turneth so soon as it is stopt to stone . if a man or beast drink of it , it turneth to a stone in his body , and killeth him : with this they make stones of what fashion they please , and make their houses : there is another water that springeth far within land , that being setled turneth to pure white salt : the other is two spouts of water , by each other , the one hot , the other cold . the remarkablest ports , ilands and points on this coast are the ilands of lobos in 7 degrees : the one is four leagues from the coast , the other more ; and forward to the south west the i le of saint rock , and further the port of abrago ten leagues to the north of truxcilio in 7 degrees and a half : the port of santa in nine degrees , and five leagues more south port farwell , and six from it casama , and eight leagues further the port of gurmay , and twenty leagues to the south the baranca and potquaria , where there is a great salt pit . and a little more south the i le of lema , at the entry of the port of cala , and twenty leagues more south the point of guareo . and in 15 degrees the point chuca , and forward the point of saint laurence , neer the river ariquipa . and then the river of nonsbred ' dios , where peru endeth , and the councill of charchas beginneth . chap. 69. quito kingdome . this kingdome is governed by a councill , whole bounds lyeth between peru and panama . it hath two mighty countreys or provinces within his circuit , that is to say , first quito , and then popyan . quito lyeth between peru and popyan on the south sea , and far into the land under the equinoctiall line : and contrary to the opinion of the ancients , it is a most wholesome temperate countrey , and rather cold than hot in most parts of it . in those places where the snowes continue all the year , it raineth from october to march , which they call winter : this province is rich in mines of emraulds , and gold , silver and quick-silver , plentifull of english grain and cattle , horse and swine . this region is happy in the temperature of the air , there being neither extream cold nor heat , as lying equinoctiall to these extreams , and which is most delightfull to mans nature always , a cleer skie . the spanish towns are the city of saint francis , 60 leagues from the south sea , and half a league to the north of the equinoctiall : in it are resident the councill , the officers of the spanish kings revenues , and a cathedrall with three monasteries . the town of bamba lyeth south-west from quito , on a river of that name . it is possest by spaniards and indians , which are extream rich in sheep above any town of india . the city of loxein standeth in the way from quito to cosco : there are many other spanish inland towns which are great & good , of which i have no certain knowledg , but of most consequence to a navigator , is the port towns : the best of which is poyta in five degrees . it is a good and great harbour . the city of saint james of aquil standeth not far from the sea . it hath a good port on a river that runneth fair by the city fit for vessels of great burthen . the city of porto vivegio standeth on the sea neer the borders of peru , the indians of this place have red warts that sometimes grow on their noses and foreheads , cheeks and chins , which eateth as a ring-worm with us , but far more to the dis-figuring the face , and in extremity of pain . the river and port of tombes is in 4 degrees , and south of it the i le of pana , the port of calaio in two degrees height south latitude , by which standeth the ile of plata , and one degree to the south of the equinoctiall , the bay of this province hath formerly had great gyants living there , as appeareth by the great bones often found , and pieces of teeth , which have weighed fourteen ounces . neer the said point of helena , there are veins of tar , which runneth out of the earth , with which they commonly cank their ships . chap. 70 popyan . this province lyeth between quito and panama , the greatest part of it is in-land , yet doth it for a good way lye on the south sea . the eastern part bordereth on the kingdome of granado and cartagena . the temperature of ayr is very different in this place , for here are some places indifferent temperate and cool , other places are violent hot and sickly . this province hath some indians peaceable , other some extraordinary savage , insomuch that about the village of arma , and canarna , they eat not onely those that they take in war , cutting off slivers eating one part , while the other liveth , but sell their children , and the sons their fathers and mothers to the butchers that keep shambles of mans flesh . this countrey is exceeding rich in gold mines , which maketh that the spaniards endure the other inconveniences of the countrey with great patience . the principall spanish city in this goverment is popyan , which lyeth far from the sea , two degrees to the north of the equinoctiall . it hath the leivtenant governour resident in it , a cathedrall with monasteries of friars : the city of cali standeth in 4 degrees 20 leagues from the sea : the governour is resident in it , and the officers of the king of spains treasure , a melting house and two monasteries . the port of bonaventure lyeth in 3 degrees and ahalf north of the line : this is a place of good resort of merchants , and hath a good port and a fair custome-house . the village of sancta fee , on the river of cavaca . the village of arma , borders on granada , neer which lyeth the village of canarman . on the sea coast is the cape of corientes in 5 degrees to the north of the line . the river solines in four degrees , and south ten leagues , the river of saint john in two degrees : and little more south the river of saint lucas , and further south the port of the crosse , finis . november 18. 1650. imprimatur nathanael brent . gods protecting providence, man's surest help and defence in the times of the greatest difficulty and most imminent danger evidenced in the remarkable deliverance of divers persons from the devouring waves of the sea, amongst which they suffered shipwrack : and also from the more cruelly devouring jawes of the inhumane canibals of florida / faithfully related by one of the persons concerned therein, jonathan dickenson. dickinson, jonathan, 1663-1722. 1699 approx. 210 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 55 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a35938 wing d1389 estc r13049 13134884 ocm 13134884 97900 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a35938) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 97900) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 414:11) gods protecting providence, man's surest help and defence in the times of the greatest difficulty and most imminent danger evidenced in the remarkable deliverance of divers persons from the devouring waves of the sea, amongst which they suffered shipwrack : and also from the more cruelly devouring jawes of the inhumane canibals of florida / faithfully related by one of the persons concerned therein, jonathan dickenson. dickinson, jonathan, 1663-1722. [12], 96 p. by reinier jansen, printed in philadelphia : 1699. an account of a shipwreck and the ensuing hardships in which robert barrow dies. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng barrow, robert, d. 1697. shipwrecks. indians of north america -florida. 2006-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-07 taryn hakala sampled and proofread 2008-07 taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion gods protecting providence man's surest help and defence in the times of the greatest difficulty and most imminent danger ; evidenced in the remarkable deliverance of divers persons , from the devouring waves of the sea , amongst which they suffered shipwrack . and also from the more cruelly devouring jawes of the inhumane canibals of florida . faithfully related by one of the persons concerned therein ; jonathan dickenson . psal. 93 : 4. the lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters , yea than the mighty waves of the sea. psal. 74 : 20. the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty . printed in philadelphia by reinier jansen . 1699. the preface ingratitude towards men , after signal fawours received , is , amongst all civilized people , looked upon with a just detestation ; insomuch that the morall gentiles in ages past , thought they could give no worse a character of a person , than to call him ungratefull . how much more then are christians ( especially in a time of such light , as now shineth ) engaged , to shun this fin of ingratitude , towards their god , whom the sensible know , to be the fountain of all their mercies : and surely , next to the infinite mercy shewed them for christs sake , in causing the days-spring from on high to visit their souls ; remarkable outward deliverances , ought in a more than commonly remarkable manner , to be the objects of their gratitude , to their great deliverer . i must confess , thanks giving ( which is what we poor mortal● can return , for the manifold favours we daily receive from him ) hath it's rise in the heart ; and as out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh , how can those who are truly thankfull in heart ; but render the calves of their lips ; in telling to their friends and acquaintance , how great things god hath done for them : nay , they are so affected , with such eminent appearances of the protecting hand of providence , for their help , preservation and deliverance ; that they are not vvilling to confine it to them only , but to publish it to the world ; that the fame of their god may be spread from sea to sea , and from one end of the earth to the other . the following relation being large , i shall endeavour to be short ; only , some of the things which seem to me most remarkable ' i would more particularly recommend to the readers observation . 1. the hearts of all men are in the hand of god , he can turn them as he pleases . when these man-eaters fury was at height , their knives in one hand , and the poor shipwrakt people's heads in the other ; their knees upon the others shoulders , and their looks dismal ; on a suddain ; the savages were struck dumb , and their countenances changed , that they looked like another people ; the casseekey ( or king ) becoming as a safegard to the distressed , from the injuries of his own men : nay , such confidence put he in them , that he would trust them to remove the mony , he had taken from themselves , before he would trust his own . when they were got from these to another place , where they expected more safety , they found themselves disappointed ▪ fresh dangers presenting themselves , as dismally as before , yet god prevented any further mischief , than the stripping them of those poor rags the others had left them , and some other abuses , which by that time were grown familiar to them , and were looked upon as light afflictions . the casseekys wi●e being made an instrument for their delivery , she and some others having some thing of tenderness of heart in them , though amongst such an inhumane crew . 2. many were the particular deliverances upon occasion of injuries offered . once , an arrow shot at them narrowly escaped them . another time , some going to shoot arrows at them , certain of their own company caught hold of their bows and arms ; nay , though some of them shot , yet their arrows mist . not to mention the frequent dangers they were in , upon every slight suspicion of their being english , of which more anon : and well might these poor sufferers be in continual fear of their lives , since about a 12 month before a parcel of dutch-men who had likewise suffered shipwrack , had been killed and devoured ; and moreover , of the many vessels supposed to be lost on that coast , these are the first company , that are known to have escaped . neither is it so wonderfull that they are thus cruel to strangers , since they are unnatural to their own aged people ; they having no more compassion on them , than to make them slaves to the younger . yet are these man-eaters as cowardly as cruel ; when the spaniards came up , the sight of a rusty muske● presented towards them , would make severall of them flie . 3. the dangers they were delivered from , arose not only from men , but the elements also god permitted to threaten them , and afflict them . one time rowing in their boat , the sea swelled , so that it was dangerous continuing there on al night , and as dangerous , to ende●vour for the 〈◊〉 yet providence failed them not , but conducted them 〈◊〉 thither , as though there had been a lane 〈◊〉 through the breakers . another time , by reason of a great flood 〈◊〉 were forced to remove their lodgings several times , and for divers daies , were in a continual apprehension of being drowned , at length were preserved upon an oyster-hill . not to mention the frequent dangers they were in , by reason of the extream cold , too tedious to touch at here . wherein this however is remarkable ; that god can both administer strength in the midst of weakness , and also take away strength , and cause weakness to seize , whenever he pleases : here was an old man , a woman with a sucking child , and another with child persons , seemingly , very unlikely to encounter such hardships , all escaped , and divers negro's , used to more hardiness , perished . 4. as to lodging , i shall say little , any discreet person may imagine , how hard it was to people well brought up , to lie on a floor , swarming with abundance of many sorts of creeping things , occasioned by the throwing the berry stones on the floor , and letting all the nastiness they made lye there , which bred these vermine ; and yet perhaps might be accounted good lodging , in comparison of the cold ground , where on they often lay afterwards unsheltered , exposed to the bleak blasts of the rigid north-west-wind . 5. their food mostly scanty , the best of it such , as ( i am ready to think ) the meanest negro , here would not touch with his lips : sometimes the gills and gutts of fish pickt oft a dunghill , sometimes the scraps the indians flung away , and the water they boyled their fish in , though never so undecently handled . at first their sorrows were so great , and their alarms so many , they could not eat ; afterwards their dyet so uncouth , they could not away with it ; untill at length hunger had so far prevailed over them , that they could eat with an appetite , the palmetto berries , the tast whereof was once irksome , and ready to take away their breath : nay so send were they of them , that the getting about a bushel accident●●ly , was looked on as a great prize . 6. their being forced to mask themselves under the name of spaniards , though few of them could speak any spanish , was an other hardship : mostly because the natives often suspected them to be english , and thereby they were continually in danger of their lives . whether their cruelty against the english , proceeds from their being under no apprehension of danger from them , and so may think themselves lawless , in what they do against our nation ; or whether it proceeds , from any particular disgust offered them by some english , i shall not determine : however it would do well , for those that are not under their power , to avoid giving them any just cause of offence , least their neighbours suffer for their faults : one of these savages could complain , that , some years past , he had been taken off by some of our english sloops , from whom ●e escaped by swimming , and was therewith disgusted , insomuch , that could he , by his si●ting , have found o●t that they were english , it might have proved of ill consequence to them . 7. the courtesy of the governour of augusteen , who clothed these naked people , fed their hungry stomachs , and caused them to be conducted safely to carolina , is not to be passed by without due notice ; especially being a man of another nation , as well as of a different religion , and what is more , of such an one , as doth not teach its votaries , so much compassion , towards those they count hereticks . neither let me forget the governour of carolina , whose generosity compleated , what the governour of augusteen had begun , in assisting and cherishing these our afflicted friends and country folks ; with which i shall conclude these remarks , to treat more particularly , concerning that faithfull servant of the lord robert barrow , who was one of this company . this man of god , whose habitation was in one of the northern counties of england , was early convinced of the blessed truth of god , prosessed by the people called quakers , and soon after had a discensation of the gospel committed to him . he lived in his native country , in esteem amongst his neighbours , for his godly conversation , and honoured in the church of god , as an elder vvho had abode faithfull in his testimony , both in preaching the gospel , suffering for the same , and behaving himself ansvverably thereunto . and in the year 1694 the spirit of god ( from vvhom he first had his commission ) requiring him to come over into these parts , to preach the gospel here also , he was not disobedient to the heavenly call , but gave up to do the will of god , though in a cross to his own , as appeared by an expression of his , before he left england , which was to this effect , that he had rather immediately have laid down his natural life there , if by so doing he could have kept his peace with god , than to have crossed the seas to america . well● hither he came , and after he had throughly visited these parts , he took ship for the west-indian islands , and at length was returning from jamaico , to this town of philadelphia , when these calamities mentioned in the ensuing journal be●ell him . how he behaved himself under them , is therein expressed , with what patience he was carried through them , with what faith he overcame , even the very worst of men , so that it may be said , he was more than a conquerour over those bloodthirsty canibals ; looking to him who was invisible , and by his grace seeing beyond them and their cruelty ; by prayer wrestling with god for a blessing , even the blessing of being delivered out of their barbarous hands , and laying his bones amongst faithfull friends ; and so effectual were his fervent prayers , that they prevailed with god ; and so gracious was his god unto him , that he sealed an assurance upon his spirit , that his prayers were heard , and should in due time be ansvvered , before he vvas yet off his knees . and doubtles , he was made a strength and a comfort , to his companions in affliction , whose remembrance will not be easily blotted out of their minds . one remarkable passage i cannot well omit , which demonstrates , he had well learnt of him vvho is a god of truth , to speak the truth from all occasion● ; 〈◊〉 vvith vvith the h●zard of his life ●or as the reader may observe is the series of this follovving relation , thie●e poor people , for the safeg●rd of their lives , had assumed the name of spaniards , some on that account asserting what was wrong , others concealing the truth , yet this honest hearted man , being directly asked the question , nickaicer , nicka●●r ? ( 〈◊〉 word for englishman ) could do neither ; but in simplicity answered , yes ; being asked so concerning another , he 〈◊〉 gain ansvvered , yes . yet , though for his plain dealing he was stript of his cloths , which till then he had saved , god suffered not these savages to touch his life , or the lives of any of his company . thus he passed through this afflicting tryal , and at length arrived at this place , on the 1st . day of the 2d . month 1697 ▪ though in much weakness , having been taken very ill or the belly ache and flux at augusteen , of which he never recovered , but still grew worse and worse , to his dying day . it was about the 8th . hour in the evening , when the barkentine he was passenger in , arrived at this place : divers friends vvent on bo●rd , in order to get him ashoar , but he being in a very vveak condition , they could not remove him at that time . he declared his great satisfaction , that the lord had granted his request , that he might lay down his bones in this place ; that his heart was strong , and be hoped he might first see friends again at the meeting . he made mention of the goodness of god to him , and that his presence had attended him in all his exercises . the next morning being the 2d . of the 2d . month , divers friends went on board , to help the vessel up to a wharf , in order to get him on shoar , in which time he spake as before related , gods power attending him . about the 7th . hour , divers friends carried him in a hammocker ( being wrapt up in a blanket and cloths to keep him warm ) to the house of samuel carpenter . where he declared the goodness of god to him , and that his heart was yet strong , and his memory and understanding good ; after whch he was shifted and then slept a considerable time . being awaked , he 〈…〉 very comfortable and previous expresions , which some who were 〈◊〉 afterwards committed to writing , what they could 〈…〉 and are as follows . he enquiring what was 〈◊〉 of george keith's people ? was ansvvered ; that they were strangely divided , many of them become 〈◊〉 and the honest hearted amongst them returned to friends . he 〈◊〉 to this purpose , they 〈…〉 the rock they had rejected . and tha● 〈…〉 please god 〈…〉 many waies ▪ by suffering 〈◊〉 neighbouring governments , to tempt or perswade us , to setup or establish the national ministry here ; ye● , he 〈…〉 it , and not touch therewith . and 〈…〉 also much endeavour , to perswade 〈…〉 establishing and maintaining a militia amongst 〈◊〉 which he also desired us not to touch with , and that if we kept faithfull to the lord , he would desend and preserve us , and that we needed no such means of preservation , for if our waies did please the lord , he would make our enemies to be at peace with us . and he further said that prophe●● was fulfilled , and a remnant were wilnesses of it , that swords should he beat into plonghshares , and 〈◊〉 into pruning-hooks ; and that those who make use of the sword , should perish with the sword. speaking concerning some friends of the ministry in old england , he said : many friends about us that were rich men , and had publick testimonies , were much 〈◊〉 with their wordly concerns , which was a great hindrance to their publick service , and i would be often speaking to them about it : for ( said he ) i found it to be hindrance to me , and so i gave it all up into my son's hands , be allowing me and my wife so much a year , and then i was at liberty , and had the world under my ●eet ; which i would of ●●he telling them . he often said , that this place 〈◊〉 gods plantation , that in jamaica and carolina there were 〈◊〉 few 〈◊〉 , but that this place had a great fame abroad , wherever he had been , for an honest , laborious and good people . whereupon he exhorted us many times to keep up our fame , and told us the means how by being f●●●●full to god , and keeping in love one which another● and by forgiving our ●respasses one against another : often exhorting us to love one another , mentioning that expression of our saviour by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples , if ye love one another . he likewise pressed us to meet often together ; using this schripture as a motive thereto , for they that feared the lord met often together , and spake often one unto another , and a book of remembrance was written . he further said , the lord had given him the desire of his heart in coming hither , and that , if he dyed here , he was very well satisfied , and he believed his wife would also be well satisfied ; and that as the lord had given her to him , and him to her , so they had given one another up ; and that when he came from her , it was as if he was going to his grave ; that neither gold nor silver , riches nor ●●mour , should have parted them , but that he did it only in obedience to the lord , and to keep his peace with god. he said , that had been convinced about 4. 5. years ; & had born a faithfull testimony against the hireling priests , & had been in prison seven times for his testimony , & the lord had alwaies been his preserver & deliverer , by waies that he thought not of ; and so friends ( said he ) will he be to you , if you be faithfull to him ; and that several who had been committed prisoners with him , had used indirect means to get at liberty ; but it was alwaies my resolution ( said he ) not to bow a knee to baal ; & yet the lord wrought my deliverance . and further he said severall times , that in his late afflictions , he had seen more of the wonders & dealings of the lord , than ever he had seen before , or ever should have seen , if he had not gone through them , and that he felt the lord with him , which did out ballance all . speaking of his patient bearing his sufferings , and how he was supported by the lords power under all , and of his inquiry of the lord about it , the lords answer was : let patience have its perfect work . speaking how sick he was at jamaica for about twenty weeks , yet ( said he ) i mist but one meeting . he also said that he desired of the lord , that he might not dye by the hands of those barbarians ; for ( said he ) they thirsted , or longed as much after our flesh , as ever we did after victualls . on the 3 d. day of the 2 d. month , some friends coming into the room to visit him at the sight of them he seemed to rejoice , and putting forth his hand , was ready to embrace them in much love , and in a very tender frame of spirit . the friends expressed their gladness to see him , but said , they were sorry to see him so very weak ; to which he replied , although my body be weak , my mind is sound , and memory good : and further said the lord hath been very good to me , all along unto this very day , and this morning hath sweetly refres●ed me . and further added , the lord hath answered my desire ; for i desired content , and that i might come to this place , to ●ay my bones amongst you . and afterwards said , it is a good thing , to have a conscience void of offence , both towards god , and towards man. on the 4th . day of the 2d . month , being the 1st . day of the week , about the 5th . hour in the morning , he desired a friend to write for him to his dear wife , to remember his dear love to her , and to let her know of his travels , & being here , & that the lord was with him ; that his outward affairs were seiled , & that she had wherewith all to live on . he further said , divers friends being present , that the lord was with him , & all things were well , & that he had nothiug to do , but to dye . and accordingly on this day he departed , and on the 3d. day following , being the 6th . day of the 2d . month , was buried in friends burying ground , in this town of philadelphia . and now having brought my relation concerning this good man , to the last period of his life , i might very well here put a period to my preface ; but that i foresee , some persons may be ready to say : here is an account of very strange passages , but of what credit is the relator ? may we depend upon his authority , without danger of being imposed upon ? to ●uch i answer . he is a man well known in this town , of good credit and repute , on whose fidelity and veracity , those who have any knowledge of him , will readily relie , without suspecting fallacy . but , that in the mouth of two or three witness●s every thing may be established ; besides him & his wife , a person whose residence ( when at home ) is in this town , viz joseph kirle , the master of the barkenti●e in which they suffered shipwrack , a man of an honest character amongst his neighbours , had the perusall of it , before it went to the press , and approved it . with which i shall conclude ; wishing my reader much satisfaction in the reading of it : but never the unhappiness , of experiencing in proper person , the truth of it . a journal of the travels of severall persons , with their sufferings , being cast away in the gulph ( amongst the cannabals ) of florida . &c. persons names viz. mariners joseph kirle commander of the barkentine , reformation . richard limpeney mate . solomon cresson . joseph buckley . thomas fownes . thomas jemmet . nathaniel randall . john hilliard the masters boy . ben. the masters negro . passengers . robert barrow . jonatha● dickinson . mary dickinson . jonathan dickinson a sucking child six months old . benjamin allen. belonging to jonathan dickinson . negroe-men . peter . london . jack . cesar . cajoe a child . negro women hagar . sarah . bella. susana . quensa . venus an indian girle . the twenty-third day of the sixth-month , called august 1696. being in company w●●h twelve or thirteen sail of merchant-men ●●●derth c●●voy of the hampshire frigot captain 〈◊〉 commander sailed from port-royall in jamaica , we being bound for pensilvania . day of the month 24 day of the week 2 this day about noon came a sloop from port-royall , meeting us off portland ; gave in account of the french-fleet's being at cape-antonio . this evening we lay by off black rivers mouth in order to go the nex● morning 〈◊〉 bl●●field , out i● being calm ●or many days , 〈◊〉 , the current drove ●o westward of the island . day of the month 31 day of the week 2 mo. 7. this evening we lost sight of the hamps●●re-frigo●t land then beat to windward again . day of the month 1 day of the week 3 this evening we anchored to westward of sav●na la mar , & lost our anchor . day of the month 2 day of the week 4 this day we got in blewfield road to water . day of the month 4 day of the week 6 this morning we sa●●●●rom blewfields ●●tending our passage thro●gh the g●lph . day of the month 14 day of the week 2 this ●ay abou● noon were a brea●t with cape antonio 〈◊〉 and about a league to the lastwa●●s 〈◊〉 cape . was a ●ire making a great 〈…〉 appeared on the bay , making 〈…〉 put on 〈◊〉 ; but having a 〈◊〉 gale and no● kno●ing who they were , ou● master would not . this day made the table ●nd of the 〈◊〉 and his evening stood over 〈…〉 mile from us ▪ 〈…〉 we were got amongst the french-fleet tacked 〈…〉 day of the month 13 day of the week 6 this morning no ●ail appeared and being most of the day 〈◊〉 we layabo●● f●ur ●eag●es 〈…〉 d●signed for that por●to enquir● of the 〈…〉 : this afternoon came a turnado from the land ; a●d our master being on the 〈◊〉 ●eck our ●oom gibing knocked him down and broke his legg : which accident was grievous to him and us ; but i having things suitable , with a little experience se● it . at this time ●ad i four of my family very sick o●e whereof was an indian girl being j●st as i had bound up the master's legg taken with fitts which continued some hours and then she dy'd . this evening we stood over for cape florida , having the wind north-easterly . day of the month 19 : day of the week 7 this morning the wind not being fair ▪ we stood up for cuba , and about sun-rising we espyed the two sail that we saw before th●y standing as we stood : therefore we supposed them to be some of our company ; we wronged them in sailing , and by noon lost sight of them . about four this after-noon we espyed a ship to the eastward of us ( we being about four leagues off shoar ▪ and about fifteen leagues to eastward of the havana ) supposing her to be a french-man therefore stood in for the shoar , 〈…〉 gained on us : when a turnado sprang up and a great shower of rain followed wich 〈…〉 ; ●ereupon we racked and stood over 〈…〉 . night came on that we saw no 〈…〉 that ●ail , having the wind fair . day of the month 20 : day of the week 1 this morning were in the gulph , having a fair wind , and seeing the two ships following us , we believed them to be of our company . day of the month 21 : day of the week 2 this morning the wind at last and shi●●ing northerly . day of the month 22 : day of the week 3 this day the storm began at n. e. day of the month 23 : day of the week 4 about one a clock in the morning we felt our vessel strike some few stroaks , and then she floated again for five or six minu●●s before she ran fast a ground , where she beat violently at first : the wind was violent ▪ and it was very dark that our mariners could see no land ; the seas broke over us , that we were in a quarter of an hour floating in ●he cabin : we endeavoured to get a candle lighted , which in a little time was accomplished : by this time we felt the vessell not to strike so often , but severall of her timbers were broken , and some pla●k star●ed ; the seas continued breaking over us , and no land to be seen ; we concluded to keep in the vessel as long as she would hold together . about the third hour this morning we supposed we saw the land at some considerable distance , and at this time we found the water began to run out of the vessel : and at day-light we perceived we were upon the shoar , on a beach lying in the breach of the sea , wich at times , as the surgis of the sea reversed , was dry . in taking a vie ● of our vessell we found that the violence of the weather had forced many sorts of the sea-birds on board of our vessel some of wich were by force of the wind blown into and under our hen-cubbs and many remained a live . our hogs and ●heep were washed away a●d swam on shoar exept one of the hoggs wich remained in the vessel . we rejoyced at this our preservation from the raging seas ; but at the same instant feared the sad consequences that follow●d : yet having hopes ●ill we go●● our sick and lame on shoar , also our provisions , with spar●s and sails to make a 〈◊〉 . i went with one negroe to view the land and seek the most convenient place for that purpose ; but the wilderness countrey looked very dismall , having no trees but only sand , hills covered with shrubby palme●o , the stalks of which were prickly that there was no walking amongst them ; i espyed a place almost a furlong within that beach being a bottom ; to this place i with my negro soon cutt a passage , the storm and rain continuing : thither i got my wife and sick child being six months and twelve days old ▪ also robert barrow an aged man , who had been sick about five or six months our master who some days past broke his legg , and my kinsman ben●amin allen , who had been very ill with a violent fever most part of the voyage : these with others we gott to the place under the shelter of some few bushes which broke some of the wind but kept none of the rain from them ; i got a fire made : the most of our people were getting ●rovisions a shoar ; our chests , trunks and the rest of our clothing were all very wett and cold . about the eight or ninth hour came two indian men ( being naked except a small piece of platted work of straws wich just hid their private parts and fastened behind with a horse-tai●● in likeness made of a sort of silk-grass ) from the southward ▪ running fiercely and foaming at the mouth having no ●eapons except their knives : and forthwith not making any stop ; violently seized the two first of our men they met with who were carrying corn from the vessel to the top of the bank where i stood to receive it and put it into a cas●● : they ●sed no violence for the men resisted not , but taking them under the arm brought them towards me . 〈…〉 was very ●urious and bloody . they 〈◊〉 their ●air ●yed in a ro●e 〈◊〉 in which st●ck two bones shaped one like a broad arrow ; the other a spear head . the rest of our men followed from the vess●● ; 〈◊〉 what they should do , whether they should get their guns to kill these two ; bu● i perswaded them other wise , desiring them to be quiet , sh●wing their inability to defend us from what would follow ; but to put our trusts in the lord who was able to defend to the uttermost . i walkt towards the place where our sick and lame were , the two indian men following me , i told them the indians were come a●d coming upon us . a●d whilst these two ( letting the men loose ) stood with a wild furious countenance , sooking upon us i bethought my self to give them some tobacco and pipes , which they greedily snatcht from me , and making a snuffing noise like a wild-beast , turned their backs upon us and run away . we communed together and considered our condition being amougst a barbarous people , such as were general●y accounted man-eaters , believing 〈…〉 were gone to alarum their people . we satt our selves down , expecting cruelty and hard death excep●●● shoul● please the almighty god to work wonderfully for our deliverance . in this deep concernment some of us were not left without hopes ; blessed be the name of the lord in whom we trusted . as we were under a deep exercise and concernment , a motion arose from one of us that if we should put ourselves under the denomination of spaniards ( it being known that that nation had some influence on them ) and one of us named solomon cr●s●on , speaking the spanish language well , it was hop't this might be a means for our delivery : to which the most of the company assen●ed . within two or three hours after the departure of the two 〈◊〉 , some of our people being near the beach o● 〈◊〉 returned and said , the indians were coming in a very great number , all running and shouting : about this time the storm was much abated , the ●ain ceased ▪ and the sun appeared , which had been ●id from us many days . the indians went all to the vessel taking forth whatever they could lay hold on , except rum , sugar , molassoes , beef and pork . but their 〈◊〉 ( for so they call their king ) with about thirty more came down to us in a furious manner , having a dismall aspect and foaming at the month : their weapons were large spanish knives , except their 〈◊〉 who had a bagganett that belong'd to the master of our vessel : they rushed in upon us and cryed , nickaleez , nickalee● ; we und●rstood them not at first : they repeating it over unto us of●en ; at last they cryed , epainia or spaniard : by which we understood them that at first they mean● english ; but they were answered to the latter in spani●● yea ●owich they replyed , no spainia no , but all cryed o●● , nickaleez , nickaleez ▪ we fitting on our chests , boxes and trunks , and some on the ground , the indians surrounded us . we stirred ●or moved no● ; but sa●● all or most of us very calm and still , some of us in a good frame or spirit , being freely given up to the wi●● of god. whilst we were thus fitting , as a people almost unconcerned these bloody minded creatures placed themselves ●ach behind one kicking and ●hrowing away 〈◊〉 ●ushes 〈◊〉 vvere nigh 〈…〉 had placed himself behind me , standing o● the chest vvhich i satt upon , they all having their arms extended vvith their knives in their hands , ready to execute their bloody design , some taking hold of some of us by the heads vvith their knees sett against onr shoulders . in this posture they seem'd to wait for the casseekey to begin . they were high i● words wich we understood not . but on a sudden it pleased the lord to work wonderfully for our preservation , and instantly all these savage men were struck dumb , and like men amazed the space of a quarter of an hour , in which time their countenances fell , and they looked like another people . they quieted their places they had taken behind us , and came in amongst us req●iring to have all our chests , trunks & boxes unlockt ; which being done , they divided all that was in them . our mony the casseekey ●ook unto himself , privately hiding in the bushes . then they went to pulling of our clothes , leaving each of us only a pair of breeches , or a ●old coat , except my wife & child , robert barrow & our master , from whom they took but little this day . having thus done , they asked us again . nicka leez , nickaleez ? but we answered by saying p●nsilvania . we began to enquire after st. augu●●een , also would talk of st. a lucea , which was a town that lay about a degree to the nor●hward : bnt they cunningly would seem to perswade us , that they both lay to the southward . we signify'd to them that they lay to the north●ard . and we would talk of the havana that lay to the southward these places they had heard of & knew which way th●y lay . at length the casseekey , told us , how long it was to 〈◊〉 lucea by days travel ; but cared not to hear● as mention st. augusteen they would signify by signs , we should go to the southward . we answered that we must go●o the nothward for augusteen . when they found , they could not otherwise perswade us , th●y signify'd that we should go to the southward for the havana , and that it was but a little way . we gave them to understand that we came that way and were for the northward ; all which took place with them . we perceived ●hat the casseekey's heart was tendered towards us ; for he kept mostly with us & would the remaining part of this day keep off the petty-robbers , which would have had our few raggs from us . sometime before night we had a shower of rain , where upon the casseekey made signs for us to build some shelter ; upon which we got our tent up and some leaves to lie upon . about this time our vessell lay dry on shoar & th● indians gathered them selves together men and women , some hundreds in numbers . having gott all the goods out of the vessel and covered the bay for a large distance , opened all the stuffs and linnens and spread them to dry they would touch no sort of strong drink sugar ●or mol●ssoes , but left it in the vessell . they shouted and made great noises in the time of plun●er . nicht coming on , the ca●seekey put those chests and trunks which he had reserved for himself into our tent ; which pleased us , and gave an expectation of his company , for he was now become a defender of us from the rage of others . the ca●seekey went down to the waterside amongst his people and returned with three old co●s that were wett and turn , which he gave us ; one wher of i had . we made a fire at each end of our 〈…〉 vn it being la●ke but hearing hid●ous noises and fearing that they were not satisfyed , we expected them upon us . the chief indian ( or casseekey ) lay in the ten● upon his chests . and about mid-night we heard a company of indians comming from the vessel towards us , making terrible shouts , and coming fiercely up to the tent , the casseekey called to them ; which caused them to stand . it seemed , they had killed a ●●gg and brought him : so the casseekey askt us it we would ea● the hogg ? solomon cre●son , by our di●re , answered him that we used not to eat at that time of the night : wereupon they threw the hogg down before the tent , and the casseekey sent them away . they went shouting to the sea-shoar , were there w●re some hundreds of them revelling about our rack . day of the month 7t . mo . day of the week 25. 6. this morning having purposed to endeavour for liberty to pass to the north-ward , solomon opened the matter to the casseekey ; who answered we mu●t go to his town to the south-ward . this occasioned us to press him more urgently to let us go ●or st. a. lucea ( this place having a spanish name , supposed to have found it under the government of that nation , whence we might expect r●lief ) but the casseekey told ●s that it was about two ●● three days you●●●●ither and that when we came th●re , we should have our troats and scalps cutt , and be shott , burnt and earen . we thought 〈◊〉 information was but to di●ert us ; so that we were mo●● earnest to go but he sternly den●y'd us , saying , we must go to his town . about eight a clock this morning the casseekey came into our 〈◊〉 and sett himself amongst us asking the old question . nick●l●er nickal●● directing 〈…〉 one particular of ●s , who in simpl●city answered ▪ ye● . which caused the 〈◊〉 to ask the said person , if another person which he pointed to , was nickaleer ? he answered yes . then he said , to●us ( or all ) nickaleer , and went from amongst us . returning 〈◊〉 a short time with some of his men with him , and afresh they went greedely to stripping my wire and child , robert barrow and our m●ster who had eschaped 〈◊〉 now . thus were we left almost naked , till the feud was something abated and then we gott some what from them which displeased some or them . we then cutt our tents in pieces , and gott the most of our clothing out of it : which the indians perceiving , ●ook the remain● from us . we men had most of us breeches and pieces of canvas , and all our company interceeded for my wife that all was not taken from her . about noon the indians having removed all their plunder off the bay , and many of them gone , a guard was provided arm'd with bows and arrows , with whom we were summoned to march ? and a burthen provided for every one to carry that was any ways able . our master with his broken legg was helpt along by his negroe ben. my wife , was forced to carry her child , they not suffering any of us to relieve her . but if any of us offered to lay down our burthen , we vvere threatened to be short . thus vvere we forced along the beach bare-footed . we had saved one of the masters quadrants , and sea-mens calender , vvith tvvo other books . as we walked along the bay ( the timē suiting ) our mate richard limpency took an observation , and we found our selves to be in the latitude of tvventy-seven degrees and eight minuits . some of the indians were offended at it : when he held up his quadra●● to observe ; one would draw an arrow so shoote him ; but it pleased god hitherto to prevent them from shedding any of our blood. one passage i have omitted . two of our mariner's named thomas fowns and richard limpan●y went for t this morning from our tent down to the bay where the indians were , and viewing of them at some distance an indian man came running upon them , with his knife in his hand , and took hold of thomas fownes to stab him ; but the said tomas fell on his knees , using a spanish ceremony , and begged not to kill him ; whereupon the indian desisted , and bid him be gone to the place from whence he came . the said thomas at him return acquainted us how narrowly he had escaped . after we had traveled about five miles along the deep sand , the sunn being extream hott , we came to an inlett . one the other fide was the indian-town , being little wig-wams made of small poles stuck in the ground , wich they bended one to another , making : an arch , and covered them with thatch of small falmetoe-leaves : heere we were commanded to sittdown , and the casseekey came to us , who with his hand scatched a hole in the sand about a foot deep , and came to water , which he made signs for us to come and drink : we , being extream thirsty , did ; but the water was almost salt. whilst we sat here . we saw great fires making on the other side of the inlett , which some of us thought was preparing for us . after an hour's time being spent here at lenght came an indian with a small cannooe from the other fide , and i with my wife and child and robbert barrow were ordered to go in : the same cannooe was but just wide enough f●r us to fitt down in . over we were carried , and being landed , the man made signs for us to walk to the wig-wams ; which we did ; but the young iudians would seem to be frighted and fly from us . we were directed to a wig-wam , which afterwards we understood to be the casseekey's : it was about man-high to the topp . herein was the casseekey's wife and some old women sitting on a cabin made of sticks about a foot high covered with a matt they made signes for us to sitt down on the ground ; which we did the casseekey wife having a jo●●g child sucking att her breast gave it to another woman , & would have my child ; which my wife was very loath to suffer ; but the would not be deny●d , took our child & suckled it at her breast viewing & feeling it from top to toe ; at lengt returnid it to my wife , and by this time was another parcel of our people come over ; and sitting down by the wig-wam side our indian brought a fish boiled on a small palmeto leat and sett it down amongst us making signs for us to eat : but our exercise was too great for us to have any inclination to receive food . at length all our people were brought over , and afterwards came the casseekey . as soon as he came to his wig-wam he sett himself to work gott some stakes and stuck them in a roce joyning to his wig-wam and tyed some sticks whereon were these small palmetoes tyed and fastened them to the stak●s about three foot high ; and layed two or three matts made of reeds down by this shelter ; wich ; it seemes he made for us to break the wind off us ; and ordered us to lye down there ; which we did , as many as the matts wonld hold the rest lay on the ground by us . the casseekey . went into his wigwam and sealed himself on his cabin cross legged having a basket of palmetoe berries brought him , which he eat very greedili : after which came some indians un to him and talkt much ▪ night came on : the moon being up an indian , who performeth their ceremonies stood out , loocking ful at the moon making a hideous noise , and crying out acting like a mad man for the space of half●n hour ; all the indians being silent till he had done : after which they all ma●e fearfull noise some like the barking of a dogg , woolf , and other strange sounds . after this , one gets a logg and setts himself down , holding the stick or logg upright on the ground , and severall other● getting about him , made a hid●ons noise , singing to our amazement ; at length their women joyned cousort , making the noise more terrible , this they continued till midnight . toward● morning was great de vs : our fire being expended ● we ●vere extre●m cold . this morning the casseekey looking on us with a mild aspect , sent his son wi●h his striking staff to the inle●● to strike fish for us ; which was performed with great dexterity ; for some of us walked down wi●● him and though we lookt very earnestly when he trew his staff from him , could not see a fish ; at which time he saw it , and brought it on shoar on the end of his staff . sometimes he would runn swif●ly pursueing a fish , and seldom mist when he darted at him . in two hours time he got as many fish as vvould serve tvventy men : there vvere others also fishing at the same time , so that fish vvas plenty : but the sence of our conditions stayed our hungry stomacks : for some amongst us thought they vvould feed us to feed themselves . the casseekey vvent this morning tovvards our vessel ; in his absence the other indians lookt very untovvardly upon us , vvhich created a jealousie of their cruelty yet to come . this afternoon we savv a great fire nigh the pla●e of our vessel ; vvhereupon we concluded that● our vessel and our boat vvere burnt : whereupon we vvere almost confirmed that they designed to destroy us . about sun-setting the casseekey came home : vve spake to him he ansvvered us , and seemed very affable ; vvhich we liked well . night drawing on , and the wind shifting north ward , we removed our shelter , and added the matts to it to break the wind off us . which blowed cowld , and lay'd our selves on the sand . about an hour within night came a parcell of indians from the south-ward being all arm'd with bows and arrows and comeing near our ten● some of us espy●d them where upon they squatted down . this seemed a fresh motive of danger , and we awakened those of us that were faln a sleep , and bid them prepare , for things seemed dangerous we suppposing they ware come to foward our destruction or to carry us to the southward they sat thus a considerable time ; at length they distributed themselves to the wig-wams , thus would danger often appear unto us and almost swallow us up , but at times we should be sett over it , having a secret hope that god would work our deliver rance having preserved us from so many perills . sometime before night robert barrow was exhorting us to be patient , and in a godly manner did he expound that text of scripture : because thou hast kept the word of my patience &c. rev : 3 chap : 10 ver : after which he ended with a most fervent prayer desi●● of the lord that whereas he had suffered us to be cast amongst a barbarous and heathenish people , if that it was his blessed will , he would preserve and diliver us from amongst the● that our names might not be b●ried in oblivion ; and that he might lay his body among●t faithfull friends : and at the close of 〈◊〉 prayer ; he seemed to have an assurance that his petition would be granted . in all which some of us were livingly refressed and strengthened . day of the month 7t mt : day of the week 27. 1. this morning we again used our endeavours with the casseekey , that we might go to the north-ward for augusteen . his answer was , we should be all kil●d ; but at length we prevailed , and he said , on the morrow we should go . hereupon he took three negroemen ( one of ioseph kirle rand two of mine ) and with a cannoe went up the sound . this day the indians were busy with what they had taken out of our vessel , and would have inployed all of us to doe , some one thing , some another for them ; but we not knowing the consequence endeavoured to shun it , and would deny them demands but some of our men did answer their desires in making and sewing some cloth together , stringing our beds , mending of locks , of the chests &c. whatever they thought was a miss they would be putting upon us to mend , still we wholy refused . at which time i heard a sayingh that came from one of the chief indians , thus [ english son of a bitch ] which words started me ; for i do believe they had had some of our nation in their possession , of whom they had heard such an expression : i passed away from the wig-wam with m●c● trouble . this ●ay being the first of the week , we having a large 〈◊〉 and a book of robert-barcley●s , some one or o●●er was o●te● reading in them : but being most of us sat together , robbert barrow desired our people to wait upon the lord : in wich time robert had a ●●rd in season unto us , and afterwards went to prayer , all the indians comeing about us , and some younger sort would be mocking ; but not to our disturbance : the elder sort stood very modestly the whole time : after prayer ended , they all with drew quietly : but some of them ( especially the casseekey's eldest son ) would take great delight in our reading , and would take the bible or other book , and give to one or other to read , the sound of which pleased them , for they would sitt quietly and very attetively tohear us . the casseekey having been gone most part of the day with three negroes in our boat comeing over the barr into the inlett . we rejoyc't to see our boat , for we thought she had been burnt . our negroes told us ; they went up sound with the casseekey , and landed near the place where our tent had been : the chief business was to remove the mony from one place to another , and bury it . this old man would trust our people , but not his own . after that was done , they went to the place where our vessel was burnt ; they lanched our boat , in which the old casseekey put his chests , wherein was our linnen and other of our trade : also they gott a small rundlett which they filled with wine out of a quarter cask that was left and brought sugar out of the wrack which was not consumed with the fire . by this time came the caseekey and other negroe in the cannooe . he told us . on the morrow we should go with our boat : this was cheerfull news unto us . all the time some ind●ans had been out , and brought home some oyst●rs , and the casseekey , gave us some , bidding us take , what we had a minde to . a fittle before nicht the casseekey , opened his chest and boxes ; and his 〈…〉 ●●ok what 〈◊〉 in them from him : but he seem●d 〈◊〉 ●y generous to my wife and child , and gave her severall things w●●ch were usefull to her and our child . our 〈◊〉 was very leaky ; so we gott her into a creek to sink her , that the water might swell her . day of the month 7t mt : day of the week 28. 2. this morning we waited an opportunity to gett leave to de part , which was granted us : whereupon we asked for such things as they did not make use of ; viz. a● great glass , wherein was sive or six pound of butter ; some sugar ; the rundlett of wine : and some balls of chocolate : all which was granted us ; also a bowle to heave water out of the boat. but the casseekey would have a negroe-boy of mine , named caesar , to which i could not tell what to say ; but he was resolved on it . we gott down to the waterside , and sent all our people over that where to travell : and ioseph kirle , robert barrow , i , my wife and child with two of our mariners went in the boat , and rowed along shoar northwards ; but the casseekey would have us to have gone with our boat up the sound : we supposed the sound was a great river ; and therefore were not willing to take his advice , having no knowledge ; but his counsel was good , as we found afterwards ; for the conveniency of passage . the casseekey and some other indians went with our people towards our wrack , we rowing along shoar , and our boat very l●aky , that one person had imploy enough to heave out the water . just before we left the indian-town , severall indians were for taking the little , clothes and raggs we had not ; 〈…〉 casseekey , he would cause then to 〈…〉 s●lomon crelson was mightily in one ind●●n's favour , who would hardly stirr from his wig-wa●● but solo●on must be with him , and go arm in arm ; which indian amongst his plunder , had a morning-gown , which he putt on solomon , and solomon had worn it most of the time we were there ; but when the time of our departure came an indian unrob●d him , and left only a pair of breeches , and seem'd very angry . it was high noon when we left our wrack ( she being burnt down to her floor-t●mbers which ●ay in the sand ) we setting forward , some in the boat ? the rest traveled a long shoar ; and a little before su●●setting , our people came up with abundance of small fish ●●at had been forced on shoar , as me may suppose , by the storm that drove us a shoar , ( they lying farr from the water , being much tainted ) covered the shoar for nigh a mile in length : of which our people gathered as many as they could carry . about sunn-setting we putt on shoar to refresh our selves , and take a small respi●e , also to take my kinsman benjamin allin i● to our boat : for this after-noon in his travell he was taken with a fever and ague , and we had much trouble to get him along , he having been sick nigh unto death ( being first taken the day before we left blewfields road ) untill about a week before we were cast away . one of my negroes had saved a tinder-box and flint , and we had reserved tvvo knives , by vvhich means we got a fire , though with much difficulty , for our tinder was bad , and all the wood salt-water soaken : which being accomplished , we broiled all our fish , feeding haertily of some of them and the rest we kept not knowing when we should be thus furnished again ; for which some of us were truli tankfull to the ●od of all our mercies . having a large fire many of us gott under the leigh , of it , and others buried themselves in the sand , in hopes to gett a lic●e sleep , that we might be some what refreshed , and there by be the better enabled some to travell and some to row the remaining part of the night : but the sand flyes and muskettoes were to exheam thick that it was impossible the moon shining we lanched our boat i and my wife and child , the master robert barrow my kinsman allin , solomon cresson . joseph buckley and the masters negro went in our boat ; the rest travelled along soar about midnight , or a little after our people came by an indian town ; the indians came out in a great number , but offered no violence more than endeavouring to take from them what little they had : but making some small resistance , the indians were putt by their purpose they were very desirous to have us come on shoar , and would hale us ; but our people would have us keep of . we were gott among a parcell breakers , and so had much a do to gett out to sea. day of the month 7 mo : day of the week 29. 3. this morning about sun-rising we stood ni for the land , and looked out for our people ; but could not see them , therefore we lay by for the space of two hours , and at lenght saw them comeing along with a great many indians with them : when they came a breast with us , the indians wafled us a shoar ; but we refused , perceiving they werewickedly bent ; they would be ever and anon snatching one thingh or other : at which time our people would point to us in the boat ; but perceiving they could not ●●tt us a shoar in some few hours left them . this day noon joseph kirle having his quadrart and calender , took an observation , being in lat●●ude 27 de . 45 min. about one a clock we saw two ind●ans with bows and arrows running to meet our people ; who when they saw them , at first they made a 〈◊〉 and afterwards retreated : at which the indians lett fly an arrow ; which narrowly escaped one of them : whereupon they stopt ; the indians looked strengely on them ; but our people sett forwards , and the indians with them untill they came to the indian-town . we saw our people go into the wiggwams , but stayed a very short time ; for the indians were for taking those pieces of canvas they had from them . they gott some water and sett forward again the two indians still followed them . about this time we saw a sail to the eastward , and we supposeing it at first to be a briganteene , agreed to follow her ; but in a small time we made it to be a cannooc or boat with two masts and sails : she stood in for the shoar ; but as soon as they espy'd us she bore away : and when she saw we made not after her , she stood a shoar again for the indian-town ; hereupon a jealousie gott amongst us that she might go on shoar and gett strong with men , and then come after us ; whereupon we rowed very hard and kept an offing for some hours ; but finding they came not out , we stood towards the shoar again . this day was extream hott and we had no water since we left the indian-town to the sowth-ward of our wrack , called by the name of hoc-bay ; therefore we were desirous to gett on shoar , but when we endeavoured it , we could not ; for the seas swelling very much and came to 〈…〉 and broak almost a mile from the shoar ; our master said , it was inpossible to ge 〈…〉 on shoer a live : but i being 〈…〉 some exerci●e was disirous to be on shoar , and thereupon did express my self to the rest of our people ▪ they star●●●d the danger ; all which i was as 〈◊〉 of as they , yet i could nor rest but insisted 〈◊〉 going a shoar : the master and men said , we should not have our lives ; but i gained so farr , that they atempted and were gott within half a mile of the shoar ; but the seas came on us so large and hollow that one sea had like to have over-welmed us : we just gott a topp of it before it broke ; there was then no perswading them to go further , but we stood off , and disigned to keep off all night , our people being very weary , and the sunn setting ; we divided one half to gett some sleep , the other to watch and keep the boat 's head to the sea. the wether looked as though it would be bad , and the sea increased ; whereupon i began a fresh to perswade them to go on shoar . all were disirous , but thougt it impossible . att length we resolved to venture ; and so committing our selves to the protection of the almighty god ; we stood in for the shoar , and made signs to our people that we disigned it . and it pleased god to order i● so that we went on shoar , as though there had been a lane made through the breakers , and were carried to the topp of the bank , were we gott aged robert barrow , my wife and child out of the boat , before ever a sea came to fill us ; which did , as soon as they were gott out : 〈◊〉 we gott our boat up from the wash of the sea. the two indians were for taking off our clothes , ( which would not cover our bodies ) but we not being willing to yield they vvould snatch a piece from one and a bitt from an other , and run away with that , and then come again and do the like . these two indians took away what was given to my wife and child which we knew not how to help , but exercised patience . we enquired how farr it was from st. a lucea ( one of them speaking a little spanish ) and by signes we understood it was not farr . they made fignes that when we came there , we should be putt to most cruell death but we hoped otherwise . at this place within the land , and over the sound our people said , before it was dark , they saw two or three houses , which looked white , tho they were plastered with lime : which putt us in hopes that there were spaniards there ; so we sett forward as the iadians directed for st. a lucea . they made signs that we should come to an inlett of the sea , and on the other side was st. a lucea . we travelled about four miles and came to the inlett , but saw no settlement on the other side ; so we concluded to lye there all night . we saw the tract of a large bare and oth●re wildbeasts ; whereupon we sett to work to gett wood and then a fire : aboundance of muskettoes and sand-flyes hindred our rest ; to remedy which we digged holes in the sand , gott some grass and laid it therein to lye upon , in order to cover our selves from the flyes ; which most of us did ; but it being extream cold , and 〈…〉 ing scarse , we had little comfort . about mid-night we sent our people to see if they could gett off our boat , and bring it into the inlett , that we might gett over to the other fide : they went and launched her , but the sea was so rough that there was no possibility of getting her off , for she was soon filled , and putt to swimm , and they , boat and all were driven on shoar again . whilst our people were gone for the boat , we espied som indians in a cannooe with their torch a fishing : we sent for solomon ( who was gone to launch the boat ) expecting they would come , seeing fires , and we should not tell what to say to , them ; but they did not . here we lay watching , for no rest could be taken . the 7. month the 30. the 2. day of the week . this morning by break of day we saw a small cannooe from the other side 〈◊〉 oft shoar with two indians , inner going up the river ( or sound ) a fishing . we haired them in spanish and as soon as they heard and saw us , they made to the shoar with all speed , and away to their town they runn : we perceiving they were shey of us , begann to ●oubt of their amity which we had so much depended on ; whereupon we counceled our people now to deport themselves , especially our negroes . about 〈◊〉 we saw the indians comeing , running 〈…〉 great number with their bows and arrows to the inlett ; where having sive or six 〈…〉 into them , as many as those cannoo's could 〈…〉 others took the water , 〈…〉 they came in the greatest rage th● 〈…〉 people could . solomon began 〈…〉 they answered not till they 〈…〉 from us ; and then comeing 〈…〉 they cryed out , nickaleer , nickaleer . we satt all still expecting death , and that in a most barbarous manner . they that did speak unto them could not be heard : but they rushed violently , on us rending and tearing those few clothes we had : they that had breeches had so many about them , that they hardly touched the ground till they were shaken out of them thy fore all from my wife , and espying her hair-lace , some were going to cutt it hair and away to gett it , but , like greedy doggs , another snatched and tore it off . as for our poor young child , they snacht from it what little it had , as though they would have shak●n and torne it , limb from limb. after they had taken all from us but our lives , they began to talk one to another , vehemently foaming at mouth , like wild boars , and taking their bows anb arrows with other weapons , cryed out nickaleer , nickaleer . solomon spake in spanish to them , and said we were spanjards ; but they would not hear him , and continued crying out nickaleer , nickaleer , with all drawing their arrows to the head. but suddenly we perceived them to look about and listen , and then desisted to prosecure their bloody disign . one of them took a pare of breeches and gave to my wife . we brought our great bible and a large book of robert barclays to this place . and being all stripped as naked as we were born , and endeavouring to hide our nakedne●s ; these cannaballs took the books , and tearing out the leaves would give each of us a leave to cover us ; which we took from them : at which time they would deride and smite us ; and instantly another of them would snatch away what the other gave us , smiting and diriding us withall . robert barrow with my self , wife and child were ordered to go in to a cannooe to be carryed to the other side of the inlett , being a furlong over , four indians being in the cannooe to paddle : when we came to the other side within a cannooe's lenght or two of the shoar . a number of indians with their bows and arrows came running into the water , some to their knees , some deeper , having their bows and arrows drawn up , crying out nickaleer , nickaleer ; which they continued without ceasing . the indians that brought us over leapt out of the cannooe , and swam a shoar , fearing they should be shott ; but in this juncture it pleased god to tender the hearts of some of them towards us ; especially the cassekey his wife , and some of the chiefest amongst them , who were made instruments to interceede for us , and stopp the rage of the multitude , who seemed not to be satisfy'd without our blood . the cassekey ordered some to swim , and fetch the cannooe a shoar ; which being done , his wife came in a compassionate manner and took my wife out of the cannooe , ordering her to follow her , which we did some distance from the inletside , and stood till all our people were brought over , which in a little time was done . but the rage of some was still great , thirsting to shedd our blood , and a mighty strife there was amongst them : some would kill us , others would prevent it . and thus one indian was striving with another . all being gott over , were to walk a long the sea shoar to their town : in this passage we most of us felt the rage of some of them , either by striking or stoneing ; and divers arrows were shott : but those that were for preserving us would watch those that were for destroying us : and when some of them would go to shoote , others of them would catch hould of their bows or arm. it was so ordered that not one of us was toucht with their arrows ; severall of us were knocked down , and some tumbled into the sea we dared not help one another ; but help we had by some of them being ●●de instrumentall to help us . my wife received severall blows , and an indian came and took hold of her hair , and was going either to cutt her throat or something like it , having his knife nigh her throat ; but i looked at him , making a sign that he should not , so he desisted : at wich time another indian came with a handfull of sea-sand and silled our poor child's mouth . by this time the cassekey's wife came to my wife seeing her oppressed , and they pulled the sand out of our child s mouth , and kept by my wife untill we gott into the casseekey s house , whith was about fourty foot long and twenty-five foot wide , covered with palmixtoe-leaves both topp and sides . there was a range of cabbins , or a barbecue on one side and two ends . at the entering on one side of the house a passage was made off benches on each side ●●ding to the cabins . on these benches satt the chief indians , and the upperend of the cabin was the casseekey seated . a kind of debate was held amongst them for an hour s time . after which solomon and some others were called to the casseekey ; and were sea●ed on the cabin ; where the casseekey talked to solomon in the spanish language : but could not hold a discourse . in a little time some raw deare-skins were brought in and given to my wife and negroe-women , and to us men such as the indian-men wear , being a piece of platt work of straws wrought of divers coulours and of a triangular figure , with a belt of four fingers broad of the same wrought together , which goeth about the wast and the angle of the other having a thing to it , com●ig between the leggs , and strings to the ends of the belt ; all three meeting together are fastened behind with a horsetail or a bunch of silk-grass exactly resembling it , of a ●axen coulour : this being all the apparell or covering that the men wear ; and thus they clothed us. a place was appointed for us , matts being laid on the floor of the house , where we were ordered to lye down : but the place was extream nasty ; for all the stones of the berries which they eat and all the nastiness that 's made amongst them lay on their floore , that the place warmed with abundance of many sorts of creeping things ; as a large black hairy spider , which hath two claws like a crabb ; scorpions ; and a numberles number of small buggs . on these matts we lay , these vermin crawling over our naked bodies . to brush them off was like driving of muskettoes from one where they are extream thick . the indians weare seated as aforesaid , the casseekey at the upperend of them , and the range of cabins was fill'd with men , women and children , beholding us . at length we heard a woman or two cry ▪ according to their manner , and that very sorrowfully one of which i took to bee the casseekey●s wife which occasioned some of us to think that something extraordinary was to be done to us we heard a strange sort of a noise which was not like unto a noise made by a man ; but we could not understand what nor where it was ; for somtime it sounded to be in one part of the house , somtimes in another , to which we had an ear . and in deed our ears and eyes could perceive or hear nothing but what was strange and dismall ; and death seemed sorrounded us . but time discovered this noise unto us . the occasion of it was thus . in one part of this house were the fire was kept , was an indian man , having a pott on the fire wherein he was making a drink of the leaves of a shrubb ( which we understood afterwards by the spaniard , is called casseena ) , boyling the said leaves , after they had parched th●m in a pott ; then with a goard having a long neck and at the topp of it a small hole which the topp of ones● finger could cover , and at the side of it a round hole of two inches diameter , they take the liquor out of the pott and putt it into a deep round bowle , which being al most filled containeth nigh three gallons : with this goard they brew the liquor and make it froth very much it looketh of a deep brown colour . in the ●rewing of this liquor was his noise made which we thought strange ; for the pressing of this goard gently down into the liquor , and the air which it contained beeing forced out of the little hole at topp occasioned a sound ; and according to the time and motion given would be various , this drinck when made , and coole to supp , was in a conch-shell first carried to the casseekey , who threw part of it on the ground , and the rest hee drank op , and then would make a loud he●m ; and afterwards the cupp passed to the rest of the casseekey's associates , as aforesaid , but no other man , woman nor child must touch or tast of this sort of drinck ; of which they sat sipping , chatring and smoaking tabacco , on some other herb instead thereof , for the most part of the day . about noon was some fish brought us on small palmetoe leaves , being boiled with scales , head , and gills , and nothing taken from them but the gut●s ; but our troubles and exercice were such that we cared not for food . in the evening , we being laid on the place aforesaid the indians made a drumm of a skin , covering there with the deep bowle in which they brew●d their drink , beating thereon with a stick , and having a couple of rattles made of a small goard put on a stick with smal stones in it , shaking it , they began to sett up a most hideous howling , very irksome to us , and some time after came some of their young women , some singing some dancing . this was continued till mid-night , after which they went to sleep . the 8 mth. 1. the 5 of the week . this day the casseekey looking on us pleasantly , m●de presents to some of us , especially to my wi●● ; he gave her a parcell of shelfish , which are known by the name of clamms ; one or two he roasted and gave her , shewing that she must serve the rest so , and eat them . the indian women would take our child and suckle it , for it 's mother's milk was almost gone that it could not gett a meal : and our child , which had been att death's-door from the time of it's birth un●●l we w●re cast away began now to be cheerfull , and have an appetite to food ; it had no covering but a small piece of raw deare skin ; not a shred of linne● or wollen to putt on it . about the tenth hour , wee observed the indians to b●e on a sudden motion , most of the principall of the● betook themselves to their houses : the casseekey went to dressing his head and painting himself , and so also did the rest : when they had done , they came into the casseekey's house , and seated themselves in order . in a small time after came an indian with some small attendance in to the house , making a ceremoneous motion , and seated himself by the c●sseekey , the persons that came with him seated themselves amongst the others , after some small pause the casseekey began a discourse , which held nigh an hour . after which the strange indian and his companions went forth to the waterside , unto their cannooe lying in the sound , and returned presently with such presents as they had brought , delivering them unto the ca●seekey , and those sitting by giving an applause . the presents were some few bunches of the herb they make their drink of , and another herb which they use instead of tobacco , and some platted balls stuffed with moss to lay their heads on instead of pillows . the ceremony being ended , they all seated themselves again , and went to drinking casseena , smoaking and talking during the strangers stay , about noon some fish was brought us : hunger was grown strong upon , and the quantity given was not much more than each a mouthfull ; which we eat : the casseekey ordered the master joseph kirle solomon cr●sson , my wife and me , to sitt upon their cabin to eat our fish ; and they gave us some of their berries to eat . we ●asted them , but not one amongst us could suffer them to stay in our mouths ; for we could compare the tast of them to nothing else , but rotten cheese steep'd in tobacco . sometime after we had eaten , some of the indians asked us , if we vvere spaniards ? solomon ansvvered them , yes . then some off the indians vvould point to those vvhose hair was black , or of a deep brown , and say such a one was a spanjard of the havana , and such of augusteen : but those whose hair was of a light colour they were doubtfull of ; some would say they were no spaniards . about the third hour in the afternoon the strangers went away , and some small time after they having satis●y'd themselves that most of us vvere spaniards , told us that we should be sent for to the next town ; and they tould us that there vvas a nickaleer off , and we understood them [ english-men off bristoll ] , also the number six men and a woman : and that they vvere to be put to death before we should gett thither . we vvere silent , although much concerned to hear that report . they also told us that a messenger vvould come for us to direct us to the next town , thence to augusteen . night coming on they betook themselves to their accustomed s●●ging and dancing . about the tenth or tvvelfth hour in the night before the singing and dancing vvas ended , came in a stranger armed vvith bow and arrows : the ca●seekey and his companions entertained him vvith hal● an hour's discourse , vvhich ended , we vvere on a sudden ordered to gett up and hurryed avvay vvith this stranger , they not giving us time to see if we vvere all together ; and a troop of young indian-men and boy 's followed us for about four miles , all which way they pelted us with stones : att length they all left us except two and our guide ; but we missed solomon cre●son , and joseph kirle's boy , and negroe ben. ; which was no small trouble to us . we had not travelled above five miles before our guide caused us to stop ; and at some small distance was an indian-town , which i suppose our guide belonged to ; for indians came thence with fire and water for him , and with palmetoe-leaves they made a blast of fire : here we stayed nigh two hours : the fly●s were very thick , and the night very cold , so that our naked bodies were not able to endure it but with grief . at length we left this place ; the whole night following were troubled with these two young indians , who at times would be abuseing one or other of us , singleing them out and asking if they were not nickaleer , or english ? if they said , nay , then they would hitt them a blow or more with a truncheon , which they had ; and said , they were . we traveled all night without stopping from the aforesaid place . 8 month 2. the 6 of the week . after sun-rising we came up with the wrack of the ve●sell that we heard that was cast away . she was staved all to pieces , for her keeleson was driven a shoar . we saw sugar-hogs heads , ginger and logwood ; which gave us to suppose tha it was one of our fleet , and we thought it to be either burroughs or smith , belonging to bristoll . a mile or more from hence we came to an inlett ; our guide told us , we must swimm over , except my wife and robert barrow ; but we signifyed that we could not : he carried robert barrow , ioseph kirle , me , my wife and child over first ; and at length the hole company , for it was a great way over : by that time we were all gott over , the days was hott , and my wife quite tyred faint as also robert barrow and io●eph kirle , whose legg was grown so painfull that it overcame him . we go● ●nder a grape-bush for shelter from the sun , i sent one of my negroes to seek for water for them ; but ther● was none to be had ; but he gott some seaside-grapes , which with resting refresht the weak and lame . our guide was for ●orceing us forward ; so we travelled about four or five miles further , and mett with the casseekey of this town and commander of the northern part of this coast . he was an antient man ; his beard and hair gray : he inquired for the captain , so our people pointed to io●eph kirle whom he went to and embraced him ; then he asked for our mate or pilot. this man could speak spanish better than any we had mett with yet ; but not so well as to discourse , only to ask some questions , and we had three or four amongst us could make a shift to answer him , for solomon was kept behind . this old casseekey seemed to have compassion on us , and said , that those people ho had served us thus in stripping of us were rogues . but we were his comerradoes , or friends , withall he said , in few days , he would carry us to augusteen ; and thereupon he told us of six english-men , and one women , being at his town : we inquired if he intended them for augusteen ? but he would shake his head and point to the southward , saying , nickaleer , no comerradoe ( english-men were not his friends ) which words were unpleasant to us . this people kept us company till we came within a mile or two of their town , and then they left us , they going faster gott in before us . their town stood about half a mile from the sea-shoar whitin the land on the sound , being surrounded with a swamp , in which grew white mangrove-trees , which ●id the town from the sea. we were directed to the casseekey's house , which were large , and filled with 〈◊〉 , and then ordered to sitt down . the old casseekey fetched some water , and washed rober● barrow●s feet , and my wife 's ; after which he got● some canvass and crocus , ginger-baggs , which they had gott out of the vessell that was cast on shoar ; which was distrubuted amongs us . ioseph kirle had a coat given him , which they had taken from the people of the other vessel ; but it was rent down the back . my wife had two pieces of sail-canvass given her ; and i with others had each a crocus ginger , bagg . they gave a piece of a barber 's old linuen st●●r in biggness of a small hand-kerchif to cover our child . this was all our clothing : robert bnrrow and my wife were quite spent with travelling bare-foot on the hott sand , having bruised their feet , and with stumps stones and prickles , their feet , especially robert-barrow's had holes in them , that one might have putt the topp of ones thumb in . we were directed to lye down on a cabin . the other vessel'● company were one iohn smith master of the nantwitch , a barque belonging to bristoll , which came out of ●um●ica with us , with five men and one woman , viz. andrew murray merchant , andrew barnes mate , hugh allen , iohn osler , iohn shears and cornelius toker ; two ●oys with a woman passenger named pene●ope . we took an opportunity to discourse them . they were cast away the same night we were , and their vessell being forced by the storm ( they not being able for two days before to carry any sail ) on shoar , they gott into their boat and so on shoar : and in a small time was a great part of their wrack driven on shoar ; amongst which , was a barrel or more of water , some barrels of beefe or pork , with their chests ? and many other things which they gott . on th● morrow they designed to travell to the north-ward ; but andrew barnes their mate having been a long time afflicted with a flux which had wasted his body to skin and bone , so that he was not able to help himself , they left him and travelled a mile or more and came to the in●e●t which they could not pass : whereupon they returned back again to take their boat ; but at their return , before they could gett away with their boat , they espyed the indians comeing on them , who soon gott to them ; asked in spanish what nation they were ? if spanjards , english , or french. but the indians made signs to give them their clothing ; which they readily did . but still they inquired of what nation ? at first they answered , spanjards ; but the natives looked to furiously that they soon answered them , english-men . thereupon every one had it , nickaleer , nickaleer . and then they very eagerly stript them of all that they had on them : after which they drove them away to the north-ward unto their town ; but andriew barnes being not able to stand nor goe , was left behind , after they had stript him , on the land naked when they were driven away . before they gott to the town , the indian casseekey gave them some clothing , and no violence vvas offered to their persons . they had plenty of fish and berrles to the time of our comeing . john smith and andrew morray had their being in the c●sseekey's house , and the woman named penelope : the rest of smith●s people lodged in other indian-houses . but on our comeing , the old casseekey told them , they must turn out , and make room for the spanjards : but smith and morrey would not g●● ; and the indian did not force them out . in some●ime aft●r we had been in the house , came in indian-women loaden with basketts of berries , mostly of the palm , some sea-side co●●o-plumbs and sea-side grapes : of the two latter we could eat ; but of the palm-berries we could not bear the tast in our mouths . we laid our selves on the. cabbin , on that part which vvas appointed us ; on the o●her part the young casseeley or king lay being parted by a chest that stood thereon : before night vvas a parcell of large fish calleb drumms brought in : the old casseekey told ioseph kirle , that those were for the spanjards , and bidd him lett some body to dress them . he also ordered us a pott . they were soon dressed , and we eat them . night being come the old casseekey enquired after our losses ; which we , as vvel as we could , gave him to understand , that in our vessel was a grear deal of clothing and money , which the indians at hoebay had taken from us . he understood so much of the matter that he grew covetous , and said , he would go and gett some of it from them . about mid-night came solomon cresson in a cannooe with two indians . the old casseekey began to examine him concerning our vessell , goods and mony , or plate ; which solomon rendred a further account unto him of then we could : which caused him to resolve , on the morrovv to provide men and boats , and to goe dovvn the sound to hoebay , to have part from them ; he vvould have had solomon to have gone vvith him , but solomon refused . we inquired of solomon concerning his stay , and of the negroe ben. and joseph kirle's boy : he said that he was stayed by force ; but the negroe and th● boy were asleep in another house vvhen we vvere driven avvay . they had a design in staying of solomon vvhich he could not rightly understand ; but supposed that they doubted that we were not all spaniards ; for the indians of st. a lucea would say to solomon that he was a spaniard , and some others ; but the most of us were not spaniards ; and that they had stolen sclomon : but solomon denyed it . the 8 month 3. the 7 of the week . this morning the old casseekey with two cannooes and tenn indians with him went hence for hoebay . he promised us that as soon as he returned , he would carry us for augusteen : which he supposed would be in six days , if he had good weather . but this day the wind was gott to the north-east , and it lookt as though the weather would be stormy . the wind increased , and towards evening the water in the sound did rise that it began to cover the land , and came into the houses ; but we had little or no rain till night : then the wind increased and rain also . 8 mt. 4. the 1. o● the week . this morning the wind was violent with rain ; the kings house was knee-deep with water , and like to continue riseing . i removed with my wife , child , robert barrow and benjamin allen to an indian house that stood on a hill of oyster-shells : in this house we remained this day ; the wind continuing at north-east very violent , and by reason of much rain , the water rising every hour , the indians began to putt their dry berries into their cannooes , and to seek which way to secure them . severall indians betook themselves to their boats and carried what they had to some high land a considerable distance , where a place was made for their casseekey or king. but before day the house we were in was a float , and the indians were for turning us out , bidding us take an old cannooe that had a hole in the side of her almost at the bottom bigg enough for a man to put his hand through ; so that she was full of water : in this cannooe they would have had us shifted for out selves ; but we were not willing to go : the indians made signs for us to be gone divers times : at length they grew angry , and took my kinsman allen into the cannooe , and carried him away : in a little time after returned with the cannooe 〈◊〉 bid me and robert barrow be gone . by this time day appeared , the wind and rain still violent . i then saw a house on another oyster-hill that the water was not gott over yet ; to which i gott and asked by signs if i might be there ? the indians seemed willing : so thither i gott my wife child and robert barrow , and remained there . all this day the wind was violent , it rained and the flood continued . we imagined that the sea was broke in upon the land , and that we should be drowned . the houses was almost blown to pieces , and the indians often a tying and mending it . the chief man of this house caused his wife to suckle our child ; for it was almost famished , its mother having no milk in her breast ; for we had received no susstainance since the storm began : fresh water was not to be had , the land being covered with the sea. the indians offered us some of their berries , which we endeavoured to eat ; but could not ; the tast was so irksome and ready to take our breath from us , when we treyed to eat them ; but we expected that if the flood continued longer , we should not need for water . yet nevertheless we enjoying health and strength , and hunger growing violent , we would be tasting the berries , though we would reap no satisfaction . the 8 mth. 6. the 7 of the week . this morning the flood began to come into this house also ; the indians seemed much concerned : the storm of wind and rain held till about mid-day ; at which time the wind shifted south-west , with the rain ; but in some few hours the flood began to aba●e . the 8 mht. 7. the 4 of the week . by this day noon the water fell many feet , and i vvent out to see our people whom i left in the kings-house : i found them where i left them . all the indians had left the house ; and our people remained on the cabin , which was about four foot from the floot . the flood had ris●● within two or three inches of the topp of the cabin , and they said , they expected to dye there . we began to express our hunger and thirst each to other : but there was no help as yet for either ; we w●nt to the springs , but they were all salt as the sea , and we would be striving with the berries ; but they were so offensive unto us that we could reap no satisfaction from them . vve went a begging at times to the indian-women to suckle out child ; which they would seldom deny . the 8 mth . 8. th 5 of the week . this day we got some water to drink ; but it was very brackish , and at best not very good . the 8 ●th . 9. th 6 of the week . this day the young casseekey returned to his house with his chest and other things . the 8 mth . 10. the 7 of the week . this day we gott a meal of fish the greatest plenty we had received since we were here . we longed for the old casseekey's return , and reared that 〈◊〉 bad weather would lengthen the time . the 8 mth . 11. the 1 of the week . this morning early came a messenger giving an account that the old casseekey was within some few leagues of the town ; and that we might expect him this fore-noon ; within the time he came in sight a we all drew down to the water-side to receive him ; we perceived he came in state , having his two c●nnooes lashed together with poles a thwart from the one tot he other , making a platt form , which being covered with a matt , on it stood a chest , which was belonging to us , and my negroe-eoy cesar , which the casseekey of hoe-bay took from me , whom he had gott from the indians at hoe-bay : upon this chest he ●●t cross-legged , being newly painted redd , his men with poles setting the cannooes along unto the shoar seeing us , he cryed [ wough ] and looked very ster●ly at us . he was received by his people with great homage , holding out his hands ( as their custom is ) to be kissed , having his chest carried before him unto his house , whither he went , the house being filled with indians . the old casseekey began and held a discourse for some hours , giving an account as we suppose , what he heard and saw ; in wich discourse he would often mention nickaleer ; which caused us to fear that all things were not well . after he had told his story , and some of the elder indians had exprest their sentiments thereof . they drank ca●seena and smoaked untill evening . the house being clean , the old casseekey looking very unpleasantly , shewed unto us severall things which he had gott ; as a hatchet , a knife , the chest and many other things , asking us , if they were not ours ? which we owned ; whereupon he would say , they were nickaleer ( of english ) : we signifyed that we had them of the english , but our money was spanish . towards the evening joseph kirle , my self and solomon gott an opportunity to discourse him ; we began to urge his promise of carrying us for augusteen . at first he stated his hardships and labour to hoe-bay and back , and that he must have time to rest , before he could go out again ; then he told us , the way was long and would be tedious , and that at severall places we must draw the cannooes over land for a great distance ; he also mentioned how many towns there were between this and augusteen , in number tenn ; but nigh the conclusion , he setting an angry countenance upon us , told us that at hoe-bay he was informed that we should say , we were all english-men ; after he said this , in an angry manner he turn'd from us and went away . this laid al our hopes in the dust , and we soon perceived the indians grew jealous of us ; for they would now daily be asking us , if we were not nickaleer ? or english ? and would not seem satisfy'd with a denyall . many days were spent , and the time drew nigh that we understood the old casseekey was intended for augusteen ; hereupon we applyed our selves to him , requesting that if all might not go , he would carry some of us ; but he told us , he would carry but one . this putt us on q●erying which of us should be that one. the generality was for me : but i and joseph kirle were for solomon , because he could speake the spanish-language well , and no other of us could ; and should any other of us have gone and come amongst those indians to the north-ward , who we supposed could speake the spanish-language well , we should be discovered to be what these people did suppose we were ; therefore it might overtrow all our expectations ; but solomon might pass all those objections . these reasons did not satisfy our people so that some of them grew colerick : of which the old casseekey took notice , and told solomon , that if they made such a stirt , he would not carry one . if he did , it should be either solomon , joseph kirle , or me : whereupon we prevailed with him that solomon might go , and accordingly made preparations , the casseekey appointing the number of indians to go with him ; also a cannooe was sent for , which when it came , we found it to have belonged to the english , by the maker of her . this cannooe had a great hole in the head nigh the bottom with many very great rents and holes in her : joseph kirle and i were required to mend her which with much a do was accomplished , the cannooe being much decay'd and rotten where the rents were . the 8 mth . 18. the 1 of the week . this day morning the old casseekey with solomon and six indians in a cannooe sett out for augusteen . the casseekey carried a small chest , in which was nigh one hundred pieces-of-eight , as some of our people did suppose , with some other matters that were gotten from our vessel . the weather was likely for rain , which caused us to fear , should the weather prove bad , that solomon would hardly live to gett to augusteen ; for he had nothing to cover him , exept a pare of indian-breeches and a small piece of skin that covered his breast . we understood by the old casseekey that it would be a month or next new-moon before we could expect their return : all which time we spent in much trouble and hardship . the weather began to grow cold , and provision very short , that is palm-berries , coker-plunishs and sea-grapes , ( which are the three sorts before expressed ) the time of these fruits-bearing being over , they having no sort of fruit till next spring . these people neither sow nor plant any manner of thing watsoever , nor care for any thing but what the barren sand produce , fish they have as plenty as they please but sometimes they would make it scarse to us , so that a meale in a week was most commenly our portion , and three meals a rarity . after the old casseeley's departure our hardships increased , especially my wife's and child's : for want of food of any sort , my wife's milk was gone , and our poor child was in great want ; the indians now and then would give it suck , but rearly to satisfy it ; for there was a woman or two of their own which had young children and no breast to suckle them . our extrenity was such that any manner of thing would go down with us ; the gills and gutts of fish picked of a dung-hill , was acceptable ; the scraps the indians threw away , and the water the boyled their fish in , we were thankfull for , though never so undecently handled by them . and though my wise had hardly and milk for our child , yet an indian-women who was lately delivered of a child , and had no milk in her breast , would have her to suckle her child : which my wife consented . ●nto : and this was a means of her and our child's reaping a benefitt ; for the indians would give her fish , which means helped to increase milk for our child . many were our exercises both in body and minde amongst this people sometimes they would look upon us as though they had some ill intent towards the whole of us : at other times they would tell us ( who were nominally spaniards ) how and in what manner those of smith's company should be putt to death . and thus were we daily exercised in sorrow and grievous troubles . somtimes doubts would arise amongst us concerning vvhat vvould be the end of us , and vvhat manner of deaths we should pass through . and vvhom soever these doubts did appear in , it vvould be hard for another to help vvith counfell ; but some there vvere whose hope never failed , they trusting in the lord , to work for our deliveranc● . one thing did seem more grievous to me , and my wife than any other thing . which was . that if it should so happen that we should be putt to death . we feared that our child would be kept alive , and bred up as one of those people ; when this thoughts did arise it wounded us deep . this day being the time of the moon 's entring the first quarter , the indians have a ceremonious dance , which they beginn about eight a clock in the morning . in the first place comes an old man and takes a staff about eight foot long , having a broad arrow on the head thereof , and thence half vvay painted redd and white like unto an barbers-pole ; in the middle of this staff is fixt a piece of wood shaped like unto thigh . legh and foot of a man , and the lower part thereof is painted black , and this staff being carried out of the casseekey's house , is sett fast in the ground standing upreight : this done , he also brings out a baskett containing six rattles , which are taken out of the baskett and placed att the foot of his staff ; then another old man comes and setts up a howling like unto a mighty dogh , but beyoind him for length of breath ; withall making a proclamation : this being done , the most of them having painted themselves , some red , some black , some with black and red ; with their belly girt up as tight as well they can girt themselves with ropes , having their sheits of arrows at their backs and their bows in their hands , being gathered together about this staff ; six of the chiefest men in esteem amongst them , especially one who is their doctor , and much esteemed , taking up the rattles begins a hidious noise , standing round this staff , taking their rattles , and bowing , without cea●ing ; unto the staff for about half an hour ; whilst these six are thus imployed , all the rest are stareing and scratching , pointing upwards and downwards on this and the other side every way ; looking like men frighted , or more like furies : on thus behaving themselves untill the six have done shaking their rat●●es . then they all beginn a dance , violently stamping on the ground for the space of an houre or more without ceasing . in which time they will sweat in a most excessive manner , that by the time the dance is over , what by their sweat and the violent stamping of their feet , the ground is trodden into furrows ; and by the morning , the place where they danced was covered with maggots : thus often reapeating the manner they continue till about three or four a clock in the afternoon ; by which time many were sick and ●ainty . and then being gathered into the casseekey● house , they sitt down , having som hort casseena ready , which they drink plentifully ; and give greater quantities thereof to the sick and fainty than to others : then they eat berries . on these days they eat not any food till night . the next day about the same time , they begin their dance as the day before . also the third day they beginn their dance a●t the usuall time : at which time came many indians from other towns , and fell to danceing without taking any notice one of the other . this day they were stricter than the other two days , for no woman must look upon them ; but if any of their women go out of their houses , they go vailed with a ma●t . the 8 month 28. the 1 of the week . this day was a day of plenty unto us , for we had as much fish and berries as would serve us two days . this week . we observed that great basketts of dryed berries were brought in from divers towns and delivered to the king or young casseekey , which we supposed to be a tribute to the king of this town , who is chief of all the towns from st. a lucea to the northward of this town of jece . the 27. the 3 of the week . this day was a bagg of berries ( the bagg made of grass ) given us , which we eat in two or three days ; and then we fasted as many days before the young casseekey would give us more . about this time john smith and andrew morray were sharply seized with a fever and ague : when the fitt of the ague was on them , the indians would mock and deride them . this we well observed , that these people had no compassion on their own aged declining people when they were past their labour , nor on others of their own which lay under any declining condition : for the younger is served before the elder , and the elder people both men and women are slaves to the younger . in this place we saw many tokens of some of our nations , having fall'n into the hands of these people ▪ as two english canno●es ▪ one of cedar ▪ the other of cotten-tree , like those of ●amaica ▪ severall blocks and sheives of lignum 〈◊〉 ; se●●●● tooles and knives , and more particularly ▪ a 〈◊〉 on the haf● of which was writt the man's nam●●●us ▪ thomas foster . some of these things looked as though they had been severall years amongst them , some but a few . but we never dared to enquire ; for we thought they brought some things in our view to try us . here was a man in this town who , some years past , had been taken off by some of our english-sloopes , for a diver on the wrack to the east-ward of cuba , where he was sometime : but the vessel putting in to cuba , for water , this indian swam on shoar and go●● to the havana , thence to st. augusteen , and so to his native town . the greatest charge this man had against the english , was , for taking him and their people away ; not but that he was well used amongst them . this indian would often call joseph kirle , solomon cresson and some of us into his house , seeming very cheerefull , asking if they would eat , withall asking the name of the b●rries , expecting we would call them after the english manner [ plumbs ] : but perceiving his drift , and having learned the name of them , as the spaniard calls them [ v●aes ; then he would tell us that the english called them plumbs ] : such sort of discourse we had at times , for he would be striving to trapp us , viz. joseph , solomon and me , ●n words ; but he never had an advantage , for when solomon was gone , we shun'd all his invitations and arguments . the 8 month 31. the 7 of the week . this day came in a cannooe laden with fish , and it was free , for those that would , to take as much as they pleased . the indians put us to goe and take ; for it was a kind of a scramble amongst us and the young indian men and boys : all of us gott fish enough to serve us two or three days . the 9 month 2. the 2 of the week . this morning about sun-rising came two strange indians , who had run so hard that they swea●ed extreamely , of whom we understood that the spaniards ▪ were comeing with their old casse●key ; which news surprised us , doubting the truth of it , for solomon had been gone but sixteen days , and we understood that they must have an extraordinary passage to be here in a month : we had not long to consider of the matter , for in an hour's time we heard four musketts discharged , and immediately we looked out , and the spaniards in their perre-ango were in sight . the indians were like a people amazed and overcome with fear : we perceived the noise of a gun was terrible unto them . the spaniards landed being in number twelve , one sebastian lop●z commanding●tenn soldiers , with one indian an interpreter . the spaniards imbraced us very cheerfully , and expressed their being glad to find us alive . but we were not able to discourse each other , though we had so much spanish as to ask questions , and answer some part of what they asked us . one of the sp●niards said , they could not speak english , nor could we speak spanish enough to understand each other sufficiently : this the indians perceived and imediately cryed out , nickaleer nickaleer , and looked enviously . on us , so that , could they have had their wills , we believed they would not have suffered us to have liv●d many hours ; but the spaniards awed them . we received a letter from solomon which he wrist when he mett with captain sebastian lopez , signifying the gouvernment of augusteen●s great care for our preservation , of what nation soever we were . but how these persons , or the gouvernour of augusteen had knowledge of us , we could not understand ; for they had been fourteen days from augusteen , which was ●igh the time solomon went hence , and they mett solomon about half way , and sent him for augusteen with other guides , bringing the old casseekey and his people with them . we observed that the old casseekey seem●d much dejected . we supposed the spaniards had taken from him the money and what other things he had carried with him ; or that he was vex'd he should be so deceived in taki●g us for spaniards . the spaniards were extraordinary kind unto us , so that we had occasion to rejoyce , and thank the lord for this part of our deliverance by this means . they were also a terror unto the indians ; for they searched their houses and took all from them that ever they could finde , even to the stubb of a nail : which aggravated them , and increased their dis-affection to u●●ward ; so that we dared not to stirr from a spaniard . the spanish captain made inquiry where we were cast away , and what was 〈◊〉 that we had in our vessel ? we gave an account so well as we could to make him onderstand us : which account made him very desirous to go down thither ; but looking over a paper often , which we supposed , was the gouvernor's order and instructions to him , we understood they would not permitt him to prosecute that design : beside we made him sensible of the danger we should be in , if he and his men should go and leaeve us amongst these people who were so bitterly in censed agaist us . they inquired what became of the boat that belonged to smith's-vessel and ours , we told them that these indians had taken smith's boat and sunk her some where in the sound ; but ours was at st. a lucea . the spaniards made the indians go and shew where they had sunk smith●s boat and help our people to get her up : which being done , shee was brought to the town : the spaniards were mightily pleased with her , and proposed that they in their cannooe , and our people in that boat should go to hoe-bay , whereby they might gett all from the indians which they had gotten from us : but we would not countenance the matter ; we were for a speedy departing from amongst these people as we could , since it had pleased god to open a way for our deliverance . this morning the spanish captain made the indians provide two cannooes , which he caused to be lashed together at some distance with sticks a cross , and matted on the topp : which being done , with four indians , joseph kirle , john smith , robert barrow , andrew morray , benjamin allen , nathaniell randall , john shears , corn●lius toker , joseph kirle's boy john hilliar ; four negroes . viz. jack ; cesar , sarah , and q●enza were sent away for augusteen : but not ou● morsell of vi●nalls , except a very few berries , had they with them ; and not one spaniard to guard them , but were put under the goverment of those four indians . about an hour after joseph kirle was gone , the spanish captain ordered smith's boat to be made ready with two spaniards , and four of our men to row to the place where the drift of smith●s vessel was to look for log-wood or old iron : when they returned , there was not any thing of value . but our people said that as they were searching about , they found the bones of andrew barnes : his● s●ull and jaw-bone were broken ; which occasioned us , to suspect that he was knockt on the head by the indians , after they had driven away smith and his people . we told the spanish captain that joseph kirles negroe b●n . had been absent ever since the day after solomon gresson went hence , being gone with the old casseekey's wife , but we knew not whither . the captain made inquiry of the indians whither he was gone . they said , for hoe-bay ; then he ordered them to send for him , for he would not leave him behind . the indians said , he would be here within a day or two . the spaniards were continually searching for what they could find of such things as the indians had gotten from us or others : and when they could find no more , they would offer to buy with tobacco what they could perswade the indians to bring to light. a leaf or half a leaf of tobacco would purchase a yard of linnen or woollen , or silk from the indians . such admirers of tobacco are they , that they esteem it beyond any other thing . an indian of the town some time before the spaniards came , having a considerable quantity of amber-greece , boasted that when he went for augusteen with that , he could purchase of the spaniards a looking-glass , an ax , a knife or two , and three or four mannocoes ( which is about five or six pounds ) of tobaccoe . the quantity of amber greece might be about five pound weight . the 9 month the 4. the 4 of the week . this day we made oars for smith's boat of sticks and the cantle-pieces of sugar-hogsheads which were gotten on the beach where the drift of smith's vessell came on shoar . and this evening came the old casseekey's wife with joseph kirle●s negroe ben. and joseph kirls's boat ; which was of great advantage to help to carry us . we worked all this night to fitt the boat and oars unto her , being intended to go away as soon as we could compleat that jobb . the spaniards had brought little provision with them so that there was not much to spare for us ; having not above a rove of corn , and a little nova-spain-bread , which was so bad that it was more dust and dead weavels than bread : an handfull of it was an acceptable present to us . we would mix it with a little water ▪ making it to a paes●t , which would eat pleasantly ; but hunger was no sranger unto us ; and we knew not that we should have any victualls on our journey : but our deliverance seemed to over ballance all . the indians would not give us any berries : but our people watcht an opportunity and took one of the casseekey's baggs of berries , which might contain about a bushell ; which was all that one-and-thirty of us had to depend on . the 9 month 5. the 5 of the week . this morning about three hours before day we departed from this town of jece ; the weather was grown cold ; we had nothing where with to cover our bodies , besides what the indians gave us at first , except my wife , for whom the spaniards gott an old jacke●t ( which had been one of smith's men's ) , and gave her to wear ; also a small piece of cloath to cover our poor child : but it pleased god to strengthen us in this our condition , so that we rowed all this day without ceasing untill three hours after it was dark , by which time we gott to an indian-town : here we mett with joseph kirle , robert barrow and the others , who gott thither not above an hour or two before us . they had not received any manner of sustenance from the time they left us , untill they gott some berries of us , having lain one night of the two in a swamp : but they were as cheerfull as men could be in this straight . since they left us , amongst their other hardshi●s , joseph kirle had like to have lost his life severall tim● . the first was thus . whilst the two cannooes were lasht together , having a few berries that were designed to have been shared amongst them ; the irish boy cornelius toker would ever and anon be taking some of them , who being often reproved by joseph kirle and others ; would not desist ; whereupon joseph kirle with the paddle he paddled the cannooe along with struck him ; thereupon an indian took his how and arrow and was going to shoote joseph , who seemed little concerned whether he liv●d or dy●d , withall saying , the spaniards would justify him . another time when he was spent with paddling the cannooe , and desired john smith , anrew m●rray , and others of them as well able as himself to give him a spell , which they refused , and he being not able to paddle further , laid down his paddle ; whereupon the indians commanding him to paddle , he refused , saying , they might kill him it they would , opening his breast for them to execute their wills ; which they seemed as though they would have done : but after great threatning they desisted . another time the wind being high and the seas rough that they were forced to unlash their cannooes , by joseph kirle's perswasion , and to go single ; joseph kirle taking one cannooe to his own management , having robbert barrow , his boy , my kinsman , nathaniell randall , and the negroes in her ; which being thus single from the other company was more satisfactory to him than before , though none to help but nathaniell randall . my negroe-woman named sarah , having beaten and abused a girle named quenza , being reproved often by him and robert barrow , she therefore abused them in an extraordinary manner ; whereupon . jose●h struck her with his paddle ; at which one of the indians in the other cannooe took his striking staff and darted at him , narrowly missing him . this morning joseph kirle with those that were with him were by the spanish captain ordered away at break of day ; he not taking any care to give them a little sustenance ; and about an hour or two after we followed , rowing all this day without ceasing untill an hour or two in the night : by which time we gott to an indian-town , where not any thing was to be had but water . about two hours after us came joseph kirle . the spanish captain would not let them come on shoar ; but ordered them to ●eep on , that we might gett next night to the place where we must hale our boats over land , from one sound into another . the 9 month 7. the 7 of the week . this morning we sett forward very early and rowed ha●d : about noon we gott to a parcell of marsh●y islands , amongst which we were to go up creeks . the pa●sage was very difficult to find . at lenght when we were gott nigh an indian-town , the spaniards hollowed and an indian came out into the marsh , but was very loath to come near us at length he came wedding to us to be our pilott : we sett forward , and in an hour's time or mor● were gott to the place where joseph kirle and those with him were ; the indians that were with joseph would not let them proceed further untill we came up with them : in half an hours time we gott to the place where we were to hale our boats over land being about a quarter of a mile from sound to sound : at this place the sea was half a furlong from as the spanish captain gave the indian w● last took in a piece of a leaf of tobacco commanding him to go with all speed and bid his casseekey with all his able men come to help to hale our boats over land . but we sett to work , and had them over by that time the indians came . the spanish captain gave the casseekey a leafe or two of tobacco for him and discharged them , only ordered the casseekey to send some men a fishing for him ; which they did and within night brought a stately parcell of 〈◊〉 ; but none of our people had any part of it except my wife , and penelope : what they did not eat they kept to carry with them . a ●●le before night sprang up a storm of wind at north-east : it seemed likely to be a dismall night of wind and rain , and we were gott to a place where there was not a tree , or bush , or any manner of shelter , and the wind so very cold that we thought we should not live till the next day : we had no wood to make a fire with , and what to do we could not tell , but we were resolved to try to gett some , and in order thereto , some of the ablest of us w●nt along the bay to search for drift wood , and found a little , but rain came with the night and no shelter to be had but our boats ; and the spaniard would not let us meddle with them to turn the bottom opwards for shelter : which seemed very liard , but they had ma 〈◊〉 themselves some sh●●●r with matts we were forced to exercise patience , and with what salt-water wood we had , made as good a fire as we could , and laid ourselves down on the sand by it : and it pleased god we had a comfortable night beyond our expectation : only the cold was very sharp . the 9 month 8. the 1 of the week . this moring we sett forward ; but the water was so low that we were forced to wade and thrust the boat ●●ng for some miles : at lenght we gott into a deep channell , where was nothing to beseen but marsh and water , and no fast land , nor trees . about ten a clok we heard three or four musketts fired a little a head of us in the channell we were in . our spaniards presently answered them with the like , and in a little time we mett . this was a perre-augoe to jovn wi●● that came for us , having order to go to the place where we were cast away , and to gett what was to be had from the indians : but this other boat turnd back , for there was no place to go on shoar ; and in an hour or two's time we gott in to the other sound where the land was not to be seen from side to side in some places . the li● was in the other we came through . about an hour before sun-sett we gott to an indian plantation ( this was the first place we saw any thing planted ) being full of pumpion vines and some small pumpions on them but the spaniards were too quick for us and gott all before us : some of us gott a few a bigg as one's fist : we had a fire there , yet had not patience to dress them as they should be , but putt them into the fire , roasted them and eat them . the spaniards used a great deal of cookery with their pumpions , and the perre-augoe that came last from augusteen had brought bread , corn and strung beefe ; but it was kept from us , except a piece of strung beefe : the captain of the spaniards gave my wife as bigg as a stick of sealing-wax ; which we treasured up , expecting it must be harder with us when we left these people . here captain sebastian lopaz drew up a writing , and would have had me and joseph kirle to sing it ; which we refused : for we perceived he had a design especially against me , to oblige me to give him some of my negroes : we answered him short ; that i reckoned my self and negroes at the governour of augusteen's disposall ; and we would sing no writing we borrowed a pott and boyled pumpion leaves , having nothing to putt to them but water , which was satisfactory ; but this night was more terrible than the last ▪ the wind being at north-west ; it did not blow hard , yet it was very cold , we lyeing in an open field without any shelter ; one side of us would scorch while the other was freezing . our negroe woman hagar's little boy named cajoe was seized with convulsion fitts about two in the morning which was chiefly occasioned by the cold and want of food : but help there was not from us . the s●anish ca●● came to see the child , and supposing that it would dye , asked if the child was a christian ? he was answered , as good a one ashe could make it ; but he called for some water , putting some of it on he crown of the child's head , and crossing it , called , him francisco . this action pa●isyed its father and mother . the 9 month 9. the 2 of the week . this morning we were to go forward and the spaniards were to return to the place where we were cast away : but our two boats would not carry us all ; therefore we had the spaniards great perre-augoe to carry us one day's journey further to an indian town , and ●our spaiards with us , three of which were to bring the perre-augoe back , the other was to be our guide for augusteen . we departed and mett with in tricare passage ; for sometimes we should be a ground on oyster banks , or shoals , and al most out of sight of land , about two or three in the afternoon we had not water to go any further : the wind being north-westerly drove the water out of the sound : but being nigh the shoar where had been an indian town : we went on shoar and found some ripe berries on the palm-shrubbs , which we were very earnest after till such time as a storm of wind with rain began to come upon us and night nigh at hand ; whereupon we all gott together , considering what we should do , since there was no possibility of getting shelter here . our indian guide said , we might gett to a town about two leagues off ; which we were glad to hear , for it rained hard so we with our guide sett forward and walked over a parcell of scraggy shrubby hills to the sea-shoar , along which we travelled till we gott to the indian town , where we gott plenty of berries for our supper . it rained much till towards morning . the 9 month . 10. this morning the indians were not willing to stay any longer ; and we were by our guide required to depart ; which we did , and a great many young indian men followed us some miles along the bay , and offered violence to robert barrow and severall others ; but were easily stopt by shewing them a rusty muskett presented towards them , and so they left us . we had an untomard passage from the sea shoar athwart the land to the indian town , the ground being swampey ▪ and scraggey hills , which 〈◊〉 our bare fect was very troublesom . this was a large town , and there was another large town about a mile distant in sight , thither part of our company was sent to be quartered : at which town about a twelve month since a parcell of dutch men were killed who having been cast away on the bohemia s●●als in a flatt which they built escaped hither , and were here devoured by these cannaballs , as we under stood by the spaniards : the ●att or our boat people saw : but they seemed kind to them , giving them fish and berries to eat : we rema●ed at these two towns till next morning the indians of the town i was at , were no so kind as those at the other town had been : some of our people were for selling their ●ags to the indians for fish ; but we thought t' was most necessary , of the two extreams , to defend against the cold : for every day grew colder than oth●r ; and we feared that if we were much longer exp●led to it , we should not live it out . the 9 month 11. the 4 of the week . this morning leaving this town , we embarqued in our two boats , and those of our people that were at the other town were to have a large cannooe to carry them thence , and were to meet us in the sound : we rowed severall leagues and did not meet them ; it being then about tenn a clock ; the spaniard would go on shoar and travell back by land-to see after them . we being by an inlett of the sea which was a mile over , the spaniard ordered us to go on the other side , and there stay for him ; which we did many hours . at this place we all went upon the search to see if any thing was to be had for the belly , some on the land , some in the water : the land yielded nothing ; but in the water we gott a sort of shell-fish call●d water-soldiers , which we eat : att length the cannooe with our people came , but our spaniard was not come ; but in about half an hour's time he came with a small cannooe . this was the place where solomon 〈◊〉 the spaniards . the cannoo's had each two indians to 〈◊〉 them along : and we had one indian for our guide named wan-antonia who the spaniard said was a christian , but an inhabitant of that town wheretthe d●ch-men were kill'd . we sett forward in our two boats , and the two cannooes , and rowed till night , being nigh a place of thickety wood , which we made choice of to lodge at for this night : here was wood enough : we madle large fires , were pleased with the place , and lay down to rest . about mid-night i had a great loss ; having about a quart of berries whole , and as much pounded to mix with water to feed our child with , the fire being disturbed , the cloth which we had our food in was burnt : all was lost and nothing to be had untill we could gett to the spaniards , which was two days march at least . about an hour after this the wind rose att north-west . and it began to rain ; but having small palmeto which grew nigh , joseph kirle and i sett to work and made a shelter which would keep tenn or more of us from the weather : we had no sooner compleated our work , but it rained hard . in this shower of rain the four indians gott from amongst us , took their cannooes , and away they went back again : when day appeared , we missed them , upon which we went to the water-side , where we found the two cannooes gone . and now we were in a great strait . but the spaniard said , those that could travell best must go by land. the persons pitcht upon were richard limpeney , andrew murray , cornelius toker , ioseph kirles boy , john hilliard , and penelope with , seven negroes named peter , jack , cesar , sarah , bell , susanna and quenza . the spaniards and the indian-wan-antonia went with them to direct them , the way carrying them over land to the sea shoar , and then directing to keep the sea-shoar along to the north-ward . they returned to us , and we with our two boats rowed all day without ceasing till sunsetting : and when we putt on sho●ar , the place we an old indian-field on a high bleak hill , where had been a large indian house , but it was tumbled down . of the runis of this house we made a shelter against the north-west wind , which began to blow very bleak . the spaniard went to the sea , which was not two miles off , to see if our people had passed , and at his return he said , they were gone by . we asked if they could reach to any house or indian-town for shelter ? for we supposed , should they be without fire this night , they could not live . he said , they must travell all night . night came on : we had fire and wood enough , and had gathered a great heap of ●rass to lie in , hoping to have gott some rest : but the north-west increased , and the cold was so violent , that we were in a lamentable condition , not able to rest , for as we lay or stood so close to the fire that it would scorch us , that side from it was ready to freeze : we had no other way , but to stand and keep turning for the most part of the night . we all thought that we never felt the like . the spaniard that was clothed was as bad to bear it as we that were naked . att length day appeared and we must goe . the 9 month 13. the 6 of the week . this morning we were loth to part with our fires , but to stay here it could not be : so we went to our boats ; wading in the water was ready to benumm us . but we putt forward , and rowing about 2 leagues came to an old house , where the spaniard told us we must leave the boats and travell by land ; we had a boggy marsh to wade through for a mile to gett to the sea-shoar , and had about five or six leagues along the bay or strand to the spanish sentinall's house : the north-west-wind was violent , and the cold such that the strongest of us thought we should not out-live that day : having gott through the boggy marsh and on the sea-shoar , our people , black and white , made all speed , one not staying for another that could not travel so fast ; none but i with my wife and child , robert barrow , my kinsman benjamin allen and my negroe london , whom i kept to help carry my child , keeping together ; the rest of our company had left us , expectting not to see some of us again ; especially robert barrow , my vvife and child . vve travelled after as vvel as vve could having gone about tvvo mil●s the cold so seized on my kinsman benjamin allen that he began to be stiff in his limbs , and staggered and fell , grievously complaining that the cold vvould kill him : our negroe having our young child i and my vvife took our kinsman under each arm and helped him along ; but art length his limbs vvere quite stiff , his speech almost gone , and he began to foom at mouth . in this strait vve knevv not vvhat to doe ; to stay vvith him vve must perish also , and vve vvere vvilling to strive as long as vve could . vve carried our kinsman and laid him under the bank , not being dead . i resolved to ruim after our people , some of them not being out of sight ; vvhich i did and lett my vvi●e and child vvith the negroe to follovv as fast as they could . i runn about tvvo miles , making signs to them , thinking if they should look behind them and see me running , they vvould stopp till i gott up vvith them . i vvas in hopes that if i could have accomplished this my design , to have gott help to have carried my kinsman along ; but they stop not , and i runn untill the wind pierced me so that my limbs failed and i fell ; yet still i strove , and getting up vvalked backvvards to meet my vvife . as i was goying i mett with the spaniard comeing out of the sand-hills and joseph kirle● negroe ben. i made my complaint to the spaniard , but he not being able to understand me well , went forward . i than apply'd my self to the negroe , making large promises if he would fetch my kinsman ; he offered to go back and use his endeavour , vvhich he did . at lenght my vvife and child came up with me ; she vvas almost overcome vvith grief expressing in vvhat manner vve vvere forced to part vvith our kinsman , and expecting that she and the child should goe next . poor robert barrow was a great way behind us : i feared we sould never see him again i used my endeavour to comfort and cheere my wife , intreating her , not to let grief overcome her ; i had hopes that the lord would help us in this strait , as he hath done in many since we were in this land : and if it pleased god that we might lay down our lives in this wilderniss , that we might beseech him to enable us to do it willingly . thus striving in a deep exercise of body and mind we travelled on , admiring gods goodness in preserving us thus farr through so many eminent dangers . in the sence of which a secret hope would arise , ( though invol●ed with human doubts and fear ) thar the lord would yet preserve ●s . i took my child from the negroe and carried him . i had an indian-matt with a splitt in it , through which i putt my head , hanging over my breast unto my wast : under this i carried my child , which helpe't to break the wind off it ; but the poor babe was black with cold from head to foot , and its flesh as cold as a stone ; yet it was not forward . it 's mother would take it now and then and give it the breast , but little could it gett att it ; besides we dared not stopp in the least , for if we did , we should perceive our limbs to fail . about two a clock in the afternoon we came up with our negroe-woman hagar with her child att her back almost dead : and a little further we came up with out negroe-girle quenza , being dead , as we thought , for she was as stiff as a dead body could be , and her eyes sett ; butt at lenght we perceived her breath : but she had no sence , nor motion . we carried her from the waterside under the bank. this increased my wife , ssorrow ; and she began to doubt she should not be able to travell much further : but i endeavoured to incourage her not to leave striving as long as any ability was left . all our people were out of sight exept four , and those we had gained upon . i sent my negroe to overtake them , and to disire them to slacken their pace till we gott up with them ; being in hopes that gaining their company would to cheere up my wife : but they would not ; so the negroe stopt for us . we had lost sight of robert barrow by this time : soon after we overtook john smith who was one of the four : he began to ●ail , and his companions left him ; whereupon he made grievous complaints which i reproved him for , left he should discourage my wife . the sun was nigh setting ; and we began to look out for the sentinalls post ; and my negroe at times gott upon severall of the highest sand-hills to look out , but could not see any house , nor the smoak of fire : this was terrible to us all , for the day being so cold , the night much more , and we not able to travell without rest , being a starved people both within our bodies and without , and if we ceased from travelling , we should instantly be nummed and move no further . in the midst of these reasonings and doubtings we were gott into . i espyed a man as i thought , standing on the bank but at great distance ; i was afraid to speak lest it should prove otherwise , but he was soon seen by the whole company , and at lenght we espyd him walking towards the land ; this confirmed us , and so we took to the hills again to look out , yet could not see the house from thence , but on the next hill we saw it : this was joy unto us , though we began to have a sence of our tiredness , for our resolution abated after we had got sight of the house . when we gott to the house , we found four sentinalls and the spaniards our guide with the three of our men ; viz ioseph bucklay , nathaniell randall , and john shires . the spaniard bid us welcome , and made room for us to sitt down by the fire . the chiefest man of the sentinall took a kersey-coat and gave my wife to cover her , and gave each of us a piece of bread made of indian-corn , which was pleasant unto us : after it we had plenty of hott casseena drink : it was dark and we endeavoured to prevail with the spaniards to go seek for robert barrow and my kinsman , offering them considerable , but they seemed not fully to understand me , yet i could make them sensible that my kinsman was almost dead , if not quite ; and that the old-man was in a bad condition . they made me to understand that the weather was not fitt to go out , but they would watch if robert should pass by . about an hour or two after one of the spaniards being walking out of the bay mett with robert and brought him into the house . we rejoyced to see him , and inquired concerning our kinsman and negroe ben. he said our kinsman was striving to gett upp and could not : he came to him and spake unto him ; he could not answer but cryed , and he could not help him ; but comeing along at some considerable distance mett negroe ben. ; who said he was going for benjamin allen , so he past him ; and some miles further he saw negroe jack drawing himself down from the bank , his lower parts being dead , and crying out for some fire that he might save his life ; but he did not see the negroe girle whom we halled out of the way . we were under a great concern for our kinsman ; the spaniards we could not prevail upon to goe and ●etch him , or go and carry where with to make a fire : which had they done and found them living , it might have preserved them● but we hoped negroe ben. would bring our kinsman . the spaniards would have had most of us to have gone to the next sen●inall's house ; which was a league further ; but we all begged hard of them to let us lye in their house in any place on the ground , for we were not able to travel further : besides the cold would kill us ; for we were in such a trembling shaking condition , and so full of pain from head to foot , that it●s not to be expressed . at length the spaniards consented that robert barrow , i , my wife and child● and john smith should lye in the house ; but to joseph buckley ▪ nathaniell randall , john sheirs , and my n●groe london . they would not grant that favour : so one of the spaniards taking a fire-brand bid those four goe with him . he directed them to a small thickett of trees and shewed them to gather wood and make large fires and sleep there . these poor creatures lay out , and it proved a hard frosty night . the spaniard returned and said they were gott into a wood , and had fire enough . we were silent , but feared they would hardly live till morning . after they were gone , the spaniards took a pint of indian-corn and parched it and gave part to us , which we accepted cheerfully ; also they gave us some casseena-drink . we were in extraordinary pain , so that we could not rest ; and our feet were extreamly bruis●● the skin was off and the sand caked with the blood that we could hardly sett our feet to the ground after we had been sometime in the house . the night was extreem cold though we were in the house ; and by the fire we could not be warm , for one side did scorch whilst the other was ready to freeze : and thus we passed the night . the 9 month 14. the 7 of the week . this morning we looked out , and there was a very hard frost on the ground , so it was terible to goe out of doores . our people returned from the wood , but complained heavely of their hardship in the night . they had not been an hour in the house before the spaniards gave us all a charge to be g●ne to the next sentinall●s house : this was grievous to us all , but more especially to my wife , who could not raise her self when down ; but goe we must , for though we intreated hard for my wife and robert barrow , we could not prevail that they might stay still we could gett a cannooe . as we were all goeing one spaniard made a sign for me and my wife to stay , which ▪ we did ; and it was to have a handfull of parcht corn : as soon as we had received it they bid us be gone to the next sentinall's , where was victualls enough for us . the sunn was a great height , but we could not feel any warmth it gave , the north-wester beginning to blow as hard as it did the day before . and having deep sand to travell through , which made our travelling this one league very hard , especially to my wife and robert. the spaniards sent my wife a blankett to be left att the next sentinall●s house . at lenght we came to an inlett of the sea ; on the other side was the look-out and sentinall●s house ; here were all our people ●●●ing waiting to be carri●d over and in a little time came one of the sentinalls , with a cannooe and carried us over . this sentinall would not suffer us to come into his house , but caused us to kindle a fire under the leigh of his house and there fitt down : about half an hour after he bid us be gone to the next sentinall's , which was a league further , giving us a cup of casseena and two quarts of indian-corn for us all , bidding us goe to our company at next house and our corn dressed there . i understood that our negroe-woman hagar gott hither late last night having her child dead at her back , which the spaniards buried . one of the spaniards went with us to the next inlett carrying a stick of fire to sett fire of some trash to make a signall for them on the otheiside to fetch us over the inlett being very wide . when the cannooe came over for us , our guide took the blankett from my wife ; but the negroe which brought over the cannooe lent my wife one of his coats , so we gott over , but before we gott to the house we had a showr of hail . at this house we were kindly received , having such a mess of victualls as we had not had in a long time before , which was very pleasant to our hunger-starv'd stomachs . our people went hence ; this morning for augusteen , having a guide with them : but john hos●er and penelope were left here , not being able to travell . we remained here till the morrow , but the night was so extreem cold that we could not rest . the 9 month 15. the 1 of the week . this morning the spaniards bid us prepare to travell for they were not able to mantain us . we understood that it was five or six leagues to augusteen , and we could not travell so farr , being all of us lamed and stiff : we intreated them to let us goe in a cannooe , but they deneyed us : we intreated for the two women and robert barrow ; at lenght we prevailed that they should goe up in a cannooe , for the cannooe was to goe whether we went or not . while all this discourse was , came in a couple of spaniards , one being the sentinall that went with our people the day before , the other was a person the governour had sent with a cannooe and four spaniards to fetch us , this was cheerfull news ; for had we gone to have travelled without a guide , we should have perished . the man that came for us brought two blanketts , one for my wife , the oher for penelope : he desired us to be goeing . about a league distance from the place he left the cannooe , which we parted with very unwillingly ; for some of our people , had they had a mile further to have gone , could not have gone it : the wind still continued att north-west and blowed very fiercely ; and extreem cold it was : we had such a continuall shivering and pain in our bones that we were in violent anguish . our poor child was quiet , but so black with cold and shaking that it was admirable how it liv d. vve gott to augusteen about two houres before night ▪ being putt on shoar , we were directed to the governour 's house : being gott thither we were had up a pare of staires , at the head whereof stood the governour , who ordered my wife to be conducted to his wife's appartment . i and john smith went into a room where the governour asked us a few questions ; but seeing how extreem cold we were , he gave us a cup of spanish-wine and sent us into his kitchin to warm our selves at the fire . about half an hour afterwards the governour sent for john smith and m● and gave us a shirt and sliders , a hatt and a pare of silk stockins , telling us , he had no vvollen clothes as yet , but would have some made : vve put on the linnen and made all hast into the kitchen to the fire . robert barrow was quartered at another house : the persons came to the governours house and took such as they were minded to quarter in their houses ; so that joseph kirle , john smith , i , my wife and child lodged at the governour 's house . all our people that came up with joseph kirle came to see us . vve perceived the people s great kindness ; fot they were all well clothed from head too foot with the best the people had . ●oseph kirle began to tell us of his travell after he left us on the bay , and how that they all concluded that they should never see my wife and child and robert barrow any more , if they did my kinsman and me. richard limpeney and those that went with him had a hard travell for thirthy six hours without ceasing , in which travell three of our negroes that went with them were lost , ( viz jack , c●sar and quensa , by sitting down to rest themselves they were in a little time so numed that they could not goe , and there perished . so that we lost five in that day's travell , and began to ▪ doubt that negroe ben. perished also . ●oseph keirle said that he thought he should have lost som of our people in their travell from the last centinall's hither , for they were much tyred , and the cold violent and the la●ter part of that day's jorney they vvading for many miles through much vvater , and deep sand-hills , and when they came in sight of augusteen they stayed for boats to fetch them , in which time some were nummed with the cold. joseph keirle applyed himself to the governour on our behalfs to send us help , for he doubted wether we were all living ; the governour readely assented and fortwith sent for a person fitt for his purpose ; chargeing him to gett a perre-a●goe and men , and goe forthwith and fetch us , but the tide fell out , so that we could not goe till midnight : the governour was so concerned that he would not goe to bed ▪ till they were gone ; when the tide served he went to the waterside and saw the men putt off , giving them a strict charge . solomon cresson began to tell us of his travells from jece , having most part of the way much rain : the indians were very kind unto him untill thy came to the indian towne where the dutch men were killed , at which place some of those indians made a discovery of him to be no spaniard . they said nothing to him thereof , but were very dogged to him , giving him no food , and causing him to lye on the ground amongst vermine . on the morrow he was to goe with his former company ; who were grown so extreamly bitter and envious to him that when they did but look upon him , they were ready to smite him ; having gone untill about mid-day , passing an inlett , the wether being extreme bad with wind , rain and much cold , they putt on shoar ; ( this was the place where we putt on shoar and gott water-soldiers and stayed for the spaniard when he went back to look for our people that were to follow us in a cannooe ) but the rage of these bloody people was such that he expected to dye ; being on shoar they readely kindled a fire , about which time he heard a noise of a boat and oars , and presently the spanish p●rre-augo putt on shoar upon them : the indian were extraordinarily surprized and stood amazed but solomon was glad to see them , and they him : the spaniards took the old casseekey's chest and whatever he had from him , comanding them to return to the indian towns from whence they came . staying all night the next morning the spaniards send solomon under the conduct of two indians belongingh to these towns who were commanded by the spaniards to carry solomon unto the sentinall's house , but these two indians carried him a little beyond the place where we putt on shoar to travel , and they seemed as though they had mischief in their hearts against him : he asked if they would goe forward ? but they looking untowardly on him , answered him not : so he went himself and was glad when he saw they did not follow him . but we were desirous to know how the spaniards had knowledge of us , which it seems was thus . when we gott to jece where smith and his company were , and we going under the denomination of spaniards and the other english , the report of us runn from indian-town to indian-town to the northward unto the northernmost town , att which town ▪ were two or more indians that were converted to the romish faith. these or one of these went to the next spanish sentinalls and gave an account that he heard that there were two vessels cast away to the southward of jece , one being a spaniard , the other an english vessell , the spaniards having two vessels gone for the h●vana to seek for supplies , feared it was those vessels : and the same day as this news came to the governour of augusteen came also news of one of their fryers , being murdered by some of the cape indians . after this manner we understood it ; viz. three fryers being under a vow to goe amongst the indians on the cape to convert them , they went to a certain town to the northward of where we were cast away , but it lay within the sound . the casseekey of this town they gained on to embrace the roman-faith , but all his people were much incenced against the fryers , and therefore would have their casseekey renounce his faith , and put the fryers to death ; but he would assent to neither : therefore they killed him and one fryer ; the other two eshaped . hereupon was a perre-augoe forthwith sent for us of what nation soever we might be , also a party of spaniards and indians were sent against that town where the fryer was killed . we had a plentifull supper , and we fedd like people that had been half starved , for we eat not knowing when we had enough : and we found our palats so changed by eating of berries that we could not relish the tast of salt any more than if it had no saltness in it : we had lodging provided , but few beds . the 9 mt . 16. the 2 of the week . this morning we had i●e half an inch thick , and it had been so for some mornings past , but as the sun riset it 's gone . the governour came this morning to our apartement , inquiring how we did ? we having had chocolatta for breakfast he asked if we would have any thing else that his house could afford : if we would but ask it should be brought us . but we modestly answered that this was sufficient althoug our appetites were not to be satisfiied . the governour stated the poverty of the country unto us . the place is a gar●son maintained one half by the king of spain the other half by the church of rome . the male inhabitants are all soldiers , every one receiving pay according to their post . a sentinall●s pay is 150 pices of eight a year . and all their supply of bread , clothing and money comes from the h●vana and porto vella . and it is a going on of three years since they have had a vessell from any place whatsoever , which makes their wants very great : all things being expended except ammanition and salt , of which they said they had enough . the governour offered us the freedom of what his house afforded , withall gave us a charge to be carefull in going abroad , especially of some persons that did not effect our nation : we promised to be ruled and submitt to the governours pleasure for our liberty . our people came in and we told them the caution ; but they said they had been all over the tow● and in many hou●es where they were kindly received , and such as the people had they would give them . they told us of some english that liv'd here , and they had been at their houses ; the chiefest in esteem was one william carr of the isle of man , who about thirty years ago was in a vessel bound for south carolina , but missing their port were cast away nigh this port , many were drownd , but he and some others were brought hither by the indians , some of them gott away in spanish vessels , others dy'd here : this man turned roman catholick and married a spanish woman , of whom he had seven children , and is an officer in the garison : he was chief interpreter . this day came joseph kirl's negroe ben. : he gave us this account that after he had sent him back , he having looked and not finding my kinsman went to se●k for a place to shelter himself from the cold , and some place he found to creep in where he lay down and continued there all night , but by morning was so stiff with cold that he could not use his leggs , but halled himself towards the bay. the spaniard our guide from the first sentry house the morning after we went thence returned along the bay to see if any of our people were living , but he found all dead except negroe ben. : and he getting a fire made negroe ben. was recovered and gott the use of his limbs . william carr the interpreter acquainted us that the governour and two royall officers would examin us concerning our being cast away and what goods and moneys was lost in our vessell , and concerning our hardships amongst the florida-indians &c. which was done , and every one did sign it . this took up 2 or 3 days time to complete it . after this was done the governour told us , that he expected capt. sebastian lopas in som few days , and after his arrivall he would provide for our going to carolina with cannooes and men to guard us . this week my wife was taken with a fever and ague which held her three days and then left her . the governour ordered his own docter to administer such things as were helpfull . the governour kindness to us all was extraordinary , for he would daily enquire of us if we wanted any thing which he had , of which he gave us an account , and we eat no worse than he did daily . the town we saw from one end to the other : it is about three quarters of a mile in length , not regularly built , the houses not very thick ; they having large orchards , in which are plenty of oranges , ●emmons , pome-citrons , lymes , figgs and peaches : the house most of them old building and not half of them inhabited . the number of men being about three hundred that belong to the government and many of them are kept as sentinalls at their look-outs . at the north end of the town standeth a large fortification , being a quadrangel with bastions , each bastion will contain thirtheen guns ; but there is not passing two thirds of fifty two mounted . in the curtin they can not mount any gunns being only for small arms. the wall of the fortification is about thirthy foot high built of sawed stone , such as they gett out of the sand between the sea and the sound . this stone is only sand and small shells connexed together being not very hard till exposed to the sun. the fort is moated round , the would not admitt us to come near the fort ; but joseph kirle took an opportunity and walked round about it . the 9 mt . 23. the 2 of the week . this day joseph kirle and i considering that the latter end of this week was talked of for our setting forward towards carolina ( which the spaniards call st. georges , ) we concluded to endeavour to provide our selves , if we could , with clothing ; cosidering we should be exposed ▪ to all the weather that might happen , and have no shelter but what we carried with us . therefore we were incleined to sell , he his and i one or two of my negroes to provide us chlothing and provisions . we addressed our selves to the governour and withall offered him if he pleased to accept the choise of my negroes ; but he denyed our offer . we stated our matter to him and asked if we might dispose of our negroes ? he said , no , we should not , neither could we ●ell them to any person but himself for the king's account without a speciall licence . therefore he would consult the two royall-officers and give us his answer . the 9 mt . 24. the 3 of the week . this day the governour sent for us , and told us ▪ that he would give us credit for what we and the rest of the company would . i told him that my wife and child would want some warmer clothing , also joseph kirle and my self should want some , if to be had . he ordered us to give in an account of what we should want , and if to be had , he would gett it : and joseph kirle and i should give our obligation to pay the governour of carolina what the summ amounted unto ; which we were willing to do : but we disired that our people should give us their obligation for what we were engaged for on their account ; which the governour thought reasonable . i gave in an account of particulars for joseph kirle ; robert barrow , myself and family : also the quantity of indian-corn , peace , stringed beefe , salt and earthen potts for the whole company : but clothing was not to be had except as much stuff as made a suit fot my wife ▪ and child , and a few skins joseph kirle and i gott : i gott also seven blanketts tho the price was great . these served joseph kirle , robert barrow , myself and family . we had five roves of ammonition bread , so full of weavel that corn was far better . twenty roves of strung beefe : sixty roves of indian-corn . ten roves of peace . 〈◊〉 rove of salt , jarrs for water , and earthen potts to boile our victualls in . the 9 mt . 25. the 4 of the week . the governour sen● for joseph kirle and me to certify that all that was to be gott he had gott for us . and he further signifyed unto us that he did expect sebastian lopas before this time , and he would not have us to go till he came , for whatever he could gett of our money and goods we should receive it every doit. but we said we desired not to be detained on that account , for we had given that already over for gone from us . and as it had pleased god to make them the instruments of our preservation , so we did freely give any thing of that which was or may be deemed ours to the governour and those persons that were sent for us . the governour said he would not have any thing to do vvith it , for vvhat ever he did was for charity●s sake . then we desired the soldiers should have it if anything shoul be gott , which we doubted . and hereupon we considered that should those poor men gett nothing we ought to allow them something in generall ; therefore joseph kirle and i offered the governour that vve would allow capt. sebastian lopas and his men an hundred pieces of eight for bringind us up from amongst the indians . the governour was well pleased with our offer and said the should have it . about this time robert barrow was taken with a grievous belly-ach , after which he f●ll into a violent flux . severall of our people also were taken with the belly-ach and great scouring , all which was chieflly occasioned by our unreasonable eating and not governing our selves therein . our chief dyett was hommoney , herbs and pumpions , having not much meat ; which mean dyett was our preservation : for had it been all flesh , we should have distroyed our selves ▪ but vve had the best the place afforded . the 9 mt . 26. the 5 of the week . this day vv● signed out obligation for four hundred pieces of eight , and vve were to be gone the 28 or 29 i●stant , after which our people signed their obligation to us to pay their proportion of what was provided for them in provisions and their part of what should be paid for their passage from the indians to carolina : whereupon we made the best provision we could : i had gott some wine and brandy for my self and famely and some small necessaries for our child , with a great resolution to goe through . the 9 mot . 29. the 1 of the week . this day after we had dined , cannooes being gott ready , one capt. francisco de roma with six soldiers was to go our conduct ; the governour walked down to see us embarque , and taking our farewell he embraced some of us and wished us well , saying , we should forgett him when we go●t amongst our own nation , and also added that if we forgott , god would not forgett him . thus in a courteous manner we parted ; which was about two or three a clock in the afternoon . taking our departure from augusteen , we had about two or three leagues to an indian-town called st. a cruce , where being landed we were directed to the indian ware-house : it is built round having sixteen sqares ; on each sqare is a cabbin built and painted which will hold two people ; the house being about fifty foot diameter . in the middle of the topp is a square opening about fifteen foot . this house was very clean , and fires being ready made nigh our cabins . the spanish captain made choise of cabins for him and his soldiers and appointed us our cabbins . in this town they have a fryer and a large house to worship in with three bell's , and the indians go as constantly to their devotion at all times and seasons a● any of the spaniards . night being come and the time of their devotion over , the fryer came in and many of the indians both men and women having a dance according to their way and custome . vve had plenty of casseena drink and such victualls as the indians had provided for us , some bringing corn boyled , another pease , some one thing , some another , of all which we made a good supper aud slept till morning . the 9 mot . 30. the 2 of the week . this morning early we left this town having about two leagues to go with the cannooes , then we were to travell by land : but a cart was provided to carry our provisions and necessaries ; in which cart those that could not travell were carried . we had about five leagues to a sentinall's house , where we lay all night , and next morning travelled along the sea-shoar about four leagues to an inlett : here we waited for cannooes to come for us to carry us about two miles to a town called st. wans , an indian town , being on an island . we went through a kirt of wood into the indian plantations for a mile . in the middle of this island is the town of st. wans , a large town and many people . they have a fryer , and a worshipping-house : the people are very industrious , having plenty of hoggs and fowles and large cropps of corn , as we could tell by their corn-houses . the indians brought us victualls as at the last town , and we lay in their warr-house , vvhich was larger than that at the other town . the 10 mot . 2. the 4 of the week . this morning the indians brought us victualls for ●reakfast , and the fryer gave my wife some loaves of bread made of indian-corn , which was somewhat extraordinary : also a parcell of fowles . about tenn a clock in the forenoon we left st. wans , walking about a mile to the sound where were cannooes and indians ready to transport us to the next town . we did believe that we might ha●e come all the way along the sound , but the spaniards were not willing to discover the place unto us . an hour before sun sett we gott to the town call'd st. marys . this is a fronteer and a garison town : the inhabitants are indians with some spanish soldiers . we were conducted to the warr house , as the custome is , for every town hath a warr house . or as vve understood these houses were for their times of mirth and danceing , and to lodge and entertain strangers . this house is about 81 foot diameter built round , with 32 sqares , in each sqare a cabin about 8 foot long of a good height being painted and well matted . the centre of this building is a quadrangle of 20 foot being open at topp of the house , against which the house is built thus in this quadrangle is the place they dance having a great fire in the middle : one of the sqares of this building is the gate , way or passage in . the women natives of these towns cloth their themselves with the moss of trees , making gowns and petticoats thereof which at a distance or in the night look very neat . the indian boys we saw were kept to school in the church , the fryer being their school master . this is the largest town of all . about a mile from this is another town called st. philips . at this town of st. mary's were we to stay till the 5th or 6th instant ; where also we were to receive our sixty roves of corn , and tenn roves of pease ; while we stayed we had one half of our corn beaten into meal by the indians , the other we kept whole , not knowing what waether we should have : for the fryer of this town some years past was at charles town i● south carolina , and he had a monthes passage in goeing about this time of the year . this news was very unpleasant to think of lying out a month at this season , having been so weather beaten before ; but we endeavoured to shun looking back , considering how great our preservations had been hitherto . while we stayed here we were willing to make all the provision we could for back and belley : vve gott of the indians plenty of garlick and long pepper to season our corn and pease , both which were griping and windy : and we made us vvooden trays and spoons to eat with ; vve gott rushes and made a sort of platted rope thereof ; the use we chiefly intended it for was to be serviceable to help us in building hutts or tents with at such time as we should mee● with hard vveather . the time drawing on that we were to leave this town , we had seven large cannooes provided to carry us being in all about sixty persons ; eighteen of us and 6 of smiths company , seven spaniards and thirty add indians , vvhich were to row the cannooes and be our pilots . vve had some indians from all the towns and two casseekey's . vve understood that the carolina indians called the yammasees , which are related to these indians were here about a month since trading for deer skins . i have omitted a considerable passage that happened in augusteen ; the woman named penelope being bigg with child , by the spaniard's perswasion stayed with them : also joseph kirle's boy named john hilliar , was detained by the spaniards . joseph kirle strove hard with the governour that he might have his boy ; but the lad was conveyed out of town and not to be found . the governour promised that he would send him after him if possible ; but the boy came not to us , and we were to depart hence on the morrow . the 10 mot . 6. the 1 of the week . this morning we embarked and departed this place and put in to the town st. philips where the spanish captain inveited us on shoar to drinck casseena , which we did : the spaniards having left somethingh behind , we stayed here about an hour and then sett forward . about two or three leagues hence we ●ame in sight of an indian town called sappataw ; but vve went about a league to the northward of it to a sentinall s house , where vve putt our boats on shoar and had casseena brought us , making no stay vve went hence rowing till next morning : in the night vve had lost our way , but gott to rights in a little time . the 7. the 2 of the week . this morning we putt on shoar having past an inlett of the sea , and here we drest some victualls and gott a little sleep untill the tide served . some of our indians went out a hunting for deere and hoggs of both which the spaniards said there was plenty , and when the tyde served vve were to goe to the northernmost end of this island and stay for the hunters . one of the indians brought a deer which he throwed down amongst the other indians , and he went out again to hunt to the north end of the island , where vve were to rand●vouse for this night . vve sett forward abou● tenn a clock and gott to the place appointed an hour or two before sun-sett , it being a fine lofty vvood ▪ we imployed our selves in getting fire-wood for the night and moss to lye on , of both which we gott plenty , having a large oak to lye under . the indians brought in severall hoggs and deere , of which we had part , so that we fared richly ; having a pleasant nights repose ; we gott up to be gone about an hour before day . the 10 mot . 8. the 3 of the week . this day having rowed from the last place untill two hours before sun-sett we putt on shoar at a place where had been an indian settlement , it being on a high bank , from whence we had a prospect of the sound . here we imployed our selves to go and fetch bushes to make shelter against the wind and dews of the night , and in cutting of dry grass to lye on , and getting of wood which was at considerable distance ; but we resolved to have it if labour would purchase it . those that were not imployed in these services were providing of vvater and victualls , for we had alwais enough to doe . we had a pleasant night and rested well . the 10 mot . 9. the 4 of the week . this morning about sun-rising we saw a cannooe of carolina-indians a going to the southward a hunting : they kept the western side of the sound , being fearfull of us ; we had a cannooe manned with indians and spaniards to go after them to speak with them , being desirous to gett them to carry letters to inform of our comeing ' not knowing but we might alarum the out-settlement of carolina . this cannooe of ours pursued the other , but the carolina indians putt on shoar , runn into a mash and fired at our people . the spanish indians who could speak the yammaw's language , called onto them , and told them their business , withall intreating them to come unto them ; but they answered that they were going a hunting for the season , therefore desired them to be gone , for they would not come near them : thus our people returned unto us . the carolina indians went their way , and we prepared to goe forward . we having the casseekey of st. wans with us sent him away last night , to see if he could meet any of the yammawsee indians of carolina , he being acquainted with and related to them : but this cannooe passed him , we sett forward and rowed all the day till about an hour before sun-sett , and then we putt on shoar att an indian-field which was overgrown with sedge . it being low wett land. here we made our accustomed provision for lodging , lying this night in a wood , having dressed victualls for this time and to morrow ; and having rested well this night , about day-break or sooner we left this place . the 10 mot . 10. the 5 of the week . this day about tenn a clock we crossed an iulets , butt the tyde being against us we putt on shoar att an old indian field . att this place under the shelter of some trees was the casseekey of st. wanns . here we stayed and dranck some casseena . there was aboundance of rabbetts ▪ but we made no stay . not passing two hours , the casseekey was sent before to make discovery , and we followed rowing untill an hour before sun-sett , by which time we gott to the place called st. catalena , where hath been a great settlement of indians , for the land hath been cleared for planting , for some miles distant here also we mett the casseekey , also a cannooe of carolina indians being a man his wife and children having his doggs and other hunting implements for to lye out this winter season . the spanish captain by this interpreter discoursed him about carrying our letters , which he readily assented unto ; whereupon the spanish captain sett himself to writing to the governour of carolina . we had a large field to lye in and no manner of shelter but what was a mile distant or more ; but we spared not pains , but some fell to cutting of boughs and brush att that great distance , some to carrying it to the place , some to gett fire wood ; so that by night we had a brave shelter . the spanish captain sent for me to write to the governour of carolina ; which i did : i write a●●o to a person of my acquaintance there : the letters being finished and night come on i delivered my letters to the captain and returned to my company . by this time they had compleated our booth which we thought was sufficient , if no rain fell . vve provided our victualls for our supper and for the next day 's travell , as also some dry grass to lye on in hopes of resting well this night . about tenn at night the carolina indians went with our letters for carolina . the 10 mot . 11. the 6 of the week . this morning about two hours before day we had a gust of wind att the north-west and the skie was overcast and looked as though we should 〈◊〉 ▪ abundance of rain : in a little time the rain 〈◊〉 against which we had no shelter , but our blanketts : the rain held untill break of day , at which time began● the north-west wind to blow violent hard and cold : our shelter was fronting the north-west ; and we ●ell to work to shift our booth and to getting more boughs , brush and grass : the grass was to fill and keep up a bank of earth which we raised about three or four foot high to break the wind from us : all this day were we imployed in inlarging our booth and getting of vvood for fireing ; the north-west blew extream hard and this night was hard , getting but little rest . the cold pinching us . the 10 mo 12. the 7 of the week . this day the wind that continued without ceasing . we begann to mend●what the wind had put out of order by night , and haved up more earth on our booth , and made some enlargement , for we were not negligent by day to provide for the night , which pincl●ed us vvith cold especially aged robert barrow , who having a violent flux that had held him from augusteen hither , and by the violent cold being grown on him so that he could not govern his weakness , nor gett natural rest ; he vvas extreamly racked vvith the cold , that in this juncture of hardship vve could gett no vvarmth in him ; but he vvas contented vvith our mean help although he received litle benefit by it . this day at times vve vvent out to get vvood , having a long way to go in an open field and the cold almost numming us by that time we could gett to our ●oo● . this eveaing the wind was somewhat abated and we were in great hopes it was over , but it blowed fiercely the latter part of the night . the 10 mo . 13. the 1 of the week . this morning the wind was something abated and the sun gave forth a little vvarmth : joseph kirl● bo●roborrowed a gunn , powder and shott of the spaniards , and went to kill some in wild ●●●se or what other game he might come up with , but he had no success , comeing home without any game : and we were well content with a dinner of indian-corn and strung bee● . the spanish indian hunted all these three days and kill'd severall deere , but they eat them as fast as they killed them ; having little or no other provision , their corn being spent . the latter part of this day the wind was very moderate and we hoped to be going the next morning . whereupon we provided for the next days travell . the 10 mo . 14. the 2 of the week . this morning we embarqued and sett forward having fair weather , the wind down : we rowed all day untill three a clock , being come to a great inlett of the sea ; but the weather looked as though we should have wind and rain , and to cross the inlett would be dangerous , it being about two leagues over , and a little wind maketh a rough sea : so we putt on shoar , it being high land and lofty woods , mostly pine and live oakes : her● we made all the expedition we could to gett a shelter against the weather . the indians sett to work to build themselves little hutts or wigg-w●ms , which they had not done till now . they gott small palmetto-le●ves and covered their buildings ; but ours were covered mostly with boughs , which would not keep out much rain . by night we had a great deal of rain and vvind . and it being the evening of the spaniards christmass they used some of their ceremonies with tink●ing on a piece of iron , and singing , 〈◊〉 for somewhat for the day following : they 〈◊〉 of the indians , and the indians in like manner begged of the spaniards , and what the indians gave the spaniards , that was returned to the indians . the 10 mo . 16. the 4 of the week . this morning was very ●oggy and proved a rainy day , but we kept rowing untill two in the afternoon , the rain being hard and the wind increased at ne. we putt on shoar , but the capt. told us we should not stay here long , he intended further , and if the weather permitted ▪ would goe all night ; but the weather was likelier ▪ to be worse than better , and we sate in the rain untill night was come , then we intreated the captain that we might stay all night , and that we might provide against the weather ; but he pretented the weather would break up and he would be gone : but there was no likelihood of it : the rain was increased and we all wett and shram'd with cold ; at length he assented to stay ; then were we hard putt to it , ( being night ) to provide shelter : but in the dark did we work untill we had made us a shelter that would keep the rain from us ; having fires we putt off our wett clothes and dryed them as well as we could . towards morning the rain broke up . the 10 mo . 17. the 5 of the week . this morning att sun-rising we sett forward and rowed untill noon ; at wich time we came to an inlett and putt a shoar : there we stayed all this afternoon and dryed our blanketts and what was not dryed 〈◊〉 night . we also dressed victualls , and as soon as it was dark went hence designing to row all n●ght , but having an intrieate passage amongst marshes , where were divers creeks and ways , that we rowed sometimes in a wrong one ▪ then back again , and rowed in another ; and about midnight our pilotts were att a loss not knowing which way to goe , nor where to finde any dry land that we might goe on shoar : but three of our boats rowed untill we found a dry napp to gett on shoar , where we lay untill day , having good fires . as soon as it was light we gott our boats and went to look for the rest of our company whom we found having made their cannooes fast to the sedge and sitting therein until we came to them . the 10 mo● . 18. the 6 of the week . the night was extreem foggy , and so was this morning ; but we searched about and found our passage , being a little channell just broad enough for our boats to pass , and a mile in l●ng . after we past this , we came into a great sound which went down into a large inlett that the land could not be seen from the one side to the other . into the sound comes down a great river called the sabbina-river , which when we got into the course of it , the water was fresh though in this great sound . the spaniards called it the cross-barr , or st. a cruce : about noon we gott over this sound , and here we rowed out to sea for two leagues to gett into another sound ; and about three a clock the wind began to blow at north-east , and it looked very black , so that we feared a storm . we desired to gett on shoar to provide against it , but the captain said , about a few leagues further we ▪ should gett near port-royall , but in the interim we saw a cannooe on the shoar : we made to her and there we found some indian wig-wams . here we went on shoar . this was a cannooe laden with skins that belonged to merchants at carolina , having four indians belonging to her ; but three of them runn away fearing the spaniards , and one stayed . the indians wig-wams were in a bad condition not fitt to keep out the weather ; so we sett to work to mend them : here was plenty of palmeto-leaves with which we covered them and made addition to them , but the storm of wind and rain came violently before we could compleat our work and held all night , yet we lay indifferent dry though the storm was very great . the 10 mo . 19. the 7 of the week . this morning the storm of wind continued at n e. with rain we being likely to stay some time here inlarged our wig-vvam fearing a north-wester , which about tenn a clock this day began to blow fiercely with snow for some hours . the wind was so violent that we feared lest the tall pines should be blown on us . we sent the carolina●indian out to being his three mates in ; but they would not . the spanish indians made great complaint for food . we gave amongst them four rove of corn , not being willing to spare any more , not knowing how long we should be detained by the weather . some of our people had almost eaten up their shares , and we expected , should we be detained long , we must supply them with what we had to spare . the 10 mo . 20. the 1 of the week . this day the wind continued at n w. and extream cold it was , but we in our wig-wam were well enough beared from cold . about noon our mariners wig-wam got ▪ fire and was burnt their was the lewardmost of all ( for we had eight wig-wams ) otherwise the whole had been in danger ▪ we understood that wee were not passing two or three days journy from the english settlements ; but the spanish indians told us that it was more till we were better informed by this indian who belonged to that place . the 10 mo . 21. this day early we sett forward and passed port r●yall sound , being some leagues over ; and about two a clock in the afternoon we p●tt on shoar , the tide being against us : here was a close wood where we lay indifferent well all night , and early in the morning we sett forward and rowed all day until one a clock in the afternoon . of the 22. day . at which time we gott to the first settlement in carolina , belonging to one richard bennet , who received us kindly , and provided plentifully for us of good food and good drink , shewing the spaniards all kindness possible he could for our s●kes , which the spaniards did acknowledge : we stayed here all night . the 10 mo . 23. this morning having eaten plentifully , & drank also ▪ we went hence in company of some of the inhabitants about ten a clock , & rowed untill two hours within night , having passed by severall plantations , we putt on shoar on a point of land to wait a tide , having a wood to shelter in & making good fires we stayed untill midnight , at which time we went thence and rowed untill an hour or two before day , by which time we gott to governor blake's house . 24. this morning when the governor arose he sent for jo. kirle , john smith , andrew marrey & me making inquiry of us concerning our passage & on what account . the spaniards came with us . we rendred him an account of the governor of augusteen's generosity towards us , and that he sent us freely without any demands except what we had freely contracted . the governor sent for the spanish captain . in , & received the letters that were sent from the governor . of aug●steen , also our obligation , which the governor accepted . the governor shewed a great deal of kindness towards us , made inquiry into all our conditions ▪ robert barrow he sent to his neighbour margarett bammers , who , he said , would be carefull & nurse him : she was an antient friend , about 2 miles distant ; so he went on horseback . the governor clothed jos . kirle , john smith andrew murrey ; me , my wife & child . to the rest of our people he gave each of them a du●fel blankett which would keep them warm : and plenty of victualls and drink was provided . we obtained leave of the governor to permitt the spaniards to go to charles-town with us being willing to ▪ gratify them according to our abilities . the. 10 month 25. the 6 of the week . this day in the afternoon , joseph kirle , john smith , i ▪ my wife and child went to margarett bammers where robert barrow was ; staying all night till next morning , when the spaniards called for us as they came by water . 26. this morning we went hence with the spaniards for charles-town , where we arrived about an hour within night . the gentlemen of the town appointed a publick house of good credit to entertain the spaniards with meat & drink & lodging ; which was done to the spaniards admiration , they stayed here 8 days . we gott our people together & agreed jo●ntly to give the spaniards a 100 pc . of 8 , which . jo : kirle & i divided amongst them according to their degrees , we two adding to the summ . the 11 mo . 4. the 2 of the week . ioseph kirle & i provided a small present to send to the governor of augusteen , and this day we went with the spaniard to governor bla●es , staying there one day , the governor treated the spaniards , and having compleated his letters gave the spanish captain a considerable present and sent him homewards , ordering them to call on the yam-massee indians , where they might have as much indian cor● , ●s they pleased , to carry home with them , the towns of thes ▪ indians being about two or three days rowing from charles town . the 11 mo the 9. the 7 of the week . this day i returned with my wife and child to charles town , leaving robert barrow in a weak and low condition with margarett bammer . i , my wife and family with joseph kirle were entertained by captain james ribee the time of our stay in carolina . our sea-men were mostly imployed , some in one vessell , and some in another that belong'd to the port. the 12 mo . 6 the 2 of the week . joseph kirle went hence to the island of providence 〈◊〉 hopes of gaining speedy passage for pensilvania the place of his abode . towards the beginning of this month robert barrow was brought to charles town being extrem weak and was lodged at the house of mary cross who nursed him . the 1 mo . 18. the 5 of the week . this day i with my family and robert barrow em●a●ke● and sett sail from this place for pensilvania , and had fourteen days passage to philadelphia . the 2 month 4. the 1 of the week . this day in the evening robert barrow departed this life and was buried the 6 instant having passed through great exercises in much patience ; and in all the times of out greattest troubles was ready to counsell us to patience and to wait what the lord our god would bring to pass . and he would often express that it was his belief , that onr lives should be spared not be lost in that wilderness and amongst those people who would have made a prey of us . and so this good man having finished his course with joy laid down his body , and is with him who rewards the just . thus having compleated our hard passage hither , wherein gods great mercy and wonderfull loving kindness hath been largely extended unto us in delivering and preserving us to this day and time , i hope that i with all those of us that have been spared hitherto , shall never be forgetull ●or unmindfull of the low estate we were brought into ▪ but that we may double our diligens● in serving there lord god , is the breathing and earnest desire of my soul ▪ amen . jonathan dickinson indian dialogues for their instruction in that great service of christ, in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of god, and of themselves, and of iesus christ. eliot, john, 1604-1690. 1671 approx. 223 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 41 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a39228 wing e513 estc r40409 19299944 ocm 19299944 108562 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a39228) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 108562) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1668:5) indian dialogues for their instruction in that great service of christ, in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of god, and of themselves, and of iesus christ. eliot, john, 1604-1690. [4], 81 [i.e. 75] p. [s.n.], printed at cambridge : 1671. preface signed: j.e. attributed to john eliot by wing and nuc pre-1956 imprints. numbers 61-66 missing in pagination. imperfect: pages faded, stained and tightly bound with slight loss of print; best copy available for photographing. reproduction of original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng indians of north america -new england -missions. missions -new england -early works to 1800. 2003-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-07 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-09 john latta sampled and proofread 2003-09 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion indian dialogues , for their instruction in that great service of christ , in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of god , and of themselves , and of iesus christ . mal. 1.11 . for from the rising of the sun , even unto the going down of the same , my name shall be great among the gentiles , and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name , and a pure offering : for my name shall be great among the heathen , saith the lord of hosts . printed at cambridge . 1671. to the right worshipful , the commissioners of the vnited colonies in n.e. gentlemen , as i have sometime said unto you , so i now write , that there be none on earth that have so great and eminent a calling from man to take care of the indians , that they be instructed in the wayes of life by christ iesus , as your selves have . for , besides the right honourable corporation in london , his majesty our soveraign hath ordered a trust to be committed to such as shall be in your order , namely , commissioners of the united colonies in new-england , to take care of this matter . i finde few english students willing to engage into so dim a work as this is . god hath in mercy raised up sundry among themselves to a competent ability to teach their countrymen . many have been sent forth by the church this winter to divers places , and not without good success , through the grace of christ : of which i shall ( if god will , and that i live ) give you an account at your next sitting . i finde it necessary for me to instruct them ( as in principles of art , so ) in the way of communicating the good knowledge of god , which i conceive is most familiarly done by way of dialogues ; an essay whereunto i do here present unto you : purposing , if the lord will , and that i live , to do more of the like kinde hereafter . my earnest request unto your selves , is , that in all your respective colonies you would take care that due accommodation of lands and waters may be allowed them , whereon townships and churches may be ( in after-ages ) able to subsist ; and suffer not the english to strip them of all their lands , in places fit for the sustenance of the life of man. thus commending you to the lord , i rest , your worships to serve you in the service of our lord jesus , i. e. the preface . these dialogues are partly historical , of some things that were done and said ; and partly instructive , to shew what might or should have been said , or that may be ( by the lords assistance ) hereafter done and said , upon the like occasion . it is like to be one work incumbent upon our indian churches and teachers , for some ages , to send forth instruments to call in others from paganry to pray unto god : instructions therefore of that nature are requisite ; and what way more familiar , then by way of dialogues ? for sundry weighty reasons i desire and endeavour , that our learned indians should learn at least the english tongue ; our indian churches holding communion with the english churches , must perform that service in the english tongue . if the lord give life , and length of dayes , i may hereafter put forth these or the like dialogues in the indian tongue ; but what i shall live to do , is known to god. while i live , i desire to follow this work , and serve the lord with all my might , according to my poor measure of ability , and wait upon the lord for his blessing , by the concurrent prayers of the faithfull . j. e. indian dialogues . the church did send forth sundry of the brethren to several parts of the country among their friends and relations , to instruct , exhort and perswade them to pray unto god , to turn from their lewd and lazy life to the living god , and to come forth from the dark dungeon of their lost and ruined condition , into the light of the lord jesus , whose glory in the gospel , like the rising sun , beginneth to be displayed among their dead country-men ; who begin to be clothed with sinews , flesh and skin upon their dried bones , by the power of the spirit of jesus christ , in the preaching of the gospel unto them . piumbuhhou was sent to nashauwog among his kindred and friends these inhabiting : whose entertainment , discourse and success , was , or is desired that it might be as followeth . near the town a kinsman of his met him ; whose discourse was to such purpose as this . dialog . i. kinsman . piumbuhhou . speakers . kinsman . well met , and welcome beloved cousin , i am glad you are still alive ; can you make shift to live in that new way of living that you have taken up at natik ? i am glad of your coming , because i shall thereby have an opportunity to be informed truly of your wayes , and what your doings be , about which there be such various reports , some commending , some condemning , some deriding , some wondering ; but so far as i see few desire to imitate you . pium. i am very glad that god hath guided my way so well , so that i should meet you , whom i have longed to see : you are my friend whom i purposed first to look out , and lo god hath ordered us to meet each other , at my first coming to your town . likewise i am glad that you are so desirous to speak with me about our religion , and praying to god , for that is the very errand i come upon , that i might perswade you to do as we do . i am like a friend that have found honey , and plenty of food , and i come to call my friends to come partake with me . but what noise is this that i hear ? kinsm . i perceive you have quite left off those delights and solemnities that your country men use , and which you were in your young time accustomed to , because you have forgot the meaning of such noises . there is a great dancing , and sacrifice , and play , and that is the noise that you hear . pium. you say right , we have indeed quite left off and cast away those works of darkness for we have great light shining among us , which discovers the filth and folly of those things ; as when a light is set up in a dark room , in a dark night , it discovereth all the dirty corners of the house , and all the evil actions , that are wont to be done in the dark , without discovery . we plainly see the sinfulness of our own former , and of your still continued wayes ; and i desire that god would help me to open among you some of the divine light which god hath shewed us , that it may shame you from such filthy practices and shine them away for ever as the rising sun doth dissipate and drive away all the darkness of the night , and maketh wolves , bears , and all other wilde beasts hide themselves in thickets , and not dare to be seen in the day-light . kinsm . will you go with me unto them , and see what they do ? i will give you this encouragement to perswade you to it , becaus● you shall there see many of your friends and kindred . pium. i cannot serve two masters : i have undertaken and promised to serve god , and therefore i cannot now go back again and serve the devil . i have found that jesus christ is a good master , and i come to perswade you to come and be his servant : far be it from me that now i am come among you , i should forsake my master , and serve the devil ; or that i should so far grieve my master , as to go unto those games which his soul hateth . and whereas you say that many of my friends are there , the more is my grief . i desire that i were able to pull you all out of that deep pit and filthy puddle ; which to perform , i should utterly be disabled , if i should go in my self , and so be d●filed with the same filth , which i perswade them to forsake and cast away . kinsm . let us go unto my house , that you may take there some refreshment of food after your weary journey , and there we shall have liberty to discourse fully of these matters . and while we are in the way , let me ask you of the estate and welfare of our friends and kindred at natik ; doth your praying to god exempt you from sicknesses , poverty , nakedness ? will praying to god fill you with food , gladness , and garments ? pium. our friends at natik were when i left them in good state of health , peace and comfort : for which we give god thanks , who is the father of all mercies . touching your question , whether praying to god doth exempt us from sicknesses , poverty , and fills us with food and garments : i answer , if praying to god did bring with it outward plenty and worldly prosperity , then all carnal people would pray to god , not because they love god , or praying to god , but because they love themselves , and love food , clothing , and worldly pleasures ; but the benefits of praying are spiritual and heavenly , it teaches us to know god , and the evil of sin ; it teacheth us to repent of sin , and seek for pardon , and it teacheth us to forsake sin for ever : and if we are loth to part with sin , god will chastise us with sicknesses , poverty , and other worldly crosses , to call us to repentance , and therefore many times we fare worse in the world , then wicked men do , that thereby we might be weaned from the world , and brought and taught to love and long for heaven . and yet i further tell you , that religion doth teach the right way to be rich and prosperons in this world , and many , english especially , have learned that way . for religion teacheth us to be diligent in labour six dayes , and on the seventh day to rest , and keep it an holy sabbath ; and god hath promised that the diligent hand shall make rich : and when we walk with god in godliness and obedience , ●e will give us the blessing of this life , so far as is best for us , he will withhold no good thing from us ; if any thing be withheld from us , or taken away from us , it is because it is not good for us : our father better knoweth what is good for us , then we our selves know . kinsm . if your praying to god do indeed teach you the true way of being rich , as you say , how then cometh it to pass that you are so poor still ? for you have prayed to god these twenty years and more , and i do not see that you have increased in riches ver● much , you are still poor : where be your riches ? where be you● flocks and herds of cattel ? where be your clothes ? what grea● houses have you built ? where be your fields of corn , barns an● orchards ? alas , you are not like the english ; and therefore ● doubt upon this point , it is not as you say , that praying to go● teacheth you the right way to be rich . pium. this is one of the least , the last , the lowest of those things that our religion teacheth us . there be two sorts of riches ; earthly riches , of which onely you speak , and heavenly riches , which gods word calleth true riches . these earthly riches are but temporary , and shall soon perish , but the true riches are heavenly , and eternal , they last for ever . and we have spent these twenty years in seeking chiefly after heavenly riches , for so god commandeth us in his word , seek first the kingdome of heaven , as for these earthly riches they shall be added to you , so much as you need . and the word of god commandeth us to be content if we have food and clothes ; now we have food and clothes more then we were wont to have before we prayed to god , and we have contented our selves therewith , and have bent our mindes more to look after heavenly riches , and in those things we have increased more , then in earthly riches . kinsm . i pray tell me what are those heavenly riches of which you speak so highly , and upon which you do bestow your chief care and pains , and so much prefer before earthly riches , which we account so much of , and think to be the best things attainable in this world ? pium. the true riches which we spend our time to seek after , are , 1. the knowledge of the great god , who hath made this vast world , and governeth the same by his wisdome and power , and who hath made man , and governeth us by his holy laws and commandments . 2. the knowledge of our selves , to be miserable sinners , and do daily o●fend and sin against god , provoking his wrath against us , to pu●●●● 〈◊〉 for our transgressions against his holy laws and commandments . 3. the knowledge of jesus christ , the redeemer of the world , who hath in unspeakable love took a course to deliver us from the wrath of god ▪ for whereas we have by our sins deserved death & damn●tion christ became a man , and died for us , and thereby hath pacified the justice and wrath of god , and opened a way of salvation for us , obtaining a pardon for us , and offering grace unto us , whereby we may be saved , and be brought to eternal glory and ●appines● . 4. the knowledge of the grace of god in jesus christ , whereby he bringeth us to repent of our sins , to convert and turn from all our evil wayes , and to believe in the lord jesus , and to walk with god in the wayes of holiness and righteousness before him . 5. the knowledge of the means of grace , the ordinances of god ; whereby we walk with god in wayes of civil government , in wayes of justice , and good order . and in the ordinances of worshipping god , in the sanctifying of the sabbaths , and walking in the communion of saints , by the word of god , and prayer , and singing of psalms . 6. in the knowledge of the estate of all men after death ; how the godly men that penitently believe in christ , go to heaven when they die ; and the wicked , that refuse to repent and believe , they go to hell , and there abide till the day of judgement : at which day or time , when it cometh , all men shall rise again , and be judged according to their deeds in this life ; and then shall the godly go with christ to eternal glory , and the wicked shall be cast into hell soul and body , and there be tormented with the devils for ever . kinsm . these are great and strange things you speak of , i understand them not , but yet me ▪ thinks there is a majesty and glory in them . i am amazed at what you say , though i do not understand them distinctly . pium. you see then that we are grown rich with riches that are above your capacity ; and these are the true riches , and about these things we spend most of our time . and as for these worldly riches , we less regard them , as being poor , low , little , small , contemptible things , in comparison of those heavenly riches about which we spend our time ; and in which we have increased and gained , by gods grace in christ , so much as doth make you admire at us , though we know but little of what is to be known , but you cannot perceive the glory and excellency thereof . and indeed it is the wisdome and love of god unto us , that setteth us rather to grow in these riches , which the eyes of worldly men cannot see , then to grow rich in earthly and worldly riches , which the carnal world can see : because if we should abound in earthly riches , we should be thronged with multitudes of carnal persons , who love the world , and love not god , who would be a cumber and temptation to us . and it is a sign that our wayes are good and godly , and above the world , because so few ( in comparison ) come unto us , but rather fly from us ; because they love to live in wayes and deeds of darkness , and hate the light and glory that is in our wayes . but i pray cousin whose house is that before us , where i see so many going in and out , and standing about in every place ? kinsm . that is my house ; and i am glad there be so many of our friends together , who may have the opportunity of ●earing this good discourse . [ after their entrance into the house there be four speakers ; kinsman . kinsw●man . all the company . piumbuhhou ] kinsman . i h●d ra●h●r th●t my actions of love should testifie how w●lcome you are , and how glad i am of this your kinde visi●ation , then that i should say it in a multitude of words . but in one word , you are very welcome to my heart ; and i account it among the best of the j●y●s of this day , that i see your face , and enjoy your company in my habitation . kinswoman . it is an addition to the joyes of this day , to see the f●ce of my loving kinsman : and i wish you had come a little earlier , that you might have taken part with us in the joyes of this day , wherein we have had all the delights that could be desired , in our merry meeting , and dancing . and i pray cousin how doth your wife , my loving kinswoman , is she yet living ? and is she not yet weary of your new way of praying to god ? and what pleasure have you in those wayes ? pium. my wife doth remember her love to you , she is in good health of body , and her soul is in a good condition , she is entred into the light of the knowledge of god , and of christ ; she is entred into the narrow way of heavenly joyes , and she doth greatly desire that you would turn from th●se wayes of darkness in which you so much delight , and come taste and see how good the lord is . and whereas you wish i had come sooner , to have shared with you in your delights of this day ; alas , they are no delights , but griefs to me , to see that you do still delight in them . i am like a man that h●ve tasted of sweet winé and honey , which h●ve so altered the taste of my mouth , that i abhor to taste of your sinful and foolish pleasures , as the mouth doth abhor to taste the most filthy and stinking dung , the most sowre grapes , or most bitter gall . our joyes in the knowledge of god , and of jesus christ , which we are taught in the book of god , and feel in our heart , is sweeter to our soul , then honey is unto the mouth and taste . kinswom . we have all the delights that the flesh and blood of man can devise and delight in , and we taste and feel the delights of them , and would you make us believe that you have found out new joyes and delights , in comparison of which all our delights do stink like dung ; would you make us believe that we have neither eyes to see , nor ears to hear , nor mouthes to taste ? ha , ha he ! i appeal to the sense and sight and feeling of the company present , whether this be so . a●● . you say very true . ha , ha , he ! pium. hearken to me , my friends , and see if i do not give a clear answer unto this seeming difficulty . your dogs take as much delight in these meetings , and the same kindes of delight as you do ; they delight in each others company ; they provoke each other to lust , and enjoy the pleasures of lust as you do ; they eat and play and sleep as you do ▪ what joyes have you more then d●gs have ? to delight the body of f●●●h and blood . but all mankinde have an higher and better part then the body , we have a soul , and that soul shall never die : our soul is to converse with g●d , and to converse in such things as do concern g●d , and heaven , and an etern●l estate , either in happiness with god , if we walk with ●im and serve him in this life , or in misery a●d torment with the devil , if we serve him in this life . the service of god doth con●●st in virtue , and wisdome , and delights of the soul , which will reach to heaven , and abide for ever . but the service of the devil is in com●itting sins of the flesh , which defile both body and soul , and reach to hell , and will turn all to fire and flame to torment your souls and bodies to all eternity . now consider , all your pleasures and delights are such as defile you with sin , and will turn to flame , to burn and torment you ; they provoke god to wrath , who hath created the prison of hell to torment you , and the more you have took pleasur● in sin , the greater are your offences against god , and the greater shall be your torments . but we that pray to g●d repent of our old sins , and by f●ith in christ we seek for , and finde a pardon of what is past , a●d grace and strength to reform for time to come . so that our joy●s ●re soul-joyes in godliness , and virtue , and hope of glory in anoth●r world when we die . your joyes are bodily , fleshly , such as dogs have , and will all turn to flames in hell to torment you . kinsm . if these things be so , we had need cease laughing , and fall to weeping , and see if we can draw water from our mournful eyes to quench these tormenting flames . my heart trembles to hear these things : i never heard so much be●ore , nor have i any thing to say to the contrary , but that these things may be so . but how shall i know that you s●y true ? our fore fathers were ( many of them ) wise men , and we have wise men now living , they all delight in these our delights : they have taug●t us nothing about our soul , and god , and heaven , and hell , and j●y and torment in the life to come . are you 〈◊〉 th●n our fathers ▪ may not we rather think that english men have invented these stori●s to amaze and scare us out of our old customes , and bring us to stand in awe of them , that they might wipe us of our lands , and drive us into corners , to seek new wayes of living , and new places too ? and be beholding to them for that which is our own , and was ours , before we knew them . a●l. you say right . pium. the book of god is no invention of english-men , it is the holy law of god himself , which was given unto man by god , before english-men had any knowledge of god ; and all the knowledge which they have , they have it out of the book of god : and this book is given to us as well as to them , and it is as free for us to search the scriptures as for them . so that we have our instruction from an higher hand , then the hand of man : it is the great lord god of heaven and earth , who teacheth us these great things of which we speak . yet this is also true , that we have great cause to be thankful to the english , and to thank god for them , for they had a good country of their own , but by ships sailing into these parts of the world , they heard of us , and of our country , and of our nakedness , ignorance of god , and wilde condition ; god put it into their hearts to desire to come hither , and teach us the good knowledge of god ; and their king gave them leave so to do , and in our country to have their liberty to serve god accordi●g to the word of god. and being come hit●er , we gave them leave freely to live among us : they have purchased of us a great part of those lands which they possess ; they love us , they do us right , and no wrong willingly ; if any do us wrong , it is without the consent of their rulers , and upon our complaints our wrongs are righted . they are ( many of them , especially the ruling part ) good men , and desire to do us good . god put it into the heart of one of their ministers ( as you all know ) to teach us the knowledge of god , by the word of god , and he hath translated the holy book of god into our language , so that we can perfectly know the minde and counsel of god : and out of this book have i learned all that i say unto you , and therefore ●ou need no more doubt of the truth of it , then you have cause to doubt that the heaven is over our head , the sun shineth , the earth is under our feet , we walk and live upon it , and breathe in the air ; for as we see with our eyes these things to be so , so we reade with our own eyes these things which i speak of , to be written in gods own book , and we feel the truth thereof in our own hearts . kinswom . cousin , you have wearied your legs this day with a lo●g journey to come and visit us , and you weary your tongue with long discourses . i am willing to comfort and refresh you with a ●hort supper . all. ha , ha , he : though short , if sweet , that has good savour to a man that is we●ry . ha , ha , he . kinswom . you make long and learned discourses to us which we do not well understand , i think our best answer is to stop your mout● , and fill your belly with a good supper , and when your belly is full you will be content to take rest your self , and give us leave to be at rest from these g●stering , and heart-trembling discourses . we are well as we are , and desire not to be troubled with these new wise sayings . all. you say true . ha , ha , he . pium. it is good to be merry and wise . i am an hungry and ●eary , and willing to eat . god hath appointed food to be a means of sustaining , relieving and repairing our spent strength : this being a work above the power of the food we eat , or of our selves that eat it , and onely in the power of god himself to bless it , for such great uses ; therefore god hath taught us , and it is our custome , among all that are godly , to pray to god for a blessing before we eat : and therefore i intreat you ●o have so much patie●ce and compliance , as to give me the quiet liberty to pray to god b●fore we eat . kinsm . i pray do , and we shall with quietness and silence attend to such a service unto god. pium. let us lift up our eyes and ●earts to god in heaven , and ●ay , almighty , glorious , merciful and heavenly father , thou dwellest in the high heavens , and fillest both heaven and earth with thy presence ; thou takest care of , and governest us here on earth : we are poor worms under thy feet , thou feedest every living creature , and ●akest our food to be like a staff to sustain our faint and weary bo●ies ; thou renewest our strength every day : and though we are sinners in thy sight , yet thou art merciful to us , and with long patience dost call us to repentance . we confess all our sins before thee , and pr●y thee for iesus christ his sake , who died for sinners , to have mercy on us , and freely to pardon and forgive us all our sins . bless us at this time , and this food which is set before us , let it be blessed to us , make us wise to receive it at thy hand , and to use the strength we get by it to the glory of thy name , through iesus christ. and bless all our souls , ●eed them by thy word and truth , and guide our tongues to speak wise words , that may minister grace to the hearers ; and help us all to rejoyce in the lord through iesus christ. amen . now let us eat and rejoyce together , for god filleth our bodies with food , and our souls with gladness . kinsm . when the body is full of meat , and the head full of wit , and the mouth full of words , there will be wise discourse . pium. adde but one thing more , if the heart be full of grace , then the discourse will be both wise and godly . kinswom . you talk much of a belly full , i wish we have victuals enough to fill them . all. ha , ha , he . they be not half full yet . ha , ha , he . kinsm . what news do the ships bring from beyond sea ? pium. they say wicked men are bold , and that good men who pray to god are hated , vexed , troubled , persecuted , and not suffered to pray to god according to the laws of gods word , but by the laws of men . all. it is an ill time for you to come to perswade us to pray god , when praying to god is so opposed , hated and hindred ; y●● may be m●re like to prevail with us , when praying to god is credit , honour , and good esteem . pium such as will turn to god onely at such times when pra●●ing is in credit , leave themselves under a doubt , whether it be 〈◊〉 the love of god and his wayes , that they pray , or for love of the●● selves and their own credit . but when men will take up praying to god in evil times , wh● they must expect h●rd measure from the world for it , this is a 〈◊〉 that they love god , and love praying to god , better then th●● love themselves , and that they deny themselves for christ his 〈◊〉 therefore i have taken the fi●test time to try you , and to sift yo● to catch none but the good corn , and to let go and lose all t●● dust and chaff . kinsm . some s●eak of very many english people killed wi●● thunder , and many burnt in their houses : is it so indeed ? pium. it is so ind●ed , and in many parts of the country , boston , and in many other places . very lately , there were in o●● winter eight or nine persons burnt to death in one house , five another , one in another . sicknesses are often sent of god amo●● them , which kill many : their corn is blasted , and they are p●●ni●●ed by god many wayes , by sea and land , in these late years . kinswom . these are but cold and weak arguments to perswa●● us to take up the english fashion , and to serve their god , when 〈◊〉 tell us how sharply he dealeth with his servants . all. you say right : we are better as we are . pium. we know there be many sins among the english , whi●● provoke god to be angry with them , and to punish them , to t●● end he might bring them to repentance . when we exhor● you● pray , and to serve the god of the english , we call you 〈…〉 the virtues and good wayes of the english , wherein yo● shall acceptable to the lord : we do not call you to imitate their 〈◊〉 whereby they and you shall provoke the anger and displeasure the lord. an● what though god doth chastise his people for th● sins ? it is his wisdome , faithfulness and love so to do : a ch●●● will not run away from his wise and loving father , because he 〈◊〉 him for his faults , but will love him the better , fear him t●● more , and learn thereby to be a good childe . the wise engl●●● love god the more , for his wise chastisement of them for th● sins . and why may not i use it as an argument to perswade y●● to choose him to be your god , who will love and encourage you all virtue , and love and punish you for all sins , that he might br●●● you to repentance and amendment of life . gods rods have mo●● encouragement to a wise heart , then discouragement in them . kinswom . cousin , had you not a great thunder and lightni●● to day as you came , and were you not afraid ? we had it so with us , and i was very much afraid , and especially since i have heard of so many english stricken and killed by it , and cannot refrain my self from fear . pium. i perceived the thunder to be more this way , then it was in the place where i was at that time travelling . touching the fear of thunder , the word of god saith it is terrible , and the bruit beasts tremble at it : it is sometime called the voice of god , by reason of the terribleness of it ; and the reason of its terrour to man is , because we are great sinners , and have deserved gods wr●th , and it should move our hearts to repentance for our sins , and take heed of provoking the anger of that god , who is able to utter so terrible a voice , and can dash down destroying fire upon us worms , who are no wayes able to defend our selves . kinsm . would you not lye down now you have eaten , and take so●e rest after your long journey ? pium. nay , we must first return to god , and give thanks to him for our food , and health and strength by the same . kinsm . i pray tell me why you are so careful to pray unto god before and after meat ? pium. let us first give thanks , and then we will discourse that point . attend all . we do give humble thanks unto thy holy name , o lord our god , for our life , health , food , raiment ; and for this present food whereby we are refreshed . we thank thee , o lord , for the love we finde among our friends , and for our freedome in good discourse for the good of our souls : we do pray for a blessing upon both , what our food may strengthen our bodies , and our discourse may do good to our souls . help me so to declare thy word and thy works , that i may win their souls to love thee , and to forsake their sins , and turn unto the lord by true repentance . these , and all other mercies we pray for , in the name , and for the sake of our lord iesus christ. amen . all. tabat , tabat , tabat . pium. now my kinsmen and friends let us discourse a little about the question propounded , why we pray unto god before and after meat ? our lord jesus christ did so before meat , as it is written of him in many examples ; and we are not to doubt but he did the same after meat , because the lord hath commanded the same so expresly , saying , when thou hast eaten and art full , then beware lest thou forget the lord. and to shew you what great reason we have thus to do , consider that god doth some of his chief works in this world , in the matter of our eating , which no creature can do : for take you a tray of meat , and ask , who can turn this into blood , and flesh , and si●ew● , and bones , and skin ? and who can give every part of our body its due proportion , that one part sh●ll not overgrow the other , but every part alike ? who but god can do this ? and who but god can make our bodies to grow to such an appointe● stature , and then to grow no more ? and who but god can pr●●serve our health , and turn away sicknesses ? now these marvello●●●hings god doth for us every day , and every time we eat , an● therefore is it not very good reason that we should pray and giv● thanks to god at such time as he doth such great and obligi●● things for us ? again , god provideth all our food for us ; he provideth cor● ▪ not we our selves , we do but a little towards it , the great work ● god 's : all that we do is to put our corn into the ground , and k●●● the ground clean about it , but god makes it to grow , he gives 〈◊〉 a root , a blade , a stalk , and ears , whereby one corn shall becom● three or four or five hundred . who but god can do this ? there●fore corn is of his providing . again , who provideth water , and watereth the corn ? is it no● god ? for when springs and rivers are dried up , what can me● do , but cry to god ? and the● god will bring clouds , like grea● bottles full of water , and drop them down upon the withered an● parched earth , and thereby make the corn and grass , and all frui● to grow . who but god can do this ? again , god provides flesh for us to feed upon , for he maket● the grass and herbs to grow , and when the beasts do feed thereo● he doth turn those leaves into blood , flesh , sinews and bones ; an● this he giveth us for food , and turneth it into blood , flesh , sine●● and bones in us . all these wonderful works god doth , in t●● matter of feeding us ; and therefore is it not good reason w● should then pray to him ? kinsm . i never heard so much before , nor thought of thes● things ; but now you declare and teach them , my heart saith , tha● all is true which you say , and i now see great reason for this practise of you that pray to god , to pray and give thanks both befor● and after meat : and i see not but that there is good and just re●●son so to do , every time we drink , and take in any sustenance , a● l●ast to lift up our hearts to god , who hath so eminent an hand i● doing us good thereby , or hurt if he will. pium. your acceptance and approbation of what i say , and 〈◊〉 what we do in this point , is a great argument that god doth bo● your heart to pray unto god ; for you acknowledge it to be o●● duty so to do , and the neglect of it would be against the light o● your own reason : so that this conviction hath cast a chain upo● your soul , to binde you to pray unto god. what say you m● friends ? all. we cannot say any thing against what you say , but wh●● we shall do , we cannot yet tell : we must first consider of it , fo● we are ignorant and foolish , we cannot do as you do . pium. bend your hearts to it , and god will teach you by hi● word : for we were at first as ignorant as you are , but god helped us to hear the word , and do what we could , and you see what god hath brought the matter unto . we now walk in the light , and now we call you to come into the light : therefore i say , awake you that sleep , stand up from the dead , and christ will give you light . kinsm . we shall tire you with these discourses after your long and weary journey ; it is time for you to go to rest . pium. this discourse is better to me then meat , drink and sleep , if i may do good to your souls , and turn you unto god. but before we go to r●st and sleep we must pray unto god , for it is god that giveth rest and sleep unto his servants . kinsm . do all you praying indians thus do when you are weary and tired with labour , or travel , or hunting , &c. do you pray before you go to rest ? what is the reason of your so doing ? pium. we alwayes do so : and if any should at any time through sloth and sleepiness fail so to do , we judge our selves for our sin , & repent , and confess our sin unto god , and beg pardon and mercy for christ his sake . and there is great reason thus to pray unto god before we go to rest ; for besides what i said that god giveth us rest , and therefore it is fit humbly to ask it of him ; there be many other reasons why we should thus do : for 1. vve must give god thanks for all the mercies we have received all the day , which are more then the moments of the time that we live . 2. vve must pray for gods protection of us when we are asleep , we lye like so many dead men , and how easily might mischief befall us , either by fire , or by an enemy , if god did not defend and keep us ; but when god is our keeper we may rest quietly , in safety without fear , under the covert of his hand : and by faith in gods protection we sleep quietly without fear , whereas you that do not pray , nor believe , nor commit your selves to god , you do alwayes sleep in fear and terrour . 3. moreover , our sleep and rest is a great reparation of our strength and spirits , and preservation of our health . vvhile we sleep our food is boiled up within us , and digested into all parts of our body , and new spirits are extracted out of our food , and sent up both to our head , heart , and all parts of our body , so that we are fresh and strong in the morning after a good nights rest . now all this is the special work of god , beyond the power and skill of man to perform for us , and therefore it is great reason to pray for this blessing when we go to rest . kinsm . vvhat you say is plain , clear and true in every bodies experience , though i did never hear nor consider so much of it before : if therefore you will pray we will attend you . pium. let us all appear before god reverently and with godly fear ; let none lye along or sit , which are postures of unreverence , but either stand like servants , or kneel like sons and daughters before the lord ; and so let us pray . o merciful lord god , &c. kinsm . i perceive that you pray for all our countrymen , who do not yet pray unto god ; it is your love so to do . but what is the effect of your prayers ? there are not many , that i hear of , tha● pray unto god ; and you that do pray unto god , what do you get by it ? wherein are you be●tered by your praying to god ? pium. these are two great points which you have propounded . i am willing to speak to both . first , for the numbers that pray to god : at first this a●●er of praying to god was a little thing , like a cloud in the vvest of the bigness of a mans hand , but now the cloud is great ●nd wide , and spreadeth over all the country . nop and nantuket , and p●umenuk islands , mahshepog , and many parts of the main land , to the utmost bounds of this country eastward . and vvestward , not onely all the massachusets pray , but also a great part of nipmuk ; yea and the fields are ripe unto the harvest in many places more , whom i will not name until they have given up themselves to the lord , to forsake their vanities , and to pray unto god. the church of christ at natik have sent forth many into many parts of the country , to call them in unto jesus christ. i am sent unto you , and i have good hope that god will bow your hearts to pray unto god. so that the praying indians are many , and like to be more every year : and our hope is the greater , because the lord hath r●ised up sundry of our young men ( who were children when we first prayed unto god ) unto good knowledge in the ●criptures , and are able to teach others the good knowledge of god , and are sit to be sent forth unto all parts of the country , to ●each them to pray unto god. kinswom . husband , what do you mean to withhold our friend from ●e●t so long , so l●te ? alas cousin , you had need be at rest ; i pray tire not your s●lf with these long discourses . pium. i tha●k you for your care of me . there is but one thing more that i am to speak to , viz , the second part of your question , what we have gained and got by praying to god ? of which point we discoursed before we came into the house , and therefore i shall but touch it now . 1. we are come into the light , and it is an heavenly light , which le●deth us to god , and to the eternal enjoyment of happiness by jesus christ. 2. vve have attained to some measure of the true riches , by faith in jesus chri●t , and love to god and his people . 3. vve are content with that portion of food and raiment which god giveth us . 4. vve enjoy the lords sabbath dayes for our souls good , and communion with god. 5. vve have government , and all gods ordinances in peace . 6. vve can lie down in peace , and sleep quietly without fear . in all which , and many more respects , our condition do●h far exceed what we were and had afore we prayed to god , or what you have or enjoy unto this day . and now let us lie down in gods bosome , and take our rest . next morning . kinsman . kinswoman . piumbuhhou . kinsm . are you well this morning ? have you slept well this night ? doth not your weary journey l●e in your bones ? is not the skin of your feet that was worn thin with rocks and rough wayes , still tender ? pium. by the mercy of god through jesus christ , i am every way well refreshed . the comfort of my soul doth make my bodily infirmities inconsiderable . and that which addeth much to the comfort of my soul , is the good attention which you and some other of our friends gave unto our disconrse and prayers the last night , which giveth me hope that you are not far from the kingdome of god. kinsm . i confess my thoughts have troubled me this night , i have a great strife in my heart , i think your way is right , i cannot gainsay any thing of which you discoursed : but on the other side , if i should forsake our former wayes , all my friends would rise up against me like a stream too strong for me to stand against , and i am not able to defend my self against them ; i do not know what to do . pium. god is above man. vvhen i began to pray to god , i had the same temptation , but i quickly found how vain and weak it was ; god will defend all his servants against all gainsayers : the light and power of gods word and wayes will soon shame all sinners into silence . but i will tell you a further help in this case : vve shall endeavour to convince and perswade all your friends to turn unto god also , and then that temptation will quite sink . let us therefore get your friends and neighbours together , and labour to perswade them all first to hea● the word of god preached among you , and my hope is that god will perswade so many of them , as that the rest will be ashamed to oppose ; for darkness and sin are weak , truth and light are powerful . kinswom . my thoughts have also troubled me this night , but if you shall take that course , then i shall gladly joyn with my husband in this change. i will therefore get you some victuals to eat , and then go about that business . pium. vve are not ready for eating yet , we must first go to prayer , and give god thanks for his mercies the night past , and this morning , and we will pray unto god for his blessings all this day , and pray that he would bless our endeavours to perswade them , for the hearts of all men are in gods hand , and he can overcome them and perswade them . kinsm . i like well what you say . i pray therefore do so , we will attend and joyn with you . pium. let us humbly bow our knees and hearts before the all-seeing god , and in the name of jesus christ pray unto him . but there come some company , let them first come in , it may be they will joyn with us in our prayers . kinsm . a good morning to you my friends , you come in a good season . our friend is come from far to visit us , he is now going to prayer , i pray you to joyn with us , and attend unto what ●e prayeth . all. vve shall willingly keep silence and attend . pium. prayeth — kinsm . this good friend of ours is come to visit us , and doth perswade us to pray unto god , and you hear how heartily he prayeth unto god for us : what think you of it ? all. vve cannot tell , we do not yet understand the matter , how then should we answer to it ? kinsm . your answer is right and discreet ; let us therefore discourse about this matter . vvise men will look before they leap . all. vve are but a few , and weak men , let us send for the sachem , and the rest of the old and wise men , and especially for the pauwau , and then let us discourse of such matters : they better know what to say in these matters then we do . kinswom . i like the motion . and i pray you in the mean time eat soch food as i have pr●pared for you , that when they come together , you may be ready without interruption , to attend unto what you are purposed to do . pium. alwayes b●fore we eat we must pray , the last night i gave you some reasons for it by the word of god ; and seeing here be more of our friends come in , who heard not our discourse last night , i will again rehearse the same or the like reasons for this religious practice . he discourseth of them — kinswom . your meat is ready : if therefore you will please to pray , according as you wisely discourse , i hope we shall all attend . all. vve shall attend . pium. pr●yeth for a blessing — kinswom . cousin , i am glad to see you eat so heartily , you are very welcome to it . and i see that praying to god doth not fill your bellies , you need food to eat for all that . all. ha , ha , he . praying to god would starve them if they should ●ot eat . ha , ha , he . praying indians are as weary and hungry as other men , for ought we ever saw by them . ha , ha , he . pium. it is tru● that you say , and therefore we pray unto god to give us food , and to bless it to us when we eat it . this discourse bringeth to my mind a word which christ spake , man liveth not by bread onely , but by every word of god man ha●●●wo parts , a soul , and a body , and both are to be fed . the body ●s fed by food , the soul is fed by the word of god and prayer . you that pray not to god , you feed you● bodies onely , but you ●tarve your souls : we that pray to god f●ed our souls as well as ●ur bodies . and this is one reason why we perswade you to pr●y ●o god , because we would not have you to starve your souls . t●e soul is the most excellent part of man , and shall never die ; the ●ody shall die . if you have so much wisdome as to fe●d your ●odies we pray you be yet more wise , and f●●d your souls also . kinsm . every thing that liveth doth live by feeding , as birds , beasts , fishes , and so do men . pium. you say true ; and the souls of men are living souls , and ●herefore should be fed with the food which god hath appointed ●or them , and that is the word of god and prayer . kinsm . if our souls be living souls , what do they feed upon ? we having neither the word of god ●or praye● ? pium. your souls feed upon nothing but lust , and lying , a●d ●ealing , and killing , and sabbath breaking , and pauwauing ; and ●ll these are sins which poison , starve , and kill your souls a●d ●xpose them to gods wrath that they may be tormented among de●ils and wicked men in hell fire for ever : and therefore it is in ●ove to your souls that we perswade you to pray unto god. but ●ow that we have eaten and are sufficed wi●h food , let us give ●hanks to god for it , and pray that it may be blessed to us . [ he ●iveth thanks ] kinsm . yonder come a great company of our friends , order the ●ouse against they come . kinsman . sachem . pauwau . piumbuhhou . all. ●insm . welcome sontim ; welcome my friends ●nd kinsmen all : here is a kinsman and friend of ours come ●●om natik to visit us , he prayeth for us , and expresseth love ●o ●●r souls , which you take no thought or care ab●u●● he tell●●● of light and wisdome which they learn out of the word o● god , which we are strangers unto . he telleth us of hell fire ● torments , to be the reward of our sins which we walk in . 〈◊〉 telleth us of repentance for our sins , and of faith to believe christ for a pardon , and of salvation in heaven with eternal g●●● ry . he telleth us of the danger of living as we do . he telleth of a better way of living then yet we know . many such things have discoursed , which are beyond my understanding . i am 〈◊〉 pleased with his love , but i know not what to say to his pers●●● sions : for which cause i have intreated your company , that may confer together about matters of so great importance , 〈◊〉 that we may be mutual helps to each other for our best good . sont . if any man bring us a precious jewel , which will mak● rich and happy , every body will make that man welcome ; an● this friend of ours do that , who more welcome ? but if by re●●● ving his jewel , we must part with a better jewel for it , then ● men should do well to consider , before they accept his offer . t●● things you speak of are great things , but if we accept of th● consider what we must part with and forgo for ever ; viz. all● pleasures and sports , and delights and joyes in this world . all. you say true . ha , ha , he . pium. if foolish youths play in the dirt , and eat dung , and 〈◊〉 ing fish and flesh , and rotten corn for company's sake , their ● chem makes this law , if you come forth from that filthy 〈◊〉 and company , and feed upon this wholsome and good food 〈◊〉 provided , and keep company with the wise , then you shall b● 〈◊〉 noured and well used all your life time : but if you so love your company , as that you choose rather to feed on trash , and ●e●● to perish among them , then perish you shall , a●d thank you● for your foolish choice . this was our case at ●●rst , and is you● this day . you walk in darkness , defile your selves with a 〈◊〉 conversation , you feed your souls with trash and poison , and choose to do so for your company's sake . behold , god calls to come out from among them , and touch no unclean thing ; to verse among the wise , and offereth you pardon , life and salv●● in heaven , in glory , among all the elect , saints and angels . 〈◊〉 you are at your choice , will you forsake those bad course● companions , and live in glory ? or will you choose your old courses and companions , and perish for ever ? sont . all our forefathers , ( so far as ever we have heard ) walked and lived as we do , and are we wiser then our fathers● pium. no , we are foolish , weak and sinful , and love to be but god is wiser then our fathers , and he hath opened to 〈◊〉 way of wisdome and life , and calleth us to enter , and walk ● in ; therefore be wise , and submit your selves to the ● christ. sont . but why do you say that we feed upon trash , st●● meat and poison ? wherein doth our food differ from yours , and wherein do you in that respect excel us ? pium. in bodily food we differ not from you ; but it is soul food i speak of . we feed our souls with the word of god and prayer ; you feed and satiate your souls with lust , lying , stealing , sabbath-breaking , and such like sins : and i appeal to your own conscience , whether these are not trash and filthiness ; and what fruit can you expect from such actions , but punishment and wrath ? pauwau . let me adde a few words to give check to your high-flown confidence in your new way , and new laws , and to your deep censoriousness of our old wayes , the pleasancy and delight whereof , every one , both man , woman and childe can judge of ; and we cannot but dislike to have such pleasant delights taken from us . tear our hair from our heads , our skin from our flesh , our flesh from our bones , you shall as soon perswade us to suffer you to do so by us , as to perswade us to part with our old delights and courses . you tell us of the english-man's god , and of his laws : we have gods also , and more then they ; and we have laws also by which our forefathers did walk , and why should not we do as they have done ? to change our gods , and laws , and customs , are great things , and not easily to be obtained and accomplished . let us alone , that we may be quiet in the wayes which we like and love , as we let you alone in your changes and new wayes . all. you say right : why trouble they us in our pleasures and delights ? let us alone in our enjoyments . pium. you have spoken many things , which do minister matter to me of much discourse , both concerning god , and our selves , and concerning you , & the offer of gods mercy to you at this time . you say you have many gods , but they are no gods. there is but one god , the great creator of this great world. did your gods make this world ? the heavens , the sun , the moon , the stars , the clouds , the seas , and the whole earth ? no , no ; god made this whole world . can any of your gods give rain , or rule the clouds ? it is the devil that blindeth your eyes , and covereth you with darkness . we teach you to know the true god , who can kill us , or keep us alive at his pleasure . your gods shall all perish with you , for they are no gods . as for your pleasures and delights , they are all sins against god , which provoke his wrath to plague you for ever . vve now call you to repent of your evil wayes , and to reform your lives to serve the true and living god , to seek for pardon of your sins , and mercy to appease his wrath which is kindled against you . i do now offer you mercy through jesus christ ; do not harden your hearts against the lord : be therefore perswaded now to forsake your sins and turn unto the lord , come unto the light out of your darkness , awake from your dead sleep , stand up , and christ will give you life . vve speak by exp●rience , we were dead and blinde as you are , we loved pleasures as you do ; but by the grace of christ we have found lig●t and life , and we now call you to partake with us in our m●rcies . pauwau . vve have not only pleasures , but also prayers and s●crifices ; we beat and a●●●ict our selves to pacifie our gods , and when ●e be ●ick w● use such wayes to recover our health , and to obtain all such things as we want , and desire to obtain from our gods . pium. your prayers and pauwauings are wor●hipping of the devil , and no● of god , and t●ey are among the greatest of your sins . your ●urthers , lusts , stealing , lying , &c. they are great sins , your pauwauings are w●rse sins , because by them you worship the devil instead of god. vvhen you pauwau's use physick by roots , and such other t●ings which god ●ath made for that purpose , that is no sin , you do well to use p●ysick for your recovery from sickness ; but your pr●ying to , and worshipping the devil , that is your great si● , which now god calls you to forsake . use onely such remedies as god hath appointed , and pray onely to god ; this we call you to do , and this is the way of true wisdome . kinsm . i feel my heart broken and divided , i know not what to do . to part with our former lusts and pleasures is an hard point , and i feel my heart very loth and backward to it , many objections against it : yet i cannot but confess , that i do not in my inward heart approve of them . i know they are vile and filthy , and i de●ire to forsake them , they are like burning coals in my bosome , i will shake them out if i can . i am ashamed of my old wayes , and loth i am to keep that which i am ashamed to be seen in . the wiser men be , the more they abstain from such lusts , and we account such to be foolish , vile and wicked , that are unbridled and unpersw●deable . i would not be my self of the number of them that are vicious and vile ●bove restraint . vvhat i perswade others to leave , i would not do the same my self . vve do account it commendable in such as do bridle and refrain themselves from those vices ; and what i judge to be commendable in others , would be therein exemplar and a pattern unto such as be young and foolish , and run mad after such beastly courses . in that point i would easily be perswaded , or at least i desire so to be : but the greatest difficulty that i yet finde , is this ; i am loth to divide my self from my friends and kindred . if i should cha●g● my course and not they , then i must leave and forsake their company , which i am very loth to do . i love my sachem , and all the rest of you my good friends ; if i should change my life and way , i greatly d●sire that we might agree to do it together . sont . i like well that we should agree upon some amendment of some bad courses that are too oft among us : and i love your love , that would have us agree together , and do what we do , in these great matters , by common consent ; but to do that , is a matter of much discourse , and deep consideration . this meeting was sudden , we have other matters at present to attend : we have been together long enough for this time , we must leave the whole matter to some other time . pium. two day●s hence is the sabbath-day : god hath commanded all men to remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy . i request all of you to come together that day , and then i will further teach you ( by the assistance of the lord ) touching this matter . and to perswade you to make this beginning to keep the sabbath , besides the commandment of the lord , we have the reasons annexed by god himself unto it . god himself rested that day , to set us an heavenly pattern ; and god hath also blessed that day , and m●de it holy , and hath promised that when we shall ●eet together in his na●e , then he will come among us , and bring a blessing with him . and when the disciples of christ were met to worship god upon that day , before the day was done , he came among them and blessed them . so if you come together on the sabbath-day , my hope and trust is , that we shall finde some special token of the presence of christ jesus among us . kinsm . i do very well like of this motion , and shall willingly attend ; and if you think good , let my house be the place : or if you our beloved sachem think good , we will all come together at your house . sont . i like it well , let it be so , come to my house , and you shall be welcome . all. content , we like it well : so let it be . pium. let the time of meeting be as early as you well can , about nine of the clock . all. so let it be . the sabbath meeting . sontim . piumbuhhou . kinsman . all. sont . it is well done my friends and neighbours , that you have remembred our agreement , and are come together about this great business . and now my kinde friend , what you have further to say unto us , we are here ready to hear you . pium. six dayes god hath given us , wherein to do all our own business and works . every seventh day god hath commanded us to give unto him , to rest from our own works , and to do his work , to pray unto him , to hear his word , to talk and speak of heavenly matters , for the good of our souls . we are all here this day before the lord : and first of all he hath commanded us to pr●● together ; therefore let us all either stand up like servants , or kneel down like sons and daughters , and pray unto the lord. then he prayeth — the next work we use to do , is to catechize , that is , to teach by asking of questions , and they that are taught make answer according as they have been taught : but that work you are not yet fitted and prepared for , therefore we lay it by . the next work which we do is to reade some chapter of the word of god. then he calleth one that came with him , who realeth . when that is ●ini●hed , then he saith , now we use to sing a psalm , which is one part of gods word and worship : but for that work you are not yet prepared , therefore w● lay that by also . and now i will teach you out of the word of god. the text is matth. 7.13 , 14. enter ye in at the strait gate , for wide is the gate , and broad is the way , that leadeth to destruction , and many there be which go in thereat . because strait is the gate , and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life , and few there be that finde it . in these words are two parts . 1. here be two sorts of wayes wherein men walk . 2. here be two sorts of men that walk in these two wayes . the first way is described by four things . 1. there is a strait , little , narrow gate to enter in at . 2. it is a narrow way , very rough , ●ard and difficult to walk in . 3. here is the end of this way whether it leadeth , viz. to heaven , happiness , glory , and eternal life . 4. here be the numbers that get into , and walk in this way t● get to heaven , very few . the second way is described by four things . 1. the gate of entrance is broad and wide . 2. the way it self is pleasant , easie , full of delights of the flesh , and of worldly pleasures . 3. here is the end of this way , it leads to hell , to torments , and to eternal damnation . 4. here be the numbers that walk in this way , very many ; most men in the world will choose to walk in this way , and at last go to hell torments . 2. the first sort of persons are good men and women , who 1. with much difficulty get into this way . 2. they patiently endure all difficulties in it . 3. they go to heaven and glory at last . 4. the number of them , they are but a few . the second sort of persons are wicked people : and these 1. easily get into this way . 2. they take pleasure in it , and will not be perswaded to leave it , and get into the hard way . 3. the end of them all is , they go to hell torments . 4. the number of them , a great many ; most men are found in this way all these particulars he openeth , and insisteth upon , and concludeth with an exhortation : 1. to come out of this broad easie way , by considering the end of it , whither it leadeth . 2. to get into the hard way of praying to god , and patiently continue in it , considering the end it leads unto , even heaven and glory . sont . what book is that you reade in ? and why do you call it the word of god ? pium. this is the book of gods law , which he hath taught holy men his prophets and apostles to write , and give unto us , to call us out of the broad way of sin and death , and to call us into the narrow way of repentance , faith in christ jesus , and eternal life . sont . it may be the english-men made it , and tell you that they are the words of god. pium. this book was written long before the english-men prayed to god , and english-men have learned all their wisdome out of this book , and now they have translated it for us , and if we attend unto it , it will teach us wisdome , as it hath taught them . kinsm . you speak much of jesus christ , and his pardoning our sins , and saving our souls ; who is this jesus christ ? pium. god is one in three ; the father , son , and holy ghost . jesus christ is god the son , who became a man ; and when we deserved to die for our sins , he came and died for us : and god hath promised that all that believe in christ shall be pardoned of all their sins , and be glorified in heaven . touching this point i will teach in the afternoon . the afternnon exercise . pium. god requires we should give him a whole day , therefore it is not enough to worship god half a day . we are again come together to worship god , and we shall do the same this afternoon , as we did in the forenoon . let us pray . after prayer , he taketh this text ; mat. 1.21 , 22 , 23. this text teacheth three things touching jesus christ , 1. his wonderful birth ; a virgin conceived . of which , see luke 1.26 , to 39. 2. two names ; iesus , emmanuel . 3. what christ did for us , and doth , signified by his name iesus ; he taketh away our sins . and this he doth two wayes : 1. he taketh away our sins out of gods sight , by dying in our stead , and so meriting a pardon for all our sins . 2. he taketh away our sins out of our own hearts , by working repentance in us , and faith in his name , giving us his spirit , and sanctifying of us by his grace , and leading us in all holiness of life and conversation . the third part of this text is , how jesus christ is enabled to do these great things for us . this signified by his second name , god with us . christ was god and man in one person ; and that maketh his death of infinite value with god , to obtain a pardon for all our sins . and this maketh him of infinite power to overcome our hearts , and turn them unto god. these things are deep wisdome ; therefore pray unto god , and he will give you wisdome to understand them , iam. 1.5 . kinsm . i am amazed to hear these deep things : i am now more discouraged about praying to god. alas , we cannot pray , nor reade , how shall we keep a sabbath ? and whall s●all we do ? pium. i will speak unto the church at natik , and we will send a wise man to teach you , to keep sabbaths among you ; and all that i shall perswade you unto , is to come together on the sabbaths , as you have done this day , and hear the word of god , and then god will teach you . kinsm . oh that it might be so , i should gladly attend unto the word . sont . i say the same . all. we like it well . kinsm . i pray let it not be delayed . pium. lo , here is a manifest token of gods presence according to his promise : for who but god could bow all your hearts to hear the word of god , especially considering how averse you were at first . now let us pray , and praise , and give thanks to the god of heaven , for his mercy endureth for ever . dialog . ii. about calling home poor indians . waban was sent forth upon the service of christ unto sundry places ; where passed such like discourses and acts . waban penoowot . waban . ho , well met friend : how far travel you this way ? pen. i am going to napmuk , a town where nishohkou is sachem : with him i have some business , which occasioneth my going thither . wab. ha! you and i are both alike in sundry things , i wish we might be both alike in one thing more . the things wherein we are alike , are these ; we are b●th tall men , we are m●t in the same way , we are going to the same place , our business is unto the same person , the sachem of the place . pen. ha , ha , he . i acknowledge wh●t you say : but i pray what is that wherein you desire we might agree ? for i do not understand that you have yet named that , and i the more desire to know that , b●cause you do seem to put more weight upon that , then upon all the rest which you have named . wab. you judge ri●ht touching my opinion of that thing which i have not mentioned , but i doubt that you will not be of my minde if i should speak it , and for that reason i did conceal it . wise men will cover a●d hide their jewels , and not expose them to every bodies sight , for they know some will lightly esteem them , because they know not their worth : but if they fall in company with such as know the worth of their jewel , they will be content to let them see it , and take a full view of it . pen. your discourse doth the more inflame my desire to know what this matter is that is so precious in your eyes and so doubtful to finde esteem with me . i confess i am foolish , but i hope you shall finde me one that would be wise , and love the company of the wise , and willing to learn of others that wisdome which i want ; and therefore though i desire not to know other mens secrets , yet if this other matter you intimate be such as i may know , my desire is raised high to know it . wab. your words are good and wise , and give me hopes that what i have further to say unto you , will finde acceptance with you according to my desire . i will therefore open to you the truth of the matter . i am a praying indian , i have left our old indian customs , laws , fashions , lusts , pauwauings , and whatever else is contrary to the right knowledge of the true god , and of jesus christ our redeemer . it repenteth me of all my fore-past life , the lusts , vanities , pleasures , and carnal delights that were formerly very sweet and delightful to me , are now bitter as gall unto me , i hate and loath them . all the works of darkness in which i was wont to take pleasure , i do now forsake and abandon . i am come into the light , i now see things as they are indeed , and nor as they seemed to be in the dark . i now know the vvord of god , which sheweth me the way of eternal life . i now know god who made all the world , against whom mankinde are turned rebels and sinners . i know the law of god which i have broken , and by my sins i have deserved eternal damnation in the world that is to come . i now know jesus christ , who hath died for us , to procure a pardon for us , and to open a door and way to eternal life and salvation for us . into this way i have entred , herein i walk , and i have promised to god , that i will live and walk in this way all the dayes of my life . and not onely so , but my desire is to perswade all others into the same way which i have entred , because i do certainly and experimentally know that my former wayes were darkness , sin , and led unto hell and damnation ; and this way whereinto i am now entred , is a way of light , life , holiness , peace , and eternal salvation : therefore do i earnestly perswade all that i meet with to be wise , and turn from the wayes of darkness , and come into this way of light and glory . and this is the thing which i did mean , when i said , that there is another thing wherein i wish that we may be alike . i do therefore exhort and intreat you that you would do as i have done , forsake your old wayes of sin , of which you have cause to be ashamed , and turn unto god , call on god , be numbred among the praying indians . pen. oh i am surprized , i am amazed , you have ravished my soul , you have brought a light into my soul. i wonder at m● self : where have i been ? what have i done ? i am like one raise● out of a dark pit ; you have brought me forth into the sunshine ▪ i begin to see about me : if i look back , and down into the pi● where i have been all my dayes , i wonder at my self what a dea● dark thing i have been ; when i look upon you , i see you like a● angel of light . i have heard of this business of praying to god some have spoken ill of it , some have spoken favour●bly i coul● not tell what it was , but now by your discourse i begin to se● what an excellent thing it is : it changes men , and advances the● into a condition above other men . you have dealt with me like a● the fishers do by the fish , you laid a bait for me to make me de●sire it , and bite at it , but i saw not your hook , until you ha● catch'd my soul ; and now i am catch'd , i see it was not for m● hurt , but for my great good . the light which i do already see is beautiful and desireable thing , and therefore i pray you go on , a●● tell me more of this new way . wab. the two first things you are to consider of now you a●● come into the light , and your heart willing to attend unto th● great work of praying to god , are these : 1. to know god. 2. our selves . of god , know his greatness , goodness , vvisdome , and powe●● he hath made all things in this great world ; all things above ●● are his works , he made the heavens , the sun , moon , stars , cloud● &c. and all things below , the seas , the earth , and all things th●● are in them : he made man , and gave him dominion over all ●● works in this world , and a law of life , under the penalty ▪ damnation : and all this god did in six days ; so great is god above man. the law which he gave to man is holy , just and good : but man by the temptation of evil angels , who by their sin became to be devils , i say man broke the law which god gave him , and sinned against god , turned rebel against god , and served the devil : and in this rebellion all the children of men go on to this day . gods law is in ten commandments , wherein he requireth of man to know and worship god , fear his name , and keep his sabbaths ; and other laws forbid lust , murther , stealing , and all other evils . moreover , god hath annexed unto his law a great promise , do and live , with a just punishment , sin and die eternally ; namely , that all the breakers of this law , and sinners against him , shall be punished in hell fire with eternal torments . and this is the condition of all mankinde , and it is our estate , that by our sins against god we have deserved to die , and then to be cast away down into hell fire , to be tormented among the devils , who tempted us to sin , and whom we have served in our life time : now together with them we must be tormented for ever . pen. oh you have now killed me again : by the first light you shewed me , i thought you had made me alive , and i joyed in the light , but i understood it not . now your light is become a sword , it hath pierced through my heart , by it i now see i am a dead man. alas , i have been a sinner all my dayes , i am guilty of more sins then i have lived dayes , many sins in a day have i committed : night and day have i offended god , and broke his law. i have served the devil and not god , i have done nothing that god commandeth , i have only served the devil , and committed sin ; therefore i have deserved to be damned in hell , and to be tormented among the devils for ever , whom in this life i have served with so much delight ; and now poor miserable i , what shall i do ? these trees under whose shade we sit , why fall they not upon me and crush this rebellious worm in pieces , and send me away to the place of eternal torment ? these rocks and hills about us , why fall they not upon me and break me into dust and powder , and send me away unto perdition ? will god regard these complaints of mine ? what are these tears of mine ? can they quench hell fire ? nay , will they not rather be oyle unto those flames ? i am in misery , help i can finde none ; the greatness of gods majesty and power , against whom i a finite poor worm have sinned , doth most amaze me . i pray help me further to understand the great majesty of god. wab. for this purpose this young man with us shall reade unto you some part of the vvord of god. reade the 40 chapter of isaiah , begin at the 12 verse , and reade unto the 27. who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand ? and meted out heaven with the span , and comprehended the dust of the earth in measure , and weighed the mountains in scales , and the hills in a ballance ? &c. ag●in , re●de some chap●ers of iob , chap. 37 , 38 , 39 , 40. vvhen these chapters were read , waban proceeded and said , moreover , such is the omniscience and omnipresence of god , that we cannot ●●de from his sight any sin , or thought , nor yet can we hide our selves , or escape out of his hand . for this purpose reade psal. 139. ver . 2 , ●o 14. thou knowest my down-sitting and up rising : thou understandest ●y tho●ghts afar off , &c. ●lso god is unch●ngeable : for that reade mal 3.6 . for i am the lord , i change not ; therefore ye sons of iacob are not consumed . and without shedding blood there is no remi●sion , heb. 9 22. pen. still i am more and more confounded : who is able to deliver a wretched rebellious worm out of his almighty hand ? where shall i hide my self from his eye ? oh that the rocks and mount●ins would fall upon me , and hide me from the stroke of his wrathful hand ! and yet i see that my wi●h is vain , there is no escaping from his wra●●ful vengeance . o● wretched i , what shall i do ! had i a world to give , i would freely give it , to be sav●d out of those flames , which are ready prepared for me , and i have so justly deserved . and yet i see that i have no such thing to give in ransome for my soul ; or had i such a thing to give , would it be accepted ? god hath no need of my gifts or s●crifices . oh what shall i do ? my miserable soul must die . wab. i am in the same condition with you , and so are we all : but i have rest and quiet in my soul , because i have found a ransome , with which god is well pleased , his wrath is pacified , and i am delivered ; i have escaped the danger of those deserved flames . pen. your speeches are some stay to my distressed soul , it breedeth some h●pe in me to hear that there is a ransome to be found , and that y●u have found i● ; ●ay there be hope that i also may finde the s●me ? wab. yea , there is hope in israel touching this matter ; it is as free for you as me . pen. oh that you would shew me this remedy . you have shewed me my mis●ry and danger , effectually ; may it please the lord to make you as successful to shew me the remedy . but my soul is still drowned in doubt and fear : oh how i long to hear where this remedy is to be found . i would go to the worlds end to finde it , i would take any pains to obtain it ; but m● trembling heart sai●h you and i bo●h may be deceived , for what creature in all ●he world is able to deliver a soul from the hand of this omnipotent and all-seeing god , whose justice and law are unchangeable , a●d not●ing save blood and death can satisfie it . wab. true , no creature is able to deliver us , vain is the help of man or angel in this case . as you said before , your mournings , crie● a●d tears cannot do it , none but god himself can do it ; and your heart will say and yield that god himself can do it : isa. 55.9 . as heaven is above earth , so are gods thoughts above ours . pen. yea , that i can freely yield unto , that god himself can do it ; what cannot he do ? but will the offend●d just and holy god p●cifie himself for my offences , and pardon so great a sinner as i ? god is just and holy , and how can it stand with his holy justice to pardon a vile sinner , without satisfaction to his holy justice ? will the holy god cease to be just ? will ●e abrogate and disanul his holy law , which i have so often , so deeply , so rebelliously broken ? i have some hope , because you say it is so , but i see not yet how it can be , for god is unchangeable . wab. it is true that you say , god will never deny his own justice , nor abrogate his holy law for our sakes : but our god is a merciful god , a●d infinite in wisdome , and by his infinite wisdome he hath found out a way to satisfie the justice of his own law , and to deliver poor sinners from the condemnation of the law. pen. but how can that be ? can man , or any creature for him , satisfie the justice of the law of god ? oh i am in the dark about this matter , you speak of impossibilities . wab. nothing that is holy just and good is impossible with god ; and therefore to shew you god hath done this , know , that god hath done it himself , and whatever god hath done is holy just and good . pen. but i pray tell me how this can be : oh how i long to hear of this way of deliverance of a poor sinner out of the hands of gods holy justice and unchangeable law. wab. i will ( as well as i c●n ) declare it unto you . god is one in three ; fa●her , son , and holy ghost : which we must believe and admire , though we cannot demonstrate . i shall at this time say no further of that point , onely thus much ; god one in essence , in his infinite wisdome and understanding , conceiveth the image of himself as the onely adequate object of his infinite wisdome . god conceiving is the father : god conceived is the son ; this intellectual act of conceiving , is called begetting : god conceiving , and god conceived , by an infinite act of volition , lov●●h himself ; and this love is the holy ghost , proceeding from th● father and the son. god as he is father hath made all ●●ings , and given man a law. god in the dispensation of the covenant of works hath agreed within himself that the son of god should assume unto himself an humane nature , which is subject unto the law of god. this glorious person is god and man in one person , named iesus christ. this glorious person jesus christ , is a person of more worth then all mankinde beside . this glorious person jesus christ came into this world , and offered to god by covenant his own life in our stead , and died for us to satisfie divine justice for the sin of man : with this sacrifice god hath said he is ●atisfied for the sin of man. thus jesus christ hath honoured gods law , by s●tisfying of divine justice , and now jesus christ hath power to pardon whom he will. pen. these are strange and deep things which you say : in this way i do see that a person is found that is able to pay a ransome to god , and satisfie his justice . but still i am in the dark about my self , how shall i be inter●sted in this redemption wrought by jesus christ ? if you have obtained it , i have some hope that so may i. i pray tell me how i may be m●de partaker of this great redemption , from the condemnation of sin pronounced against me by the law of god. wab. according to my poor ability , as well as i can i will tell you , and i will tell you ●ow i have obtained it , and in the same way you also may obtain it . pen. o how this hope , by your experience , beginneth to raise my heart . i pray go on and declare it to me . wab. god hath made a new covenant of grace which he hath opened in the gospel , and jesus christ hath published it to all the world : and the sum of it is this ; that whosoever shall penitently turn from sin towards god , and believe in jesus christ , he shall have a pardon of all his sins , and be partaker of eternal life , through the grace and mercy of god in jesus christ. iohn 3.16 . god so loved the world , that he gave his onely begotten son , that whosoever ●elieveth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life . pen. this puts me into another great difficulty : can i penitently turn from sin , and believe in jesus christ ? alas , i know not how to go about such a work , much less do i know how to accomplish the same ; therefore i still am under great straights , and know not what to do . wab. you say true , it is a work past your ability to do : but jesus christ hath undert●ken two great works in the salvation of sinners . the first is to pacifie gods justice , and satisfie the law , and to reconcile god toward us ; and that he hath done and finished effectually , when he was here on earth . 2. christ hath undertaken to conquer the world of all gods elect ( for it is onely the elect of god whom christ hath undertaken for ) and the father and the son have sent forth god the holy ghost to effect this work : for none but god himself is able to convert ● soul , and create faith in the heart of man. we cannot do it of our selves , neither you nor i can do it , but by the assistance of the spirit of god , by the word of god. pen. still the difficulty lyeth before me , i am at a loss , and know not what to do . i fully believe i am not able to do it my self . wab. i will help you as well as i can ; and the lord help you by his word and spirit . your heart is now ( in some measure ) already turned away from sin ; that part of the work is wrought in your heart , which i will demonstrate to you thus : i ask you , will you hereafter live and walk in the wayes of sin as you have formerly done ? pen. oh no , no : i hope god will keep me and help me ; i will never live again as i have f●●merly done , i will binde my self from it . i abhor to do so , i will forsake them for ever : lord help me so to do wab. well ; therefore you are now converted from your sins : and who wrought this great change in you ? it was not your self did it , nor was it i that did it ; i onely opened unto you the word of god , but the spirit of god , by the conviction of the law , and by the word of god , hath wrought this work in you . pen. i cannot gainsay you , i yield to what you say , and wonder at it . wab. in the s●me manner the spirit of god by the word is able to cre●te faith in you to believe in jesus christ. this work the lord useth to work in us by the promises of the gospel . now i will propound unto you at present but one promise , mat. 11.28 , 29. come unto me all ye that la●our , and are heavy laden , and i will give you rest . take my yoke upon you , and learn of me , for i am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall finde rest unto your souls . now i ask you , are you weary and heavy laden with your sins ? pen. oh yes , god knows i am so ; i never f●lt the like distress in my soul since i was born , sin is the bitterest thing in the world to my soul. wab. then hearken to this call of christ , for he calls you in particular to come to him , and this coming is believing : are you willing to come to christ , and ask a pardon of him , and beg his mercy ? pen. yea , with all my heart . lord help me . wab. then see the next words , what he promises , i will give you rest . pen. oh lord let it be so , according to thy word and promise , thy will be done . wab. well , wait here , and see if god doth not quiet your soul , and give you rest . mean while i will further ask you in the next words , are you willing to take upon you christ his yoke , and this yoke consisteth of two parts : 1. the yoke of commandments , to do whatever he commandeth . and 2. his yoke of sufferings in this world for his name sake : for now that you are converted , the carnal world will hate you , mock you , injure you , speak all evil against you , and it may be if they can they will kill you , as they did christ ; but are you willing ●o su●●er all for jesus christ his sake , who hath died for you ? and further , are you willing to learn meekness of jesus christ ? for they are the next words ; and i do assure you , that you will have great need of patience , when you have done all the duties he commands , to suffer patiently what god himself shall inflict upon you by sicknesses , crosses and temptations , or what wicked men shall inflict upon you . pen. these things which you speak are against the flesh and f●a●e that i used to be in ; and i do finde that they are not so fully killed , but that they have a little stirring in them when you propound these cases to me . but the experience i have now found of the love of god , and of jesus christ to my soul , doth lay such an engagement upon my heart , that i will , by his grace and assistance , be for him onely , serve him onely , do all that ever he shall command me , suffer whatever he shall impose upon me ; i will no more be for my self , but for him , who hath done all this for me . oh what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits to my poor soul ! wab. we are surprized by the night , we must rest under these trees this night . i do account this day well spent , though we have made but little progress toward the place of our intendment : but i have been about the work i came abroad upon , though not the persons i intended . thus god doth over-rule the wayes of men ; he foreseeth and ordereth that which we had no thoughts upon : and therefore in that we have spent this day in such conference and discourse , wherein we have seen so much of the presence of christ with us ; let us now spend this night in prayers and praises unto the lord , who hath found us before we sought for him . you were going about another business , you little thought of finding jesus christ by the way , and finding mercy to your soul , a pardon of your sins , and to become a praying indian . pen. your discourse doth heighten my admiration . i acknowledge god hath thought of me when i thought not of him ; he had a care of my soul when i had no care of my self ; god hath plucked me out of darkness , and brought me into a most wonderful light , that i should be forced to see the wonderful things of gods law , & of my eternal condemnation by it , my helpless and hopeless condition that i was in . and then , that the lord should open unto me a possibility of escape , that a ransome and remedy might be found by the infinite wisdome and mercy of god ; and that jesus christ had not onely accomplished that great work , but offered the fruit and benefit of it to me , and called me to rest in him , and to betrust my soul with him , for pardon of all my sins , and for eternal life in jesus christ. these things are matter of my admiration , and shall be to all eternity . my life remaining shall be spent in admiring , and in obeying and suffering , as you have now taught me ; i shall account nothing ●oo dear for christ , who hath not accounted his own most precious life too dear for me . whereas i am now instructed , that he being god and man in one person , his life was of more value then all the lives of all mankinde ; and that he did not forbear to offer that precious life for me ; i must , i will , by his grace assisting , admire at this mercy for ever : and therefore the motion that you made of spending this night in prayer and praises unto his holy name , it is a most acceptable motion to my heart . my experience suggesteth unto me matter abundantly to pray and praise his name , but my ignorance is such as that i ca●not tell how to utter my minde in words of knowledge suitable unto so great mercies as i have now experienced . wab. your discourse doth lead me out to inform you in a great point of the grace and kingdome of jesus christ , and that is the gift and grace of prayer , which the spirit of jesus christ teacheth every new born soul to perform : for so the scripture saith , rom. 8.15 . he hath given the spirit of his son , whereby we cry , and crying is an earnest manner of praying ; and the matter of our cry is to s●y abba , father , that is , to call god our father , and to ask him a childes portion in the name of jesus christ , as he hath promised , that whatever we ask in the name of jesus christ , it shall be surely granted , either the same thing or a better ; for we are foolish children , and know not what is best for our selves , but our father doth : and therefore when we make our prayers and request to god , we must leave the matter to his love & wisdome , to give us what , and when , and how he will. and because we are ignorant what to pray for , therefore the spirit of god who dwelleth in our heart , he is called the spirit of grace and of supplication ; and rom. 8.26 , 27. likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities : for we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings , which cannot be uttered . and he that searcheth the hearts , knoweth what is the minde of the spirit , because he maketh intercession for the saints , according to the will of god. where we see that our weakness is supplied by the assistance of the spirit , and he helpeth us to pray for such things as please god ; and in such a manner as pleaseth god. and this is the condition of every true converted believer , that he can pray , and desires to pray , and is ever lifting up his heart to g●d in prayer : and therefore i like it well that my motion of spending this night in prayer , is so acceptable to you , a good sign it is that the spirit of jesus christ hath taken possession of your soul. pen. this little sight and experience i have , hath so filled my heart with a sense of my own vileness , that i see matter of endless confession ; and i see so much nothingness in my self , that i see endless matter of petition and supplication ; and i see my self so infinitely obliged to god for the riches of his free-grace to me a rebellious worm , that i see infinite matter of praise , thanksgiving and admiration : my heart also longeth after others , that th●● may be as i am . i pray tell me , what is my duty in that respe●● to pray for others ? my relations , my friends , my neighbou●● and for all ? wab. christ hath taught us , when thou art converted , then streng●●●en thy brother , luke 22.32 , therefore you must pray for all t●● church of god ; you must especially pray for them that are wea● and tempted , and afflicted ; and you must pray for them that a●● not yet converted , and for all gods people , and for all gods cau●● in all the world , and for the fulfilling of all gods promises . the●● is a world of matter to pray for : and for kings and rulers in ● special manner . pen. i feel my heart to answer your words like an eccho ; m● heart answers , all these things i desire to pray for . but alas , ● am ignorant of fit words in prayer , and therefore i do request o● you , first do you pray , and set me a pattern . waban prayeth● pen. many whole nights have i spent waking , sometime in hun●●ing , sometime worse , in dancing and other sinful revels ; but ● never spent a night so well in my life before : it is the first nigh● of my new life ; i have begun to live well , oh how full of fea● , and care and desire my heart is , that i may go on according to thi● good beginning . i hope the sweet savour of this good beginning to live well , shall abide with me , and i desire your help and counsel how i may so perform it . wab. our state in this world is not perfect , corruption is killed but in part ; there be old roots remaining , which upon occasio● offered will still be stirring , acting , appearing , as a tree that is cut down , the old roots will be growing , which must be kept dow● with a speedy cutting off . a field that is well weeded , will quickly produce new weeds again , out of that natural propensity of the earth to bring forth weeds ; but a watchful and diligent husbandman will be often weeding over his corn fields : and so will ou● hearts be sending forth new weeds of sin , but we must be daily diligent to watch and weed them out ; our hearts have a natural propensity to sin , and therefore must be kept with all diligence . an● therefore that is the first counsel that i give you , out of the experience of my own naughty heart . pen. your words do put a fear into my heart , i know that old customes of sin are very hardly left , and i have been so long accustomed to sin , that i am afraid of my self . wab. fear is a good watchman ; happy is the man that feare●● alwayes : and let this put you on to a second counsel that i giv● you , be much and often in prayer , and that not onely among othe● in family-worship , and publick-worship , but also , and most frequently in secret prayer , for so christ hath commanded , mat. 6●● and christ himself hath set us an example , who spent whole nights in prayer . pen. the night spent in prayer hath let me finde a sweet taste in it , though i do already finde that it is a weariness to my flesh . i thank you for this counsel , i desire i may remember and do it . what further counsel will you give me ? wab. you must be much conversant in the word of god , and though you cannot yet reade the word , yet you must get the help of others , and learn the word of god by heart ; and you must meditate upon the same night and day , for so david did , psal. 1.2 . and the meditation on the word will sanctifie the heart , and kill corruption , and will mightily help you to subdue it . pen. i doubt it will be difficult for me to learn to reade , i am dull of capacity . wab. a strong desire , diligence and constancy , will obtain any thing : and you must pray god to teach you , and to open your heart to learn : iam. 1.5 . if any of you lack wisdome , let him ask of god , that giveth to all men liberally , and up●raideth not , and it shall be given him . and for a further help to you , my fourth counsel is , that you diligently learn the catechize , and by learning to reade that , you will learn to reade and understand the whole bible . pen. i see my self very ignorant , and therefore i am very desirous to learn catechism , because i have heard and do perceive that is the foundation of all knowledge in religio● , being wisely gathered out of the scripture . wab. you say right about catechism ; we do therefore teach it our children , that the principles of good knowledge may be sown and rooted in them from a childe : and for that reason also do we send them to school , to learn to reade the word of god , that they may be acquainted with the word from a childe . pen. oh what a loss is this to me , that i am to begin to learn catechize and the word of god now i am a man , which i might have been acquainted with from a childe , had i been brought up among the praying indians . how happy are your children that are thus brought up . i suppose you are very diligent in this matter in training up of your children . wab. we have great cause to judge our selves for too much negligence in this point . a fifth counsel i give you is , that you be constant and diligent in the exercise of the worship of god in your family , in these points : 1. you must morning and evening pray in your family , and teach them in catechism , and reading of the scriptures . 2. alwayes before and after meat you must pray and give thanks to god. pen. oh what an holy life do the praying indians live . lord ●each me and help me thus to do . vvhat further counsel do you ●ive me ? wab. a sixth counsel i give you is , that you do carefully re●ember the sabbath-day to keep it holy , and to come to the publick assembly both forenoon and afternoon , constantly and timely , and there diligently to attend the worship of god. pen oh how my heart approveth of this cou●●el . have you any further counsel to give me ? wab. one thing more ; let all your conversation be a good example to others , & labour on all occasions to do good to others . pen. i requ●st this of you , that as we travel this day in our journey , you would teach me the principles of catechism . wab. i do well like of your motion , it s a good subject of discourse as we are in our way . thus are they imployed till they come at their journeys end . waban . nish●hkou . penoo●ot . waban . my aged uncle , i am glad that it hath pleased god once more to give me an opportunity to see you alive in this world . it is not unknown unto you , that i and many others have undertaken a new way of life , which is known to many by the name of praying to god. the way that i formerly , and you still live in , is a way o● worshipping the devil , it is a way of darkness and sin : and though it is a way pleasant and easie to the flesh , yet it leadeth to destruction and eternal torments . man is made for another life after this life is ended ; and though our body dieth and turneth to dust , yet the soul is immortal , it dieth not , but at the death of the body it departeth to a place of eternal being , either in glory , or in misery . if we pray to god with a right ●eart , peniten●ly turn from sin to god , and believe in jesus christ , then we shall have a pardon granted us , and eternal happiness with jesus christ , but if we do not turn to god , but worship and serve the devil , and walk in the wayes of sin , then at death our soul must be dragged to hell , and there tormented for ever among the devils , whom we have obeyed and served in this life . these ▪ things , and many more , we do perfectly know , and believe to be true by the word of god , which is the sun-light of the soul , even as the sun is the great light of the outward world . god hath put it into my heart to desire that your soul might be ble●●ed for ever ; and the church hath sent me , and i come in the name of jesus christ to tell you these things , and beseech you to turn from these vain and evil wayes , and to believe in jesus christ , that your sins may be pardoned , and that your soul may be saved in eternal glory . nish . your love and desire of my good , i have no reason but , to accept with kindness ; but me thinks one thing in your discourse is doubtful . we see with our eyes , and know certainly that the body dieth , and turneth to rottenness and dust , and why may not the soul d● so likewise ? we see not what becometh of it , and to make such a stir , and change our course upon uncertainties , i have no liking to it , my age inclineth me rather to be quiet , and not meddle with such un●een intricacies , fitter for younger heads to minde . wab. our bodies are the product of the seed of man , and that is made out of the food we eat , and our food grows out of the earth , so that our bodies are made of refined earth ; and therefore at death turn to earth again , out of which it was made , and so god speaketh , dust thou art , and unto dust thou shalt return . but the soul is not so ; it is a spirit , of a purer nature then earthly things , and it is immediately created by god , and therefore dieth not . besides , we are assured by many infallible proofs out of the word of god , and by evidence of good reason , that the soul is immortal , which point we are taught in our catechism . and not onely so , but god hath taught us , that at the end of the world the body shall be raised again out of the dust , and the soul and body joyned together again , and then the person shall be judged by jesus christ , according to their deeds done in the flesh : those that live and die in their sins , shall be turned into hell , to be tormented by and with the devils ; but they that turn to god , and believe in jesus christ , shall be judged to go with christ to heaven , and be ever with him in eternal glory . therefore this consideration doth more sharpen my request and intreaties of you , how shall i endure to see this body of yours , which i so respect and love , and that soul of yours also , to go away unto eternal torments . and i pray you consider what a wound and torment i● will then be , to remember , i was exhorted and intreated to turn to god and live ; mercy in christ was offered me , but i refused it : and therefore deservedly do you lose what you refused , and deservedly you suffer that torment you did choose , rather then to trouble your self with this business of praying to god , and believing in jesus christ. nish . these are great and deep things that i understand not : you young men have your blood warm , and your wits fresh and ripe , you can reade and understand these things . i am old and cold and dry , and half dead already , i have not strength enough left to be whetted up to such a new edge ; let me alone to die in quiet , why should i take upon me such a disquiet to my minde , and disturbance to my self , and to my people ? i have two sons young and active men , i am very willing that they should take up this new way , perswade them to it if you will , but as for me , i am too old for such an undertaking . wab. you do well to permit your sons to enter into a way of wisdome , and pray unto god ; but i would propose two requests unto you : 1. to do well for your 〈◊〉 as well as for your sons , for your soul is as prece●o●s as 〈…〉 and 2. the most effe●tu●l means to pe●swad● y●ur s●●s unto this way of wisdome , is for you to s●t them an 〈◊〉 ; i● you ●●ould choose this way , then it is like that th●y would follow your ex●mpl● , but if you refuse it your self , ●here i● the les●●ope ●●at they will c●oose it : for it is a way hard to the f●e●● , and requires muc● subduing of lusts , which will rather be done in your d●crepi● age , then by them in their flourishing youth . nish . i a● weary , and need some food , and it is like so do you after your travel , and here is meat set before us , therefore i pray ea● , and you are welcome . wab. i pray you let us eat like praying indians . god hath taught us , that alwayes when we eat we should pray and give thanks to god. nish . i pray do so , it pleaseth me well , though i cannot do so my self , for i am ignorant of the wayes of praying to god. waban prayeth for a blessing , and then they eat : and after meat doth the same again . pen. aged sachem , now that you and we are refreshed and strengthned ●y this food , i will declare unto you strange news , to which i intreat your attendance a little while , and all the people here present . i am like a man that was looking for a shell , and found a pearl of inestimable value , whereby he became very rich and renowned . i had a small occasion to come and visit you , gra●● sachem , and by the way i met with this good man , a messenger o● god ; by whose discourse my blinde eyes are opened , my dead heart is made alive , my lame legs are inabled to walk in the way to heaven , where i shall enjoy an eternal ki●●dome . many miracles ●ave been wrought upon me by the power of gods word spoken to me by this man : and that i may stir up your heart , and the hearts of the people here present to give diligent heed to what he saith , i will d●cl●re unto you what passed between us . i was a● you are , i lived as you live , i did as you do , and as the rest of ou● countrymen and neighbours do ; i followed the sports , pleasures , vanities , and courses that other men , and you , to this day walk in● but i was not aware how blinde , and dead , and vile , and wicked i was in the sight of god ; nor was i aw●re that i was running o● in a pleasant delightful way , which led m● down to hell and eternal damnation . but when i met this man , he discoursed with me about these things ; he opened unto me , by the word of god , the great majesty of god , his holiness , justice , and goodness ; how god h●● made thi● great world , and all things in it , both things above , an● things below ; how ●e made man an eminent creature , gave him dominion over all the creatures here below ; & gave him an holy , ju●● and good law , in ten commandments , under the order of a covenant of works , and if he kept and obeyed this law , he should live in glory and happiness for ever , but if he did break this law , and sin against god , that great majesty of heaven , then he should be answerably and justly pun●●hed with eternal torments in hell fire , with the devil and his angels for evermore : and this l●w was for himself and all his posterity , in whose stead he sto●d as a publick person . now he informed me , that ada● the first man sinned by the temptation of evil angels , which rebelled against god , and tu●ned devils : by their temptation adam ●inned , and turned rebel against god , and served , believed and obey●d the devil , and therefore by the law of god he was judged and condemned , and all his posterity . all this i found to be true in ●y own experience , for i went on in the same rebellion , breaking the holy law of god every day both in thought , word and deed , obeying the devil and his temptations , serving the lusts of my flesh , and fil●hy mi●de : i walked in the broad , easie , pleasant way t●at leadeth to destruction ; so that i have deserved to be damned a thousand thousand times : and the greatness of the majesty of god against whom i sinned , did breed terrour in my soul ; my just condemnation by the law of god , was evident to me as the light ; gods pure and ●nchangeable justice , which sentenced me by the law unto hell , i saw i could not possibly answer , seeing i am a poor finite worm , and what have i to satisfie infinite offended justice ? and therefore my soul mourned and lamented , and sunk into despair ; for gods justice is unchangeable , and his law must be satisfied , which i am never able to do , and therefore i must be eternally damn●d under that just sentence . i d●rst not pray god to pardon my transgression , by any absolute soveraign act of mercy , for then he should have offended his own justice , which is unchangeable , and abolished his own law , whose perfection is such that it must be fulfilled and satisfied ; and to satisfie gods just law , was not in the power of any finite creature , man or angel : and therefore i despaired , no ransome could be found in all the world for me a poor sinner . oh t●e bitterness that my soul felt , in the horrour of my damned estate ! no tongue can utter what my soul felt . i had a taste of hell torments in my soul ; my meditation of gods omniscience , whereby he knew all my sins , not onely open , but secret ones , brought innumerable sins to my remembrance , one of which was enough to damn me , but i had mountains of guilt heaped upon my distressed soul ; the impossibility for me to satisfie divine justice , and the impossibility of pardon without satisfaction , because god cannot be unjust , and his law is unchangeable : such meditations cast me into the horrible pit of darkness and desperation . the redemption of the soul is precious , it ceaseth for ever , psal. 498. then god opened the mouth of this dear servant of his , who told me that the infinite mercy and wisdome of god had found out a ransome , a way to satisfie justice , and fulfil the law , and to save poor condemned sinners , and that he himself had found mercy in that way . this bred some hope in my soul , and stayed me from sinking quite down , when i heard of a possibility : but still i was in distressing doubt and fear that it was but some delusion , because i could not see a possibility for man or angel , or any creature , to satisfie and give a ransome to infinite justice . then he declared to me , that it is true that no creature could give a ransome to satisfie justice , but god himself was able to satisfie the infinite justice of god. to that i yielded , that god himself might satisfie his justice , but still i was in the dark , i could not see this could possibly be . then he opened me , that adored doctrine of god his being one and three ; how god was one in essence , three in persons , god the father , god the son , and god the holy ghost ; how the father doth by an eternal in●ellectual act conceive the image of himself , as being the only adequate object he understands himself ; and this is called the bege●ting of the son , by an intellectual conception of his own image : and these two subsistencies , do by an eternal act of volition love each other ; and this love is the third person in trinity , proceeding from both the father and the son. now the eternal majesty of god agreed within himself , that god the son , the second person in trinity , should assume humane nature to himself , and become a man , subject to the law. this glorious person is the greatest subject that ever the law had , and this glorious person is able perfectly to fulfil the law , and perfectly to pay a ra●some satisfactory to infinite justice , who hath done it . this depth of divine wisdome my soul admired , and shall do to eternity . but still i was at a loss how i should be interested in the ransome that this glorious person hath paid . then did this messenger of god declare unto me , that this glorious person jesus christ had undertaken both parts of this work : first to atone , and reconcile god to man , by paying the ransome required , and by perfect fulfilling the law : secondly , to subdue the soul and will of man to turn , and submit to be reconciled to god. but this work of converting ● soul to god is such , that as no man can convert himself , so no other creature is able to do it , onely god himself can do it ; and for that end , both the father and son have sent forth the holy ghost , the eternal spirit , to work upon the hearts of men , and to create the work of faith in them by the word , and then to take possession of , and dwell in believing souls , to mortifie their lusts , to sanctifie their hearts and lives , and to lead them in the way of grace unto glory . and he further declared to me , that this blessed spirit of g●d , by the word of god , had already begun this great work in my soul : for a new light is set up in my soul , a work beyond the reach of man ; and that light hath convinced me of sin , and of my my damned estate by sin ; it had made a separa●ion and divorce betwixt sin and my soul ; it had cut me off the old stock , and l●id my soul down at the foot of christ , capable with all humble thankfulness to accept salvation , not by any merit of mine , but by free-grace of christ unto a vile and unworthy sinner . this i could not deny , but i did finde such conviction , and such a submission to christ : and this he declared to be the first step and beginning of the work of sound conversion . i crave your patience for a few words more . then he proceeded to shew me that the work was finished by the promise , which also the spirit of god doth bring home unto the soul , and makes up the match betwixt christ and the soul. and to that purpose he brought mat 11.28 , 29. by which text he shewed me , as in a glass , 1. the distress my soul was in . 2. the call of christ to such distressed soul. 3. the promise of rest to such as come to him . 4. the obligation to learn meekness , both to do and suffer the will of christ. and here my soul resteth . ah friends , we poor indians are great sinners , but c●rist is great salvation for the greatest sinners . what ●inite creature can out-sin infinite satisfaction ? nish . i see you are strongly changed and transported : but my feeble age needeth rest , and so may you also by this time . wab. aged uncle , to morrow is the sabbath-day : if you like of it , order all your people to come together in the morning , and by the lords assistance i will further teach you by the word of god. nish . i like it well . send out to all parts of the town , that all meet to morrow morning . the sabbath . many being met , waban . the lord hath appointed that in our publick worship first of all , supplications , prayers , intercessions , and giving of thanks be made for all men : for kings , and for all that are in authority , that we may lead a quiet and peaceable li●e in all godliness and honesty . for this is good and acceptable in the sight of god our saviour : who will have all men to be saved , and to co●e unto the knowledge of the truth , 1 tim. 2. ● , 2 , 3 , 4. according to this appointment , let us pray . which finished , he took that text , matth. 20.1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7. in these words we may observe these things : 1. the vineyard where men labour , is the church , and this wa● of praying to god ; and sheweth that it is a laborious and a good work , and will cause us to bring forth good fruits , grapes and wine , which is pleasing to god and man. but beware of bringing forth sowre grapes ; especially suffer no briars and thorns , but cu● them down , and root them up , and cast them out . 2. the lord of this vineyard is jesus christ , who calleth all me● to come into this his vineyard , and do these works . and th●● day i do in the name of the lord jesus call you all to pray to god , come and work in this vineyard . hearken to this call , and be no longer idle , follow your sins no longer , you have lived in 〈◊〉 long enough , stay no longer , but come in when you are called . happy are you , if you obey and come ; woe be to you , if you refuse . 3. here be the several seasons of mens coming in , or the sever●● ages of men that do come in . 1. some come in while it is morning , that is , while they b● young : therefore i call you boyes , youths a●d girls , come yo● unto the lords vineyard , and give unto god the first-fruits o● your dayes . 2. the lord went forth at the third hour , and called in youn● men and young women into his vineyard : hearken therefore yo● young men and young women to the call of god , and come in . 3. the lord went forth at the ninth hour , that is , he called i● men and women full grown , to ripeness of parts , and strength ; you are called this day to come into the lords vineyard ; be yo● perswaded to come in , and serve the devil no longer : now tu●● unto the lord. 4. the lord went forth the eleventh hour , that is , a little bfor● night ; and this doth mean you old men , and old women , com● you into the lords viney●rd : you see the lord will accept you 〈◊〉 you come . do not think you are too old to serve the lord ; 〈◊〉 your dayes be near finished , you had the more need come in quic●● ly , lest you die in your sins , and perish for ever . when he had finished , an objection was made by one ; we d●● not come in to pray to god , for we hear you are very severe if any 〈◊〉 found in sin , of lust or the like , you whip them and punish them , 〈◊〉 maketh us afraid to pray to god. ●nsw . wab. god hath appointed punishments of sin to be ph● sick for their souls ; and though physick be bitter and sharp , y●● it s very wholesome , good and needful . if you were invited 〈◊〉 dwell at such a town where there is a physician , would you sa● no , i will not dwell there , because if i be sick i must take physic●● sure you would therefore go dwell at that place . so it is in th●● case ; you should therefore desire to pray to god , because they use physick to heal the sickness of your souls . afternoon . they being met , waban having first prayed , then taketh this text , psal. 2.8 , 9 , 10 , 11. in these words see these three things : 1. christ jesus taketh possession of the heathen , and utmost ends of the earth : and this is one description of our country . and now jesus christ calleth us to come to him . some of us have submitted unto christ , and he hath mercifully accepted us , and so he will accept you , if you will come in unto him . 2. see what christ will do to them that will not come in ; he will break them with a rod of iron , and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel . thus christ will deal with our sins , if we submit to him . but if we will not submit to him , he will thus deal with our persons , and destroy them that refuse to serve him , luke 19.27 . 3. here is the effect of gods severity against sinners ; be wise therefore , o ye kings ; be instructed , ye iudges of the earth : serve the lord with fear , and rejoyce with trembling . do not say , because christ is severe against our sins , therefore we will not come unto him , but fly from him : do not so , for then he will destroy you ; but come trembling to him , and say , lord take away our sins by sharpness , that our souls may be saved for ever . dialog . iii. anthony and william ahauton were sent to paganoohket , where philip is sachem . when they first came to the town , they went to the sachems house . anthony . william . philip keitassoot . all the company . anthony . sachem , we salute you in the lord , and we declare unto you , that we are sent by the church , in the name of our lord jesus christ , to call you , and beseech you to turn from your vain conversation unto god , to pray unto god , and to believe in jesus christ for the pardon of your si●s , and for the salvation of your soul. we do unto you , according to the holy example which we finde , iohn 1.40 , to 47. where andrew called peter , and christ himself called philip , and philip called nathaniel . so we are come this day unto you , in the name of jesus christ , to call you to come unto the lord , and serve him . this argument we perswade you by , because we hear that many of your people do de●●re to p●ay to god , only they depend upon you . we pray you to consider , that your love to your people should oblige you to do them all the good you can . in this point , it lieth in your hand to do the greatest good in the world unto them , to do good to their souls as well as to their bodies , and to do them good to eternity , as well as in this present world . all this good you will do to your people , if you will accept of this offer of mercy ; you will not only your self turn from sin unto god , to serve the true and living god , but all your people will turn to god with you , so that you may say unto the lord , oh lord jesus , behold here am i , and all the people which thou hast given me : we all come into thy service , and promise to pray unto god so long as we live . oh how welcome will you be unto the lord ? and oh how happy and joyful will ●ll your people be , when they and their sachem are all owned by god , to be in the number of his children and servants . it will be a joy to all the english magistrates , and ministers , and churches , and good people of the land , to hear that philip and all his people are turned to god , and become praying indians . we reade in luke 15.7 . that there is joy in heaven over one poor sinner that repenteth , and turneth unto god ; what great joy will it then be in heaven , when so great a number as you and your people be , are ●urned unto the lord , and b●come praying indians ! keit. often have i heard of this great matter of praying unto god , and hitherto i have refused . mr. eliot junior , while he was alive , attempted it , but i did not hearken unto his perswasion . old mr. eliot himself did come unto me , he was in this town , and did perswade me ; but we were then in our sports , wherein i have much delighted , and in that temptation , i confess , i did neglect and despise the offer , and lost that opportunity . since that time god hath afflicted and chastised me , and my heart doth begin to break , and i have some serious thoughts of accepting the offer , and turning to god , to become a praying indian , i my self , and all my people . but i have some great objections , which i cannot tell how to get over , which are still like great rocks in my way , over which i cannot climb ; and if i should , i fear i shall fall down the precipice on the further side , and be spoiled and undone : by venturing to climb , i shall catch a deadly fall to me and my posterity the first objection that i have is this , because you praying indians do reject your sachems , and refuse to pay them tribute ; inso●uch that if any of my people turn to pray unto god , i do reckon that i have lost him , he will not longer own me for his sachem , nor pay me any tribute . and hence it will come to pass , that if i should pray to god , and all my people with me , i must become a●● common man among them , and so lose all my power ●nd authority over them , this is such a temptation as neither i , nor any of the great sachems can tell how to get over : were this tempta●ion removed , the way would be more easie and open for me to turn praying indian . i begin to have same good likance of the way , bu● i am loth to buy it at so dear a rate . will though i am younger then my brother with whom i am sent , yet i know my self to be in a clearer capacity to answer to this case , then my brother is , because cutsh●●oquin , the first great sachem that prayed to god , and after him chikk●tab●k , and after him msqu●mmog , were sachems in the town where i live , and they were my sachems , and i well know how the praying indians did carry the matter towards them . and first , i say , if any of the praying indians should be disobedient ( in lawful things ) and refuse to pay tribute unto their sachems , it is not their religion and praying to god that teache● them so to do , but their corruptions ; it is a sickness that needeth physick to cure it , and not allowance and countenance to defend it : i am sure the word of god commandeth all to be subject to the higher powers , and to pay them tribute , rom. 13.1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 6 7. and christ jesus hath commanded to give unto cesar the things that belong to cesar , and to god the things that belong to god. and thus we have been taught . all the time that cutshamoqui● lived , our town did alwayes honour , obey , and pay tribute unto him ; and so far as i know , so did all the praying indians which belonged to his jurisdiction after his decease we chose iosi●● , or chikkatabuk , but not until he had promised before the governour and magistrates of the massachusets at boston , to pray unto god , and to defend and govern us in praying to god all the dayes of his life . and though he fell back from his promise , yet our town alwayes owned him . and when he began to recover himself a littl● before his death , the people were ready to adhere unto him , and acknowledge him . in his life time we accepted his brother , at his request ● and msquammog his leaving us , is his own act and not ours . and therefore , beloved sachem , let not your heart fear that praying to god will alienate your people from you ; nay , be assured it will more firmly oblige their hearts unto you . thi● i know by experience , for the more beneficent you are unto them , the more obligation you lay upon them . and what greater beneficence can you do unto them , then to further them in religion , whereby they may be converted , pardoned , sanctified and saved . ant all that my brother hath said i second , and can bear witness unto it ; onely i will adde one thing more , of which i know more then he doth , because it was acted in the town where i live . there was some subtile endeavour to have mingled the praying and non-praying indians , and to have reduced the praying indians under the power of non praying indians , contrary to publick and evident conditions . against this , did some of the wiser sort ( who saw the trap ) firmly ▪ stand ; giving this reason : the fox came to the lambs door , and would fain come in , but the lambs refused . then the fox desired to let him put in but one claw ; the lambs refused , saying , if he get in but one claw ▪ he will not rest till he have wrigled in his whole body . stop waters while they be small and supera●le . and this i say unto you , beloved sachem , you shall finde none truer to you then praying indians : but know withall , that g●d teaches them by his word to be wise , and they will not easily be abused . keit. if that be true which you say , all is not true that is talked against the praying indians ; and indeed i do see that they are the worser sort of men that do speak so ill of them , the wiser sort are not so minded . i have nothing within the compass of my knowledge , to gainsay that which you have spoken ; and i know not but that a course may be taken to oblige both sides , as you took a course to oblige your sachem . i am ready to think that the governour and magistrates of the massachusets would as well oblige you to him , as him to you . ant. yea , yea , so it was , and most equal that it should be so . keit. i have another objection stronger then this ; and that is , if i pray to god , then all my men that are willi●g to pray to god will ( as you say ) stick to me , and be true to me ; but all such as love not , and care not to pray to god , especially such as hate praying to g●d , all th●se will forsake me , yea will go and adjoyn the●selves unto other sachems that pray not to god : and so it will come to pass , that if i be a praying sachem ▪ i shall be a poor and weak one , and easily be trod upon by others , who are like to be more potent and numerous ; and by this means my tribute will be small , and my pe●ple few , and i shall be ● great loser by praying to god. in the way i now am , i am full and potent , but if i change my way and pray to god ▪ i shall be empty and weak . ant. i confess that this is a strong temptation , and requireth much self-denial and faith to conflict with it . i pray consider what counsel jesus christ giveth in this case , matth. 16.24 . let a man deny himself , take up his cross , and follow me . i confess that this is harsh doctrine ●o flesh and blood ; but i will tell you a cordial a●ainst it , matth. 19.29 ▪ every one that hath forsaken houses , or brethren , or sisters , or father , or mother , or wife , or children , or lands for ●y names sake , shall receive an hundred fold● and shall inherit everlasting life . trust god in this promise , and see if he do not perform it . and be assured , it is better to trust god in a way of well doing , then to trust to wicked and vile men in a way of sin . if god will punish you , all your men , especially the worst of them , cannot save you ; but if all your men should forsake you , and yet you choose christ , and be true to him , then christ will certainly take care of you . and further , this is but a fear that humane reason maketh ; try the lord , it may be he will make all your men to stick the closer to you . you think t●e better sort will stick to you , it is but the loss of the worser sort , at the worst , a●d if you trust in the lord , he can over-rule the hearts of the worst of men , and they shall no● forsake you . besides you may put it to the trial , put it to the publick vote ; if you should do so , i do think that they will all promise to stick unto you if you pray to god : and then this objection is cut off in the beginning of the work . consider also what christ ha●h said , mat. 11.29 , 30. he commands such as come to him , to take up my yoke , and learn of me , for i am meek , and lowly of heart , and ye shall finde rest to your souls : for my yoke is easie , and my burthen light . you fear that ●his will be burthensome , heavy , and to your loss ; try the lord if he do not make this objection easie and light unto you : and see if it do not prove that you are more afraid then hurt . christ will not suffer any body to lose by him , at last . nay , you shall be a certain and a great gainer by it , both in this world , and in the world to come . will. as my brother hath said , i acknowledge this to be ( in appearance at least ) a strong temptation . this was the temptation of iosias , that drew him to his apostacy , he forsook his praying people , and adhered unto those who did not pray to god : but this was because his own he●rt did not love praying to god , and did better like of the wicked wayes of the non praying indians . but what got he at l●st by adhering to the worst sort of his subjects ? when he was in distress they all forsook him , which his praying subjects would not have done , if he would have adhered unto them . likewise this very thing which you propose , was a temptation to cutshamoquin ; his praying to god did make such of his people as loved not that way , to waver in their sub●ection to him , and it did begin to make him waver in the matter of praying to god : but god did mercifully preserve him , and kept him stedfast to his dying day . but this he did , he went sometimes among them , he used them kindly , he treated them with gentle perswasion , without compulsion ; by such wayes he so carried the matter , that they forsook him not . and i do not doubt but that the matter may be so ordered and carried , that you may be secured from that danger , which seemeth to lie in your objection . but indeed the true reason why sundry of cutshamoquin his men left him ▪ whereby he fell under poverty , was this , he sold unto the english all our lands which lay by the sea-side and salt water , save onely one field ; and then it was , that they went to such other places as they liked better . and this one field also , iosias sold away ; and the inland place , where we now live , mr. eliot procured for us , after we prayed to god. but let the worst of your fears come to pass , suppose all your subjects that hate praying to god should leave you , what s●●ll you lose by it ? you are rid of such as by their sins vitiate others , and multiply transgression , and provoke the wrath of god against you and yours . but consider what you shall gain by praying to god : do not trouble your self by p●ring upon what you shall lose , which at most is but a very small matter . turn your eye to the other side , and look what you shall gain ; you lose a f●w wicked men which hate praying to god ; but if you pray ●o god , all the praying indians will rejoice at it , and be your friends , and they are no● a few , now , by the grace and blessing of jesus christ ; all the massachusets indians will be your friends ; all the praying indians ●n th● nipmuk country will be your friends ; all the praying indians of nop will be your friends ; all the praying indians or nantuket will be your friends ; all the praying indians o● mahshepog , and all eastward from them as far as cape cod ; all the●e will be your friends : and what comparison is betwixt these , and those you lose ? again , suppose you lose a few subjects that hate praying to god , but ye● you shall gain a more intim●te love of the governour , and magistrates , and good people of plimouth , who were ever good friends to your father onsamequin , and to you hitherto ; but if you pray to god , you shall finde a difference , they will more honour , respect and love you , then ever they did ; they will embrace you as a brother in christ jesus . yea further , the governour and magistrates of the massachusets will own you , and be fatherly and friendly to you . the commissioners of the united colonies will own you . yea more , the king of england , and the great peers who are heads of the corporation there , who yearly send over means to encourage and promote our praying to god , they will take notice of you : and what are a few of your subjects that hate praying to god , in comparison of all these ? yea moreover , and above all these considerations , that which is said , luke ●5 . 7 . i tell you , there shall be joy in heaven over one poor sinner that repenteth ; so that god in heaven , jesus christ , the holy ghost , and the holy angels in heaven , will joy at your turning to god. cea●e therefore these vain fears of losing a few sinful people , who possibly may forsake you , if you pray unto god. keit. i am drowned and overwhelmed with the weight of your reasonings : i know not what to answer you at the present ; yet i fear , that when i am out of the sun-shine of your wise discourses , i shall again be plunged into the pit of doubting , by my manifold fears that do incompass me . ant. go on therefore and produce all your doubts , let us see what weight is in them . sands are heavy when many are laid together , but bring them out one by one , and they will be found light , and of no value . our desire is to deal fully with you , and hear all that you have to say : cobwebs may seem thick and strong until they be handled , but when they be touched and opened , they will be found alt●gether weak . keit. i perceive that in your praying to god , and in your churches , all are brought to an equality ; sachems and people they are all f●llow-brethren in your churches ; poor and rich are ●qually priviledged ; the vo●e of the lowes● of the people , hath as much weight as the vote of the sachem . now i doubt that this way will lift up the heart of the poor to too much boldness , and debase the rulers too low : this bringing all to an equality , will bring all to a confusion . ant. this also i confess is a great and weighty point , and must be looked upon with much prudence and caution . the weight of a vote lieth not so much in the man , as in the matter wherein he vo●eth . a poor wise man may give a better reason then a rich man , or a ruler , and then it is the reason that prevaileth , not the man. we must all be ruled by the word of god , both sachem● and people . the word of god in the mouth of a poor man , must be regarded for the words sake , and not for the mans sake , be he rich or poor . the management of church liberties is a narrow edge , and may easily be miscarried , and prove hurtful ; which difficulty must be helped by good conduct : the well-ordering of a church is a point of great wisdome and care ; but we must not therefore fly off from a rule , because it is difficult , but it must be acted with the more fear , care and prayer . there is such a rule in the gospel-way of the churches , as equality of vote among believers in the matters of jesus christ : and herein is a great point of self denial in sachems and chief men , to be equal to his brethren in the things that appertain to christ , who is no respecter of persons : so it is said , col. 3.11 . where there i● neither greek nor iew , circumcision nor vncircumcision , barbarian , scyth●an ●ond nor free , but christ is all , and in all . and as faith ●a●es all believers equal in christ , so doth the order of the gospel : all that are in gospel-order , are equally concerned in the ●ffairs of jesus christ. and this should not be a trouble , but a comfort and joy to every one ; and therefore it is said , iam. 1.9 , 10. let the brother of low degree rejoyce , in that he is exalted ; but the ri●h in that he is made low : for by both these christ is exal●ed , and in that we must rejoice . will. all that my brother hath said is weighty : i will adde ● word further to the edge of your objection . church-order doth not abolish civil order , but establish it ; religion teacheth and commandeth reverence and obedience to civil rulers : and when ● religious ruler doth deny himself for christ his sake , to be equa● with his brethren in church-order , it obligeth all godly hear●● the more to honour him in his civil o●der . 1 tim. 6.2 . the lord saith , and they that have believing masters , let t●em not despise the● because they are brethren , but the rather do t●e●●ervice , because the● are ●ai●h●ul and beloved , partakers of the ●enefit . these things ●eac● and exhort . do not fear any loss of honour , by submi●●ing ●o g●sp●● community in church-order ; but know , that it is the rig●●est way to true honour . the hearts of all will honour those rulers that are humble and holy . and when you shall do this for the honour of christ , then chri●● will take care to honour such rulers ; for god hath promised , 1 sam. 2.30 . t●em that honour me , i will honour . believe the word of g●d , for you shall finde it true . keit. what second thoughts may come into my minde i cannot tell , but at present i finde nothing in my minde to oppose against what you say . but yet there is another t●ing that i am much afraid of , and that is your church-admonitions and excommunications : i hear that your sachems are under that yoke i am a sinful man as well as others , but if i must be admonished by th● c●urch , who are my subjects , i know not how i shall like t●at . ● doub● it will be a bitter pill , too hard for me to get down and swall●w . ant. still your objections are great and weighty . sin is the sickness of the soul , even as diseases are the sickness of the body . admonitions in the lord , by the holy scriptures are the p●ysic● of the soul ▪ even as outward medicines are physick to the body . now if your body be sick , you will not refuse physick because i● is bitter or sharp , and difficult to bear . no , but you will bear i● patiently , because you know it is wholesome , and a means to cure your sickness . the same i say about the sickness of your soul , that medicine which god hath appointed to purge away your sin● you must patiently submit unto , because it is wholesome and good for your soul. yea , and you must be so much the more careful and willing to submit thereunto , by how much the danger o● so●l-sicknesses are deeper and greater then bodily sicknesses be . a bodily sickness , at the worst , doth but kill the body , but soul-sicknesses , if not cured , do damn both body and soul in hell , with the d●vil and his angels for ever . it is a desperate danger to l●● soul sicknesses go uncured . it is pleasant and d●lightful to the flesh to sin without controll , but remember what the end of it wil● be . s●lo on that wise king saith , eccles. 11.9 . rejoyce , o 〈◊〉 man , in thy youth , and let thy heart cheer thee in thy youth , and wa●● in the wayes of thy heart , and in the sight of thy eyes ; but know th●● that for all ●he●e things god will bring thee into judge●ent . this is ● tre●bling word felix a great ruler trembled when he heard th●● word , acts 24.25 . it is therefore against all wisdome to refu●● to be subject to soul-physick . it is a great mercy when god giveth a skilf●● 〈◊〉 to cure our bodies , but it is a greater mercy to have a skilful p●ysician to he●l and cure our souls . this there●●●e is so fa● from being a discouragement from praying to god as that it is rather an encouragement . make haste ●o come into that way which provideth well f●r your souls health , because eternal salvation dependeth upon it . will. i am willing to adde a word or two by way of lenitive . though the matter be harsh and bitter , yet the manner of applying must be with all reverence , gentleness , meekness , tenderness , and love , so as to ●void all exasperation or provocation . so the lord hath commanded , galat. 6.1 . if a man●e overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual , restore such an one in the spirit of meekne●s , considering thy self ▪ lest thou also be tempted . and for your fu●ther encouragement , we finde in the scripture that great kings and rulers have meekly submitted to this soul-physick . david was sharply reproved by the prophet , and he meekly submitted to it , 2 sam 12. and so it was with eli , 1 sam 2.27 . let it not therefore be unacceptable unto you , to imitate so great , so good examples . if sachems might sin , and no body might admonish them , because they be rulers , and the ministers and people are the subjects , it were the most miserable condition in the world to be a sachem or a ruler , they run to hell without controll , and no body may say unto him , why do you so ? it is said , isa. 30.33 . tophet is ordained of old , yea for the king i● is prepared . if god have ordained hell for sachems , then sure he hath ordained means to keep them out of it , as well as for other men ; for god desireth not the death of a sinner , but rather that ●e should repent and live . if therefore you desire to escape hell , and to go to heaven , submit your soul to such means as god hath appointed to bring you to repentance and salvation . when you put the objection , you s●id you are a sinful man as well as others : therefore your own heart will tell you that you have need of such helps as god hath appointed to bring you to repentance , else you cannot be saved . keit. i feel your words sink into my heart and stick there , you speak arrows ; i feel that you wound me , but i do not think that you hurt me ; nor do you mean me any hurt but good . i d●sire to ponder and consider of these things . i have more matters to object , but i will forbear at this time : and besides , it is time for you to eat , and to take rest , and therefore i will proceed no further at this time . ant. we thankfully accept your patience thus long , and your good accept●nce of what we say : god hath been present with us , and we perceive that the spirit of god is at work in your heart , this putteth us in hopes of a good issue . we have one request unto you , beloved sachem , that while we abide in your house , we may have liberty to carry our-selves like praying indians ; namely , that when we eat , we may pr●y and give t●anks to god , before and after meat ; also before we lie down at night , and when we rise up in the morning , we may pray and give thanks to god ; and that discourses may be grave , and for edification ; that there may be no games or sports , or such other things , which we have abandoned . keit. i do like well what you say , all things shall be as you d●sire ; it will be a g●od opportunity for us to see what manner of convers●●ion you praying indians use . i will pr●pose it unto so many ●f my people as be here present , how they like of t●is last motion you make , of allowing you free liberty of all such exercises as you praying indians practise . what say you , my friends , to this l●st mo●●on of theirs ? all. we like it very well , and shall willingly give attendance un●● their prayers . and besides , it is not long to their sabbath , we desire they would stay the sabbath , and teach publickly , and let us see their s●bbath convers●tion also . it may be we shall see so much beauty and desireableness in their wayes , that it may much heighten and raise our affections to embrace and submit our selves unto this way of praying to god. keit. you go too fast , your answer goes beyond my proposal , or their request : we spake onely of private conversation . i said nothing of the sabbath , nor of their publick teaching , this is a greater matter . but go to , seeing you have made the motion , i will not refuse it . what say you my friends ? you hear what these people desire , will you tarry the sabbath among us , and teach publickly amongst my people ? for if you accept the motion , we shall take a course to give notice thereof to all parts of the town . ant. we are sent by the church in the name of jesus christ , to call you up unto the way which leadeth to heaven . one part of this heavenly way , is to keep holy the sabbath day , by exercising our selves in the word of g●d and prayer . i perceive the forwardness of your people hereunto , and your own wary condescendence unto their desires , which amounteth unto more then a calling unto us to attend the motion : it addeth encouragement and hope of good acceptance with man , and a divine blessing from heaven . philip keitassoot . anthony . william . sachem . keit. i have so ordered my occasions , that they will give way to my attendance to the matter you come about , therefore this afternoon i have set apart , that we may have further conference about them . the former points we discoursed , i am willing they should still lie soaking in my heart and minde . i am not ready to make replies , or to draw forth any further speech about them . i choose rather to draw forth some of my other doubts and objections ; unto which , if your answers be as considerable and weighty , as they were to my former doubts , i shall then s●e cause to lay them up also a soaking , and pondering in my heart . know this , that in the rowlings of my thoughts , the disquiet turnings and tumblings of my minde , do oft-times molest me with variety of passions . i am sometimes in grief and anguish of minde , especially when i over look my life past , and remember the many sins and follies that i have stained my life and honour withall , i think with my self , what a fool have i been , that for the love of a lust , which dogs and brute creatures delight in , that i , a man , a sachem , should be so besotted , as to stain my honour , wound my soul , offend god , and expose my self to eternal damnation , and all this for a short delight that is gone with a blast , and leaves nothing behinde but shame and sorrow ; and these are durable and indelible , a sad effect of sensual pleasures . ah what a fool have i been ? when i should have imployed my self in higher and greater matters for the honour of god , and the good of my people ▪ i have wasted my precious time and strength to satiate my pleasures , which have left such a sting and torment in my soul , which all my estate and honour cannot ease me of , but they are like to torment me for ever . i am never without wicked company to draw me out unto such iniquities , but none of them can ease the torment of my minde and conscience , though some apply themselves so to do , i do finde their remedies are false and uneffectual . but i have quite lost my self , i did not intend to open and pour out my minde and thoughts about these matters ; but full vessels are ready to run over . i will come to that which i did intend . ant. beloved sachem , as the overflowings of your grief have interrupted your intended discourse , so let me take so much boldness to lengthen this your interruption , with a word of god ▪ that may , by his blessing , be ( at least ) the beginning of a cordial to your heart , and a cure to your stain and wound . sin is a shame to any nation or person , but repentance is an honour . your griefs have the right savour of repentance . it is said , 1 cor. 3.18 . let a man become a fool , that he ●ay be wise : you chide your self for your ●ol●y ; you do well ●o to do , it is an act of wisdome so to do , go on in this frame of heart , and be constant , and you shall finde rest . christ calleth troubled souls to come unto him , mat. 11.28 . and he promis●●h to give them rest , and he is able to perform his promise . in his hand i leave this matter , and your tossed soul with inward griefs , that in him you may finde rest . will. my brother ha●h presented you with a cordial for your heart●g●ief , i will present you with some balm to heal your soul wounds . it is said ▪ ier. 8.22 . is there no balm in g●lead ? is there no physician there ? why ●hen is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered ? behold , in gods word we finde a balm for wound●d souls , and that is the death and blood of jesus christ , believed by faith : for christ hath died for our sins , and rose again from the dead for our justification ; he offereth a pardon for all your sins , and he will heal your soul , and quiet your heart from all those turmoiling troubles and griefs . believe therefore in jesus christ , and he will pardon and save you . keit. i thank you for these comfortable words , i feel them in my heart , and i desire to lay them up among other things which i ponder in my heart . and now i will proceed to open such other doubts which lie in my minde , as impediments which hinder me , and delay me from accepting of this way of praying to god. i perceive in all your discourses , that you have a book which you call the word of god , and you reade it to me . i perceive also that in your worshipping of god morning and night , you reade in that book : i pray tell me what book that is ▪ what is written in it ? and how do you know that it is the word of god ? many say that some wise english-men have d●vised and framed it , and tell us that it is gods word , when as it is no other then the words of wise men . hoh ! we shall be interrupted in our discourse , for here cometh in s●chem that hateth praying to god , and hath been a means of delaying my entrance into this way : but if he come up unto us , we will go on and let him be partaker of our discourse , if he like of it , a●d be willing so to do . e●●h , my friend , i pray come and sit down here , and hearken to our discourse . here be some of the massachuset praying indians , who are soliciting me to pray unto god ; and we are now discoursing about a book which they have , which they say is the word of god : and i am now enquiring of them what is contained in that book , and how it may be made appear that it is the word of god● if you think good to joyn with us in this discourse , it will be acceptable unto us to have your company , and to hear what you have to say about it . sachem . i am willing to be present and hear your discourse , but as for this new way of praying to god , i like it not . we and our forefathers have through all generations lived in our religion , which i desire not to change ; are we wiser then our forefathers ? and i like not to suffer our people to reade that book which they call the word of god. if it be gods word , it is too deep for ignorant people to meddle withall ; and it will ●ill them with new light and notions , which withdraws them from our obedience , and leadeth them to make trouble and disturbance unto us , in those old wayes in which we and our forefathers have walked : and my counsel is to suppress the reading of that book . ant. with due respect unto you , sachem , i shall thus answer unto what you s●y . if a great sachem in a far country should send unto you a writing , wherein he giveth you wise counsel , would you not reade it ? would you not hear what he saith ? and would you not suffer your people to learn wisdome , but continue in their ignorance and blindness ? sure you would shew so much respect to a man , a sachem , that should do so kindly to you . now so it is , that the great god who made these high heavens , and the great lights that be therein ; who made this earth , and all this great world , and all things in it ; who is king of kings , and lord of lords : i say this great god , pittying to see the ignorance that all men are darkned withall , he hath sent us his vvord , which will make wise the ignorant , and will you not suffer your people to learn that wisdome ? do you love darkness better then light ? besides , all mankinde live in the wayes of sin , which lead them to hell torments , where they shall be punished with eternal fire : but god pittying this miserable condition of man , hath sent us this vvord of his , which sheweth us the way to escape hell torments , and leadeth us into the way that leadeth us to eternal life , happiness and glory . and will not you suffer your people to learn this good way , when god offereth it unto us ? consider how your people will curse you , when they feel these torments , because you would not suffer them to learn the true way to heaven and happiness . and what though we are not wiser then our forefathers , yet god can teach us such wisdome as our forefathers did not know . i think , that we are bound to think that our fathers were so wise , that if gods vvord ●ad been brought and offered to them , they would have received it , and would have learned by it to be wiser then they were , and why therefore should not we be so wise , as to do that which our wise fathers would have done , if this light had shined unto them , as it now doth unto us . let not the deepness of that wisdome in gods vvord , hinder us that are ignorant from searching into it , for by reading of gods word the ignorant may be made wise , psal. 197. it maketh wise the simple : and prov. 1. ● . the word gives wisdome to the simple , and to the young man knowledge and discretion . david learned to be wise by reading the word of god , wiser then his enemies , wiser then his teachers , wiser then the ancients , psal. 119.98 , 99 , 100. and so may we . it is a vain word to say , they are ignorant , and therefore they may not reade the word ; the contrary to this is true , because they are ignorant , therefore let them search and reade the word of god , because that will make them wise . but you give the reason that lieth in the bottom of your heart , when you say , by reading of the word they will learn new light , which will molest and trouble them that love and walk in their old lusts , and deeds of darkness , and therefore you will keep them from the light . but i pray consider at what a dear rate you purchase your quiet in your old ways of sin and darkness , which lead you to hell , when you will compel all your people to live in sin and darkness , for fear lest when they finde the light of gods word , they should molest and trouble you in your lusts and sins . will. i will adde a few words to what my brother hath spoken . i have heard that in the other part of the world there be a certain people who are called papists , whose ministers and teachers live in all manner of wickedness and lewdness , and permit and teach the people so to do : and these wicked ministers will not suffer the people to reade the word of god , and pretend the same reason as you do , because they be ignorant . but the true reason is the same which you plainly speak out , lest by the knowledge of the vvord , they should have light to see into their vileness , and molest them in their lusts and sins . and they are so cruel , that if they finde any one that readeth the word of god , they will kill him . they choose rather to lead all their people with them to hell , then to suffer them to see the light whereby they may be saved , lest when they see the light , they should discover their filthiness , and trouble them in their way to hell . but god doth account these men murtherers , and hath threatned to bring upon them fearful destruction , to revenge the blood of gods people whom they have murthered . therefore i pray you to consider , that the like vengeance from god will fall upon you , if you will not suffer your people to search into , and learn the word of god. keit. what you have said hath fully setled and satisfied my heart in this point . i will never hinder my people from the knowledge of the word of god , and i wonder at those vile ministers that do so wickedly abuse the people ; and i wonder at the sachems , that they will suffer such vile ministers to abuse their people in that manner , why do they not suppress them ? and why do they not command their people to print the bible , and let it be free for any man that will buy them , and reade them ? i wonder at these things ; can you satisfie me in the reason hereof ? will. i can say but little to it ; onely thus much i have heard . some sachems are as bad as the ministers , and of the same minde with their ministers , they are li●e minded as this sachem is ; other sachems that are wiser and better minded , yet they cannot help it , because their ministers are so rich , and by that means have so many people depending on them , that their sachems dare not meddle with them ; and their ministers take a cunning course to keep themselves and successors rich , for they will not suffer one another to marry , whereby they should have lawful children to inherit their riches , but when they die the next minister hath all , or most of the riches that he had . and to the end they may keep one anothe● from marrying , they suffer one another to keep vvhores , so that they have bastards good store , but no lawful children . and by this means they maintain themselves in very great wealth , so that the sachems dare not meddle with them . keit. doth no body see these base doings of these ministers ? will. oh yes , many ; but if any body speak a word against them , they will kill him presently , so that partly by their wealth , and partly by their cruelty , keep every body in fear of them . keit. oh strange ! how many of these wicked ministers be there , that they are so potent ? will. oh , a great many . the ministers of i know not how many countries combine together , and be of one minde to uphold one another ; and they choose one chief , and call him a pope , and say that he has power to pardon mens sins , and will sel pardons for money , and by that means they get a great deal of wealth , for people are such fools as to think that he can pardon them , when as the popes be as vile sinners as any body , and keep vv●ores , and get bastards . other of these ministers they call cardinals ; others lord archbishop ; others , lord bishop ; other , lord abbot ; other , lord prior , and i cannot tell how many more : and many of these as rich as sachems , and leave their wealth to their successors , because they have no lawful children , onely keep vvhores , and get bastards . and they will allow their sachems , or any body else , to keep vvhores , and get bastards , and the pope will pardon them for money . and this that i tell you , is but a little of the filthiness that is among these wicked ministers . now if people should but look into the word of god , they would presently finde that no body can pardon sins but god ; and they would presently finde , that god has appointed no such ministers as these , they are all of them the devils ministers , and not god's : and if sachems and people knew this , they would buy no more pardons of them , and the sachems would suppress them , and take away their great riches , or imploy them to better uses . and for this reason they will not suffer any but themselves to reade the scripture , they will kill them if they do ; and they have lords inquisitors , as they call them , to watch and search if any body have a bible , or any other good book , that opens and discovers their villany , he shall be killed : and these lords inquisitors are as rich as sachems . and thus they keep all men in subjection to them , and in fear of them , and sachems are afraid of them , and they do what they list . keit. here be ministers with all my heart ! are these the men th●t manage their religion ? these are worse then our pauwaus . if any pauwau in my dominions should be half thus vile , i would scoure him . i see that in some places of the world there be worse men then we indians be . i do not think there is such vileness to be found among any of the indians in all this country , what may be further off i know not . and if all this vileness be maintained by ignorance of the word of god , it seemeth to me , that it is a principal thing in religion to know and be acquainted with the word of god ; and therefore i desire that now we may go on with our intended discourse . and whereas i proposed two questions , me thinks that much may be gathered out of this discourse we have had , tending to shew what matter is contained in the word of god. but it is like you will speak more fully to it . i shall therefore bend my minde to give attendance unto what you shall further say . ant. this question is one great principle in religion ; and i cannot take a surer and better course to answer it , then by declaring the answer that is given in our catechism unto the question , and by opening some of the texts of scripture , which are there brought for the proof and manifestation thereof . the question is , what is the word of god ? the answer is , it is the will of god written in the bible , whereby he rightly guideth man , in every thing in this world , and whereby he bringeth us to eternal salvation . these are but few words , but full of weight , and proved by divers scriptures . keit. what do you mean by scriptures ? ant. the word and will of god written in a book , whereby we may not onely hear it with our ears , when it is spoken by others , but we may see it with our eyes , and reade the writing our selves . and this is a great benefit to us , to have gods word and will written ; for a word spoken is soon gone , and nothing retaineth it but our memory , and that impression which it made upon our minde and heart ; but when this word is written in a book , there it will abide , though we have forgotten it , and we may reade it over a thousand times , and help our weak memories , so that it shall never be forgotten ; yea , and such as cannot have an opportunity of hearing the word , yet they may alwayes have an opportunity of reading the word , because it is written in the bible , which they have by them in their houses , and may reade in it night and day . we do therefore call the word of god scripture , because it is written in a book . keit. i am satisfied in what you say : i pray go on to open those texts of scripture which the catechism giveth for proofs . ant. the first text i mention is hos. 8.12 . i have written to him the great things of my law , but they were counted as a strange thing . here god gives to man a law , and he writeth this law ; and every thing in this law is a great matter : though some things are greater then other , yet every thing that god hath written is a great matter . but god doth blame men for counting them as strange things ; we should be well acquainted with them . dan. 10.21 . when an angel spake to daniel , he told him , that he would declare to him that which is noted in the scriptures of truth . and we that teach others must carefully so do , we must teach nothing but that which is noted in , and grounded upon the scriptures of truth . and we need to teach nothing else , for all things needful for salvation are contained in the scriptures , as appears 2 tim. 3.16 , 17. a●● scripture is given by interpretation from god , ●nd is profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of god may be perfect , throughly furnished to all good works . the man of god here , meaneth , or may be applied to any honest man that is willing to walk by the rule of the word , be he a sachem , or a teacher , or a father , &c. every man may finde in the scriptures a perfect rule to guide him in every thought , word or deed . so that the word of god is a perfect law to guide every man , in every thing , all the dayes of his life . and the word of god is not onely a rule to guide us in this life , but it also brings us to heaven ; acts 20.32 . i commend you to god , and to the word of his grace , which is able to build you up , and give you ●n inheritance among them that are sanctified : and iames 1.21 . receive with meekness the ingrafted word , which is able to save your souls . many such testimonies i might adde , to shew the fulness of perfection of the word of god : but i forbear at present . will. i will adde a few words touching the perfection of the scriptures . deut. 12.32 . whatsoever i command you , observe to do it ; thou shalt not adde thereto , nor diminish from it . here be two wayes of wronging the scriptures ; 1. by adding to it ; 2. by taking from it . now these popish teachers and ministers of whom i did discourse before , they do most wickedly wrong the scriptures , especially by adding to them . they say that their offices are commanded in the scripture , and that the pope is christ his vicar , and that he hath power to pardon sin , and abundance more such rotten stuff they adde unto the scripture . now this is another reason why they will not suffer people to reade the scriptures , because then every body would finde out their false dealing ; and therefore if any body finde them out , they will presently kill them . the great wrong they do unto the scriptures of truth , is one of their great sins ; they adde their own wicked inventions , unto the pure and perfect word of god. keit. your discourse doth breed in my heart an admiration a● that excellent book ; and i finde in my heart a longing desire to be acquainted with that book , and with those excellent matter● that are contained in it . but although my heart doth begin ●● reverence that book for the sake of the matter contained in it , yet i desire that you would proceed to give me your grounds why yo● believe that it is gods word , because i shall then reverence th● word , not onely for the matters sake , but also for the author● sake . good words spoken by a good man , do obtain respect ● much more may the words that god speaketh , command all reverence . this point also being a great principle in religion , i will ta●● the same course in it , as i did in the former . i will shew yo● what answer we are taught in our catechism , and i will touc● some of the proofs . 1. the first reason to prove the scriptures to be the word o● god , is , because they teach us the first creation of the world , and all things in it , which no man nor angel doth know or ca● teach , onely god ; and this is proved in the first chapter of genesis , w●ere we reade the wonderful work of god in the creation of the world , where man was last made . 2. the second reason is fro● the holiness and perfection of the word of god. no man or a●gel could give so holy , pure and perfect a law , as g●ds law is , psal. 19.8 , 9 , 10 , 11. also psal. 12.6 . the words of the lord are pure words ; as silver tried in a furnace of earth , purified seven ti●es . 3. the third reason is , because the word of the lord is confirmed by such miracles , as onely god himself is able to perform . moses the first writer of scripture , did many great miracles , in egypt , in the red sea , and in the vvilderness ; so did many other prophets : but especially jesus christ did many wonderful miracles , and so did the apostles , by which our faith is confirmed , that their writings are the word of god. 4. because the scriptures doth reveal unto us jesus christ , and salvation by christ , according to the gospel of jesus christ. this no man or angel could ever have found out , onely god , 2 cor. 5.19 . god was in christ reconciling the world unto himself , and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation john 5.39 . search the scriptures , for in them ye think to finde eternal life : and they ar● they that testifie of me . therefore they are the word of god. 5. because the word of god doth convert the soul from sin and satan , unto god. it sanctifieth the soul , and doth lead me●● souls in the wayes of life , unto salvation ; it is the sword of the spirit to conquer the devil ▪ iam. 1.18 . of his own will begat ●e us with the word of truth . joh. 17.17 . sanctifie them through the tr●th : thy word is truth . ephes. 6.17 . take the sword of the spirit , which is the word of god. such grounds as these we are taught in our catec●ism . keit. who can oppose or gainsay the mountainous weight of these arguments ? i am more then satisfied , i am ashamed of my ignorance , and i abhor my self that ever i doubted of this point ; and i desire wholly to give up my self to the knowledge of , and obedience to the word of god , and to abandon and forsake these sins which the word of god reproveth and condemneth . will. i will adde one consideration further , to manifest that the scriptures are the word of god ; and that is , by the great antiquity of these writings , which have been extant so many thousand years , and have passed through so many enemies hands , who ●ave used all art and force to abolish them , or corrupt them , and yet they could never d● it . moses wrote the first five books of scripture above a thousand and four hundred years before christ came , and it is above a thousand and six hundred years since christ came , and since the g●sp●l , the last part of the scripture , was written . put these two numbers together , and they make three thousand years . so long the church have had the scriptures : and all this while the devil and wicked men have endeavoured either to abolish them , or corrupt them , but they could never do it ; we have every word of god perfect and pure unto this day , which cannot be said of any other writing in all the world . and this wonderful divine protection of this book , doth greatly manifest , that doubtless it is gods own word , over which he hath bestowed such eminent care . keit. but how do you know all this ? how do you know what was done so many thousand years ago ? will. the scriptures themselves have kept a perfect record of times from the beginning of the world unto the coming of christ , and out of that chronologie we may perfectly know how long moses was before christ ; and there be other sure wayes to know how many years it is since christ came . and thus may we know certainly how long the scriptures have been written . keit. if this be so , the reason is strong , the antiquity of the book requireth reverence ; and gods constant care of it , sheweth he hath a divine influence in it . but we are now called off from any further proceeding in our discourse at this time . before we part , i have one motion and request to propose unto you ; to morrow is your sabbath , and i have a desire that you two would teach us that day , and let us see the manner how you worship god ; it may please god to make more of his light to shine among us . you remember what passed about this motion ; i do now with more desire confirm shat motion . ant. we also are still of the same minde and purpose , and are the more confir●ed in our hearts , because we see that g●d is on the coming hand , to incline your heart unto the lord. after the sabbath . philip keitassoot . anthony . william . keit. i have now lived one sabbath : many a sabbath have i been dead , and followed works of darkness and sin , when i should ●ave been following the lord in such wayes of worship , as yesterd●y was spent in . i am wounded at my heart to remember what i have done upon the sabbath-day , i ●ave served the d●vil , and lust and sins of all sorts , even upon the sabbath-dayes ▪ the sins that i have committed do render me vile in the sight of god , and the time wherein i have committed m●ny of them , doth render me more vile in the eyes of the l●rd my judge . you said yesterday , that christ jesus is the lord of the sabbath , and requires all men to spend that day in his service ; and when christ jesus shall judge the world , he will examine all men how they spent every sabbath . oh wretched man that i am , what answer shall i make , though i am a sachem here on earth , i s●all be but a subject in the day of judgement . i now sit upon the bench to judge others , then i must stand at the barre to be judged my self . oh what mountains of sin have i heaped up in my wicked life ! i had forgot my sins , and i thought god had forgot them too ; and i had thought my conscience had forgot them also , but now i see it is not so . god hath numbred all my wayes , my thoughts , my words and works , and i feel now that my conscience remembreth them also , though it hath been asleep in the times of my ignorance and profaneness . oh i am a wretch : i should have been an example to my people , an example of virtue , of wisdome and of praying to god , but i have done quite contrary to my duty : i have been an example of lust , of profaneness , yea of all sin ; and in particular of this great sin of profaning the sabbath : my heart is wounded with the sense of this ●in especially , and that forceth my troubled conscience to gall and afflict my soul with the remembrance of all my sins . but why say i all ? i now finde my sins are numberless : my own personal sins are many , great and vile , my heart doth loath my self to remember them , they make me an abhorring to god. but moreover and besides my own personal sins , other mens sins i am guilty of ; oh how many have sinned upon my account , many wayes ? i am a sachem over my people , to rule them in virtue , and to do them good : but i have done contrary to my charge , i have led them out into all sin , and thereby i have done them ●he greatest hurt and mischief . i have been a means of their damnation , oh how many are gone , and going to hell upon my account ? how shall i escape damnation , who have led so many in●o that eternal pit ? oh i am pained at my heart , what sh●ll i do ? oh what shall i do ? ant no creature can help you ; none but god in jesus christ , he can help you . consider that text , micah 6.6 , 7 , 8. wherewith sha●● i come before the lord , and bowe my self before the high god ? shall i come before him with bur●● offerings with calves of a year old ? will the lord be pleased with thousands of rams , or with ten th●usands of rivers of oyl ? shall i give ●y first born for my transgression , the fruit of my bo●y for the sin of ●y soul ? he hath s●ewed thee , o man , what is good ; and what doth the lord require of thee , but to do ju●tly , and to love mercy , and to walk hu●bly with thy god ? nothing that you can do , or bring to god , can pacifie that divine wrath that is kindl●d ●gainst you ; but ver 8. he sheweth you the way . also consider that text , iohn 14.6 . i am the way , and the truth , ●nd ●he life : no man cometh unto the father , but by me . you have been a great sinner , now you lament it , you would obtain a pardon , and be reconciled to god : this word of god sheweth you the way , and th●● is to humble your self before christ jesus , believe in him , and give up your self to be his servant , your self to worship the lord , and to bring on all your people to do the same . i remember two places in daniel where sachems were in trouble of minde , as you now are , and daniel gave them counsel from the lord : the first place is dan. 4.27 . wherefore , o sachem , let my counsel be accepta●le to thee , and break off thy sins by righteousness , and thy iniquities by she●ing mercy to the poor , if it may ●e a lengthning of thy tranquility . a●d my heart is perswaded ( with submission to the lord ) that if you now turn unto god , and promote praying to god among all your people , you shall see better dayes t●en ever you have yet seen . there is another sad story in the fifth chapter of daniel , where the wicked sachem did act profanely agai●st the g●d of heaven , and then appeared fingers which wrote mene , mene , tekel vpharsin : but let the interpretation of that be unto your enemies , and not to you , beloved sachem . i say unto you in that word of the lord , acts 16.31 . believe in the lord iesus , and thou shalt be saved , and thy house . wi●● . hope of relief , is a means to ease grief , and to raise the distressed heart to apply it self unto means of remedy . in the second of chron. 33. we reade of a sachem that was a greater sinner then you have been , yet upon his repent●nce and change of life , he obtained mercy . his name was manasseh , his sins were such , as that it is an abhorring to reade them : then god brought him into affliction , and it is said , ver . 12 , 13. and when he was in affliction ▪ he ●esought the lord his god , and humbled himself greatly before the god of his fathers , an● prayed unto him , and he was intreate● of hi● , an● hear● his supplication , and brought him again unto ier●●ale● into his kingd●me . then manasseh know that the lord he was god. so i say unto you , beloved ●achem , humble your self before the lord set up praying to god among all your people , walk in wayes of wisdome and religion , and you shall finde that god will be merciful to you , and your latter dayes shall be blessed , and be a blessing . keit. words that come swimming in love , with full sails of wisdome , have great power to calm heart storms of grief and trouble . i now finde it true : my soul is wounded for my sin in profaning the sabbath-day , now i desire to look deeper into the matter . i desire you would open unto me the sabbath , that i may know my former sins , and future duty . ant. the doctrine of the sabbath is a great point in religion . it is one of the ten moral , univers●l commandments of god , which are required of all mankinde ; and the fourth command , a chief hinge of all the rest . by a religious keeping of the sabbath , we act our obedience to all the commands . by profaning the sabbath , we turn all religion and good order out of doors , and set open a door unto all sin and wickedness , so weighty a matter is the good keeping of the sabbath-day . for the opening of the sabbath , i know not a better way , then to open ( briefly ) the fourth command ; w●ich i shall do , by laying it out into six parts . 1. here is the preface , in this word , remember the sabbath-day , to shew the great weight and worth of the sabbath , o● our proneness to ●light it ; and to stablish a perpetual and careful preparation to the sabbath , neh. 13.19 . and it came to pass , that when the gates of ierusalem began to be dark before the sabbath , i commanded that the gates should be shut , and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath : and some of my servants set i at the gates , that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day . 2. here is the affirmative part of the command , wherein we are commanded to keep the whole sabbath holy , both in thought , word and deed , isa. 58.13 . if thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath , from doing thy pleasure on my holy day , and call the sabbath ● delight , the holy of the lord , honourable , and shalt honour him , not doing thine own wayes , nor finding thine own pleasure , nor speaking thine own words . 3. here is an exact distribution of all time betwixt god and man , wherein god hath appointed six parts or dayes to man , and the seventh part is dedicated to god : and hence it followeth that the sabbath was capable of being changed , from the l●st of seven , to the first of seven ; and so the lord hath changed it , 1 cor. 16 . 2●● acts 20.7 . rev. 1.10 . and when this change was first made , the c●urch kept two sabbaths together , as the passover and the lords supper were together . 4. here is the negative part of this command , wherein we are forbidden all our own works , in that word or deed , thou shalt do no manner o● work . 5 here be the persons that be bound to keep the sabbath , all , high and low , rich and poor , male and female , in all societies ●nd rel●tions , and strangers , thou , thy son , thy ●aughter , thy man-servant , thy maid-servant , thy cattel , and thy stranger . 6. here be three r●a●ons to urge us to a reverent and careful keeping of the sabbath : 1. taken from gods most holy and wise example , who six dayes created , but on the s●venth d●y rested in his heavenly joyes . 2. the second reason is , because god hath put a blessing on the head of the sabbath , and on all that keep it holy : he blessed the seventh day . 3. the third reason is , because the lord made it holy , he dedicated it to holy use , a●d t●erefore may not be violated without sacriledge . mal. 3.8 . will ye rob god ? thus have i opened this command . will. i will onely adde two texts of scripture ; ier 17.19 , to the end : thus saith the lord unto me , go and stand in the gate of the children of the people whereby the kings of iudah come in , and by the which they go out and in all t●e gates of ierusalem and say unto them , hear ye the word of the lord , ye kings of iudah , an● all iudah , and all the inhabitants of ierusalem that enter in by ●hese gates : t●us saith the lord , tak● heed to your selves , and bear no burden on the sabbath day ▪ &c. the other ●ext is exod. 31 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 17. speak thou also unto the children of israel , saying , verily my sabbaths ye shall keep : for it is a sign ●etween me and you throughout your generat●ons , that ye may know that i am the lord that doth ●anctifie you , &c. keit. i am now in a great strait , my heart is bent within me to keep the sabbaths ; but alas , neither i nor any of my people know how to do it , unless we have some body to teach us . ant. it is true that you say , and i return you this answer , when we return , and make report of the grace of god poured out upon you , and of your acceptance of the word of god , and resolution to keep the sabbath , ●nd your desire of a teacher ; we know that the church will presently take care to send a teacher unto you . or further we will propose , if you and your people shall choose any one whom your souls desire , and send your request unto the church , that he might be sent unto you , we doubt not but the church will readily grant your desire . a penitent soul in great distress cometh unto john speen , one of the teachers of the church at natik ; where we shall finde the penitent pouring out his griefs , and john ministring counsel and comfort . penit. oh my friend , i am glad i have met you in so opportune a time and place . my heart is broken with griefs , i am ready to ●ink into the ground because of my distressed mind . i desire to pour out my melted heart into your loving bosom ; it may be you may give me counsel what i shall do in my distress , and advise me if there be any way or means to comfort this distressed so●l of mine . iohn . alas , your sorrowful countenance doth indeed discover , that your minde is oppressed with grief , and in such cases men are miserable comforters ; god onely knoweth how to speak a word of comfort to the heart , he made the heart of man , he knoweth all the sorrows and griefs thereof ; and usually god doth afflict the heart with grief , out of great love , that he might call the distressed soul to come to him , and to make its griefs known to him , and he is very gracious and pitiful to such afflicted souls : for christ hath said , mat. 11.28 . come unto me ye that labour and are heavy laden ▪ and i will give you rest . my first counsel therefore is , that you would pray unto god , and believe in jesus christ , and he will surely give you rest . b●t as for man , especially such a poor creature as i am , i cannot help you , nor is there any help for you in the hand of man. penit. but the words of a true-hearted loving friend may minister some comfort , and i do already feel that your words have relief in them , in that you tell me jes●s christ is so tender-hearted towards those that are of an afflicted spirit . iohn . true it is , that god hath said , the priests l●ps shall preserve knowledge , and thou shalt enquire the law at his mouth ; i am very weak , but i am willing to help your afflicted soul to go to jesus christ , who will not fail to comfort you . seeing therefore it is your desire , let me hear your griefs and troubles , it may please god to put a word into my mouth , whereby the good spirit of god may speak comfort to your sorrowful heart . penit. my outward condition is full of affliction , and those frowns in the brow of providence do make me fear , that the wrath of god is set against me , and will wear away my life with grief , and then cast me away into hell among the damned , where i shall perish for ever . iohn . this is a wholesome fear , and you shall finde it will end well . my counsel is , mingle hope with your fear , viz. that god doth outwardly afflict you , that he might drive your distressed soul into the bosome of jesus christ , who will graciously pardon all your sins , and save your soul from those eternal flames , which you so much dread . it is gods usual way of grace , to put his lambs into distress , that he might cause them to fly for refuge into ●is bosome ; and i hope that it is his meaning so to deal with you , because i see that his afflicting hand doth so kindly melt your heart , and causeth you to seek refuge to save you from those everlasting burnings . these distresses will make the salvation of c●rist precious unto you . consider that text , eccles 7 3 , 4. sorrow is better th●n laughter ; for by the sorrow of the countenance the heart is made better . the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning . but what are those outward distresses which do so a●●●ict you ? penit. i know not where to begin or end . the world hath alwayes promised me fair , but it hath ever failed me ; my mornings have had some brightness , but my rising day is alwayes clouded , and full of darkness , and i know not but my sun will set in thick darkness and despair . you know my father was a sachem of the blood , & i was brought up under such high capacities & expecta●●●tions ; i have been chosen and advanced , as you know , to the ●egree of a sachem , but so filled with crosses and distresses , that i ●ever enjoy my self , nor one quiet day , my griefs are multiplied ●●ke the waves of the sea , they break in upon me , and are ready to overwhelm me . iohn . you say the world hath ever failed you , and so it alwayes dealeth with gods children : but i will shew you who will never ●●il you ; psal. 73.26 . my flesh and my heart faileth , but god is the ●●rength of my heart , and my portion for ever . let your soul ponder 〈◊〉 feed upon this promise . see also heb. 13.5 . he hath said , i ●ill never leave thee nor forsake thee . mark that word , never leave ●hee nor forsake thee ; the word will hold both in this life , and to ●ternity . you further say , that your bright mornings prove black and ●loudy dayes . it hath been so with other of gods children . reade ●he 88 psalm , and you shall finde the prophet just in your case in ●any verses of that psalm : i will mention some of the words , ●er . 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. thou hast laid me in the lowest pit , in darkness , in the ●●eps . thy wrath lyeth hard upon me , and thou hast afflicted me with ●ll thy waves . thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me ; ●hou hast made me an abomination unto them . i am s●ut up , and i ●●nnot come forth ; mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction . lord , ● have called daily upon thee ; i have stretched out mine hand unto ●●ee , &c. and ver . 15. i am afflicted and ready to die from my youth 〈◊〉 ; while i suffer thy terrours , i am distracted , &c. behold a dear ●●ilde of god in as bitter distresses as you are , yet the first sentence of this psalm is a word of faith , he s●ith , o lord god of my s●●vation . i● is some comfort to a distressed soul , to hav● good company with them ; you have the best comp●ny in the world , for yo● have the company of jesus christ. see isa. 53 3. he is ●esp●sed a●● rejected of men , a man of sorrows , and acquainted with gr●efs ; 〈◊〉 we hid as it were our ●aces ●rom him : he was de●p●●ed , and we este●●ed him not . w●en you ●re alone by your s●l● , re●de all this c●●pter , you shall finde that christ w●s in grea●er distre●ses then yo● are , which he suffered patie●●ly , to procure for us pardon and salvation , and by his ●u●fering he ●ad ex●erience of su●ferings , that ●● might pity us in our g●ie●s ; and ●h●r●for● it is said , heb. 4.15 . for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities , but wa● in all points tempted , l●ke as we are , 〈◊〉 without sin . our aff●ictions , al●s , expose ●s oftentime● to ●in , b●● in that case also chr ist is very pitiful and gracious , he remembre●● that we are but du●● , psal. 103.14 . you adde , you fear that your sun will set in darkness and de●spair . i answer to you , consider t●a● future things belong to god do not afflict your self with future things ; sufficient for the d●y● the evil thereof , mat. 6.34 . let ●he morrow care for it ●elf . b●● suppose y●u should have no comfort t●ll you die , it is the case ●● many of gods children to die in a dark cloud ; and christ himse●● sanctified that case , mat 27.46 , 50. he cried with a loud voice . e●● eli , lamasabachthani . ver 5● . iesus when he had cried again with loud voice , yiel●ed up the ghost . wh●t if some of gods childre● should in this point be conformed to jesus christ ? do not adde ●● your sorrows , fears of a sad condition which christ hath sancti●fied . touching your parentage , and present state , i know how it i● very well . in this case i advise you to consider , that if yo●● worldly cup had been fill●d with such sweetness as flesh and bloo● desire , it might have been much worse for your soul. a so●● drowned in earthly pleasure is rarely saved : but a soul drowned i● worldly sorrows and griefs ( if instructed in the knowledge of j●●sus christ ) shall never be lost , because the sorrows and crosses ●● the world will keep him from surfetting upon the creature , an● drive him to s●tiate himself in christ by the promises of the g●●spel . thus have i answered to the chief points in your co●●plaint . penit. oh the power of the word of god , aptly applied unto t●● case of a distressed soul ! the sweet experience that i have no● found in those ●criptures which you have produced , and applie● to my case , shall make me , hereafter , to search and reade the scri●ptures more then i have done . i do , like hagar , complain for ●●●ter , when it is just by me , if i would search . i hope i shall rea● the scriptures more then ever i have done . iohn . you have prevented me , or rather the spirit of god hath put into your heart by power and grace , that which i intended to have presented to you by way of advice and counsel , namely , to be frequent and abundant in reading the scriptures , for you see that all soul-cordials are laid up there , fetch them out therefore from that divine treasury , and make use of them for your comfort . i know the devil will oppose you in this matter , and keep you from conversing in the scriptures , because they are the sword of the spirit , eph. 6.17 . whereby we resist his temptations , as christ himself hath set us an example , mat. 4.4 , 7 , 10. when the devil assaulted him with a temptation , he drew forth the sword of the spirit , a text of scripture , and opposed the temptation thereby , and that presently conquered the tempter . do you the same , you cannot imitate a better pattern then our lord jesus christ ; and it is his command also that we should so do , iohn 5.39 . search the scriptures : and david made them his meditation day and ●ight , psal. 1.2 . and he had the like experience that you now have found , and came to the like resolution , psal. 119.93 . i will never forget thy precepts , for with them thou hast quickned me . penit. i feel much tranquility in my minde , in this way of seeking soul-comfort in the scriptures . oh i have found out a way of refuge , comfort and rest in a stormy time , i hope the lord will give me grace and wisdome to make more use thereof then ever i have done in my life . but still my soul is in great doubts and fears about my eternal condition : if i spend this life in griefs and sorrows , and when i finish here , i go away to eternal misery , oh what a lamentable case is that ! and my fear is , that this will be my condition : my griefs indeed are many , but they are worldly sorrow , i cannot say that i am converted . i desire to know what it is to be converted . iohn . all mankinde are once born , by natural birth they come into this world ; but all gods children are born again , iohn 3.3 . except a man be born again , he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven : and this is a spiritual birth , ver 5. except a man be born of water , and of the spirit , &c. baptism is an outward sign of it , but the inward grace is a work of the spirit , and the spirit worketh by the word of god , iames 1.18 , 21. of his own will begat he us by the word of truth ; and ver . 21. wherefore lay apart all fil●hiness and superfluity of naughtiness , and receive with meekness the ingrafted word , which is able to save your souls . by faith in the promise the soul is united to christ , and he that is joyned to the lord is one spirit , 1 cor. 6.17 . when an afflicted soul doth venture it self and its all , upon the faithful word of promise , and sayes to god , as iob said , iob 13.15 . though he kill me , yet i will trust in him ; this is the new-born soul , and this believing soul shall be surely saved at last , whatever sorrows and afflictions it goes through in this life . and wh ereas you say that your sorrows and griefs are but worldly sorrow : i answer , that the question is not what kinde of sorrow it is , so much , as what the effects of it is ; for no matter what the sorrow is , if it drive the soul to christ ; our salvation is by christ , and not by sorrow : the use of sorrow is to imbitter sin , and the world , and to drive the soul to christ for relief and rest ; if worldly sorrow , or rather sorrow about worldly things do this , it hath its end , and proves to be a godly sorrow . sorrows are not to merit any thing from god , but to force the afflicted soul to fly to him for refuge . we shall finde examples in scripture , where sorrows about worldly things have effectually driven the soul to fly to god for refuge . psal. 88.18 . lover and friend hast thou put far from me , and mine acquaintance into darkness . this was an outward affliction , and yet in the first verse of that psalm , it drives him to fly and cry to the god of his salvation ; and this is an act of faith . so psal. 35.15 . but mine adversaries they rejoyced , they g●thered themselves together , yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me , and i knew it not ; they did tear me , and ceased not . with hypocritical mockers in feasts , they gnashed upon me with their eeeth ; that is , some broke jests upon him at their taverns and tiplings , and others scorned him , &c. all these were outward afflictions , but they drove david to fly and cry to god , ver . 17. lord , how long wilt thou look on ? rescue my soul , &c. and this is an act of faith . so it was with iob in his affliction , iob 30.8 , 9 , 10. the basest of the people made songs and jests upon him ; but mark what end god made with iob. so iames speaks , iam. 5.12 . therefore whatever your griefs be , turn them into prayers , and cry to god for relief , and then your grief hath a sanctified end , and you will at last learn to say after david , in that high strained string of faith and experience , it is good for me that i was afflicted , that i might learn thy statutes , psal. 119.71 . and ver . 67 , of that psalm , before i was afflicted i we●t astray , but now i have kept thy word . and therefore what though your afflictions be outward afflictions , seeing god is pleased mercifully to bless them unto your spiritual and eternal good . but i further observe , that sundry of your expressions do hold forth a spiritual sorrow for your sin , and a fear of gods wrath , and an earnest desire to flee from , and escape wrath to come . i pray therefore express your self what sorrows and griefs you have of that kinde ; for although such sorrows do not deserve any thing at gods hand , yet they are of a more spiritual nature , and spring from a deep reverence and fear of god , and do more immediately and effectually drive the soul for refuge to jesus christ , who onely delivereth the soul from the guilt and condemnation of sin . utter some drops of those soul-wounding terrours , which afflict you in the sense of your sin guiltiness . penit. still my soul admireth to see the great use is to be made of the word of god , which doth engage my soul more and more , to a more frequent use of the scriptures . lord jesus help me to perform it . my fore-mentioned griefs about my outward condition , are but the porch of those troubles that iodge in my distressed soul. when i look down into the dungeon of my heart , and the dunghill of my life , i am filled with an abhorrence of my self , and wonderment at gods patience , to suffer such a wretch as i am to live . i know much of the sins of others , but i know more by my self , then i know by any body else , considering circumstantial aggravations . i can truly say with paul , 1 tim. 1.15 . sinners , of whom ● am chief . if my companions have mis-led me , or my leaders have ca●sed me to erre , it may aggravate their sin , but be no excuse or apologie for mine ; i have done as evil as i could , and had not god hampered me with outward affliction and trouble , it is not to be said by man how vile i ●hould have been . it is sometimes a quieting argument to my heart , to be patient under ●y outward crosses , because they be mustard on the worlds nipples , to keep me from surfetting upon the creature . if i look into the glass of gods law , and behold the face of my life , and of my soul , as they are there represented , i am afraid of my self , i abhorre my self , i am confounded . gods sabbaths i have profaned ; gods word i have neglected ; gods grace i have despised and resisted ; i have broken the whole law of god , every command have i violated : for there be some acts of sin that i never did actually commit , yet the habit of sin is in me , and in inclination and desire i am guilty of it : and for a foundation of this mountainous heap of guilt , i am guilty of adams fall , the first , the worst , the root of all the sins of the sons of men . my sinful habit and disposition by nature , doth viciously incline me to sin , against my desires , purposes , promises , and resolutions . when i strive and labour , and cry and pray against my sins , yet upon the opportunity and occasion offered , my sin will return ; i am weak , that is strong ; i am subdued , and that prevaileth . oh wretched man that i am , who shall deliver me ? when i consider the infinite justice of god offended , the infinite wrath of god provoked , the eternal law of god violated , and the eternal torments provided and prepared in hell for sinners , and the insuperableness of my sin , by any means i can use , it will prevail over me , it will keep me in bondage , it will inslave me , and i fear it finally will damn me . in these considerations my soul is sunk and drowned . if therefore there be any balm for my sore , any succour for my distressed soul , shew me the way how i shall escape these everlasting burnings , that are the just recompence of my transgressions . iohn . the first endeavour of the heart of man , is to pacifie gods wrath with something of our own ; and first by mincing , excusing and apologizing , as they did , ier. 2.33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37. why trimmest thou thy way to seek love ? thou teachest wayes and arts to sin cunningly ; and hence the blood of innocent souls is openly found in thy skirts : yet thou sayest , i am innocent , and his anger shall be turned away . but then divine justice taketh the cause in hand ; why gaddest thou about to seek so many shifts ? i will never leave thee till i have made thee ashamed of them all , for none of them shall prosper to turn away divine wrath , ●r to procure thee a pardon . but i finde not your soul mincing or your ●in , nor making excuses for your self . the next course the heart of man will take , is to purchase a pardon , by giving to god some great sacrifice , or by doing some great penance ; as it is expressed in micah 6.6 , 7 , 8. wherewith shall i come before the lord , and bowe my self before the high god ? shall i come before him with burnt offerings , with calves of a year old ? will the lord be pleased with thousands of rams , or with ten thousands of r●vers of oyl ? shall i give my first born for my transgression , the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? he hath shewed thee , o man , what is good , and what doth the lord require of thee , but to do justly , and to love mercy , and to walk hum●ly with thy god ? the inquiry is wherewith a sinner shall pacifie god ; he proffers great matters , more then he can perform : he bids low at first , onely burnt-offerings and calves ; but when that will not be accepted he rises higher , ●hewing what he would do if he had wherewith , he bids thousands of rams , ten thousand rivers of oyl ; if that will not do , he offers the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul , whether macerations of the body , or any other fruit : but alas , all will not do . and then ver . 8. he shews what is the onely thing that will satisfie , onely jesus christ , belived on by faith , held forth in those works of sanctification and holy life , for so the scripture testifies , 2 cor 5.19 . god was in christ iesus reconciling the world unto himself . and acts 4.12 . there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved . acts 16 . 3● . bel●eve in the lord iesus , and thou shalt be saved , and thy house . i do not mention such texts of scripture as call to repentance , because the end of repentance being ●o dispose the heart to believing ; it seemeth to me , by your many gracious and penitent confe●●ions , th●t the spirit of g●d hath wrought in you a penitent heart already , and your soul lyeth in the very next capacity of believing in our lord j●sus christ by the promise . yea further i say , that your gracious acceptance of the word of god , love unto it , and submission ●o its light and conduct , these a●ts of grace in you are so powerful , sweet and savoury , that i know not but that the work of faith is already wrought in your poor , mourning , trembling , but blessed soul ; and therefore be no more so disconsolate , hope in the lord , and do as it is said , psal. 27.14 . wait on the lord , be of good courage , and he shall strengthen thy heart : wait , i say , upon the lord. penit. i do perceive that you take that to be a great work of grace and faith in my heart , so gladly to receive the word of god , and submissively to give up my self to the conduct thereof . i cannot deny , but confess , that my heart is really so as i have expressed , and every thing that hath passed in this conference hath had something in it , to strengthen that frame of heart it me : and now lastly and especially , that you do bring forth that work which is wrought in me to be an evidence of faith , this doth so much the more incline and oblige my heart to a great love and reverence to the scriptures , and a resolution , through the grace , help and assistance of jesus christ , to spend the rest of my life in a more diligent and abundant attendance on the hearing , reading , meditating on , and obeying of the word of god. if this be an act of faith , i desire to live that part of the life of faith all the dayes of my life . lord help me to perform this promise unto god. iohn . i will shew you the reason why i lay so much weight upon ●hat f●●r of heart , to embrace the word , to love it , to obey it , & c. ●irst , i finde that it is the character of those famous primitive converts , acts 2.41 , 42. then they that gladly received his word were ●aptized , and the same day there were added unto them about three ●housand souls : and they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine ●nd fellowship . their obedience to , and walking in the word , is a ●hief effect and sign of the true and thorough work of grace in ●hem : in that point their conversion shined , and it seemeth to me , ●hat your conversion doth in this point shine . again , iam. 1.21 . it is said , lay aside all filthiness and superfluity ●● naughtiness , and receive with meekness the ingrafted word , which is ●ble to save your souls . here be three things in this text : the first ●● the preparative work , to cast away all filthiness , and out boil●ngs of naughtiness . this work god hath wrought in your di●●ressed heart , which appeareth in your penitent confessions . the ●econd work is to receive the word with meekness , and so , that it ●ay appear to be an ingrafted word , connaturalized in your heart ; ●●d this is the work which i observe to be wrought in your heart , ●hich is the work of faith , whereby you are united to christ by ●●e word so received , and submitted unto : the entrance of thy ●ord giveth life , psal. 119.130 . then the third thing ; this word ●● received and ingrafted , whereby you are united to christ , this ●ill save your soul ; you are a ve●●el of grace , and shall be a vessel ●● glory , fear it not , god that cannot lie hath spoken it . again , 1 pet. 2.1 , 2. laying aside all malice , and all gu●le , and hy●●crifies , and envies , and evil speakings ; as new-born ba●es desire the 〈◊〉 milk of the word , that ye may grow thereby . here see 1. a 〈◊〉 born babe , that is , a soul converted , a new creature formed in the heart by faith laying hold on christ , and from him receiving the spirit , to dwell in him , and to form this new creature in hi● heart . now what acts of life doth this babe perform ? they ar● two : 1. by mortification and repentance he purgeth out all hi● sins ; and this act of life you effectually do by your penitent co●fessions . the second act of life is , he desires the sincere milk o● the word that he may grow thereby . the new creature is fed b● the same means by which it was begotten : the word of god is t●● seed of god to beget the new creature , 1 iohn 3.9 . and then t●● word of god is milk to feed and nourish the new creature . no● this is the thing that i observe in you , that as a new ●orn babe yo● desire the milk of the word : and note this word , sincere milk ; ● living babe of christ cannot abide humane mixtures added to t●● word of god ; he loves the pure word , he cannot rellish mix●tures . penit. my dearest friend , god hath made you an instrument ●● his hand to lay before me unspeakable consolation ; and i cann●● deny but i feel it in my heart , i am another man then what i wa● i looked on my self the most miserable of men , i now am hap●● being united to christ. o blessed change ! i am in admiration 〈◊〉 this , i admire the grace of christ to a dead , lost , damned sinn●● i am come into a new world , i have other desires then i had , 〈◊〉 other purposes ; i see things in another frame then i was wont see them . i must live a new life , and steer a new course . but in this point my soul desires to begin , i am not mine own ▪ am the servant of jesus christ , he died for me , and by his grace de●●●e to live unto him . and now i finde my self greatly to 〈◊〉 counsel how to order my self in my future course ; what sha●● do for the lord , who hath done so much for me ? my dear frie●● your counsel hath been greatly owned and blessed by the lord my new birth , i desire to have great respect to your counsel for ordering of my wayes in my new life . you do partly know that my people , and some chief ones amo●● them , have had but a final measure of respect for me , but i have gr●●● reason to overlook it , and bury it , because in his infinite 〈◊〉 christ hath turned it about for my better good ; my heart tell● me that i must seek the good of my people , how to manage 〈◊〉 work wisely , is my difficulty , wherein i need your counsel . ● would to god that all my people were as i am , and tasted and 〈◊〉 what i have found ; but that is not yet so . i desire to bring t●● to be the lords people , how i shall accomplish that , is my gr●●●●ifficul●y . you know i have been frequently among you pr●● indians , and in my heart have adhered to you , and it may be 〈◊〉 have found the less acceptation for it ; but i leave that god ▪ must do and perform the trust , charge and duty that my lord 〈◊〉 hath committed to me . my question therefore is , how 〈◊〉 comport with the present affairs , and state of things ? how shall i bring the matter about , to bring about my people to pray to god ? iohn . it joyes my heart to hear these gracious breathings of gods spirit in you . i taste in your discourse evident tokens of a living childe of god. i see that my judgement about the spiritual state of your soul , was not a product of precipitate charity , but an effect of the spirit of right discerning . i will encourage you in your godly purposes , with a modest application of some of the angels words to gideon , judg. 6.12 , 14. go on , thou mighty man of valour , and go in this thy strength , and thou shalt save thy people . the lord will be with thee . but for the manner of your proceeding in this matter , my thoughts incline me to propose this way : be open to own the grace of god bestowed on you , to confess your former known crooked and dark wayes , and the change which god by his grace hath wrought in you . at present , let your first motion be to stay a while at natik , adjoyn your self to the church , who when they hear your confession , will joyfully receive you . in due season , request of the church to send some able , pious , and fitting teachers with you , among your people . prudent counsel may be taken how to prepare and predispose your people for such a motion . i do not doubt but the governour and magistrates of the massachusets , will be easily intreated to interpose in so good a work , which may tend to the bringing in so many people to the service of jesus christ. penit. i do well approve and accept of your counsel , it savoureth of discretion and wisdome , in all things god hath guided your lips to drop like the honey-comb into my heart . and now i have one request further unto you , that while we are together in this solitary opportunity , we may spend some time in conversing with god in prayer , turn all those things that have passed into prayers , and the future matters also ; let us spread them before the lord , and beg his guidance and blessing . iohn . i do greatly accept this motion ; and it is another sign of the truth of the work of gods grace in your heart , because this is the property of the new creature , a new-born babe , that he will cry abba father . here we leave them at prayer . finis . new english canaan, or new canaan containing an abstract of new england, composed in three bookes : the first booke setting forth the originall of the natives, their manners and customes, together with their tractable nature and love towards the english : the second booke setting forth the naturall indowments of the countrie, and what staple commodities it yeeldeth : the third booke setting forth what people are planted there, their prosperity, what remarkable accidents have happened since the first planting of it, together with their tenents, and practise of their church / written by thomas morton ... morton, thomas, 1564-1659. 1637 approx. 290 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 100 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a07832 stc 18203 estc s455 22442168 ocm 22442168 25540 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a07832) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 25540) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1754:12) new english canaan, or new canaan containing an abstract of new england, composed in three bookes : the first booke setting forth the originall of the natives, their manners and customes, together with their tractable nature and love towards the english : the second booke setting forth the naturall indowments of the countrie, and what staple commodities it yeeldeth : the third booke setting forth what people are planted there, their prosperity, what remarkable accidents have happened since the first planting of it, together with their tenents, and practise of their church / written by thomas morton ... morton, thomas, 1564-1659. 188, [3] p. printed for charles greene, and are sold in pauls church-yard, [s.l.] : [1637?] date of imprint suggested by stc (2nd ed.). signatures: a-2a⁴. imperfect: tightly bound, with some loss of print. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng indians of north america -massachusetts. new england -description and travel. massachusetts -description and travel. massachusetts -history -colonial period, ca. 1600-1775. 2005-01 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 simon charles sampled and proofread 2005-04 simon charles text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion new english canaan , or new canaan . containing an abstract of new england . composed in three bookes . the first booke setting forth the originall of the natives , their manners and customes , together with their tractable nature and love towards the english. the second booke setting forth the naturall indowments of the countrie , and what staple commodities it yeeldeth . the third booke setting forth what people are planted there , their prosperity , what remarkable accidents have happened since the first planting of it ; together with their tenents , and practise of their church . written by thomas morton of cliffords inne , gent ▪ upon ten yeeres knowledge and experiment of the countrie . printed for charles greene , and are sold in pauls church-yard . to the right honorable , the lords and others of his majesties most honorable privy councell , commissioners , for the government of all his majesties forraigne provinces . right honourable the zeale which i beare to the advauncement of the glory of god , the honor of his majesty , and the good of the weale publike , hath incouraged mee to compose this abstract , being the modell of a rich hopefull and very beautifull country , worthy the title of natures master-peece , and may be lost by too much sufferance . it is but a widowes mite , yet all that wrong and rapine hath left mee to bring from thence , where i have indevoured my best , bound by my allegeance , to doe his majesty service . this in all humility i present as an offering , wherewith i prostrate my selfe at your honorable footstoole . if you please to vouchsafe , it may receave a blessing , from the luster of your gracious beames , you shall make your vassaile happy , in that hee yet doth live , to shew how ready hee is and alwayes hath bin , to sacrifice his dearest blood , as becometh a loyall subject , for the honor of his native country . being your honors humble vassaile thomas morton . the epistle to the reader . gentle reader , i present to the publike view an abstract of new england ; which i have undertaken to compose by the incouragment of such genious spirits as have been studious of the inlargment of his majesties territories , being not formerly satisfied , by the relations of such as through haste , have taken but a superficiall survey thereof , which thing time hath enabled mee to performe more punctually to the life , and to give a more exact accompt of what hath been required ; i have therefore beene willing to doe my indevoure to communicat the knowledge , which i have gained and collected together , by mine owne observation , in the time of my many yeares residence in those parts , to my loving country men : for the better information of all such as are desirous to be made partakers of the blessings of god in that fertile soyle , as well as those that , out of curiosity onely have bin inquisitive after nouelties . and the rather for that i have observed , how divers persons ( not so well affected to the weale publike in mine opinion ) out of respect to their owne private ends ; have laboured to keepe both the practise of the people there , and the reall worth of that eminent country concealed from publike knowledge , both which i have abundantly in this discourse layd open , yet if it be well accepted , i shall esteeme my selfe sufficiently rewardded for my undertaking , and rest . your wellwisher , thomas morton . in laudem authoris . t ' excuse the author ere the worke be shewne is accusation in it selfe alone , and to commend him might seeme oversight , so divers are th' opinions of this age , so quick and apt , to taxe the moderne stage , that hard his taske , is that must please in all example have wee from great caesars fall , but is the sonne to be dislik'd and blam'd , because the mole is of his face asham'd , the fault is in the beast not in the sonne give sicke mouthes sweete meates fy they relish none , but to the sound in censure he commends , his love unto his country his true ends , to modell out a land of so much worth , as untill now noe traveller seth forth , faire canaans second selfe , second to none , natures rich magazine till now unknowne , then here survay , what nature hath in store , and graunt him love for this , he craves no more . r. o. gen. sir christoffer gardiner , knight . in laudem authoris . this worke a matchles mirror is that shewes , the humors of the seperatiste , and those so truely personated by thy pen , i was amaz'd to see 't , herein all men , may plainely see as in an inter-lude , each actor , figure and the scaene well view'd , in connick tragick and in a pastorall stife , for tyth of muit and cummin shewes their life , nothing but opposition , gainst the right , of sacred majestie men , full of spight , goodnes abuseing , turning vertue out of dores , to whipping stocking and full bent , to plotting mischiefe , gainst the innocent , burning their houses , as if ordained by fate , in spight of lawe , to be made ruinate , this taske is well perform'd and patience be , thy present comfort and thy constancy , thine honor , and this glasse where it shall come , shall sing thy praises till the day of doome . sir. c. g. in laudem authoris . bvt that i rather pitty i confesse , the practise of their church , i could expresse my selfe a satyrist ; whose smarting fanges , should strike it with a palsy , and the panges , beget a feare , to tempt the majesty , of those , or mortall gods , will they defie the thundering jove , like children they desire , such is their zeale , to sport themselves with fire , so have i seene an angry fly , presume , to strike a burning taper , and consume his feeble wings , why in an aire so milde , and they so monstrous growne up , and so vilde , that salvages can of themselves espy their errors , brand their names with infamy , what is their zeale for blood , like cyrus thirst , will they be over head and eares , a curst a cruell way to found a church on , noe , t' is not their zeale , but fury blinds them soe , and pricks their malice on like fier to joyne , and offer up the sacrifice of kain ; jonas , thou hast done well , to call these men home to repentance , with thy painefull pen. f. c. armiger . new english canaan , or new canaan . the authors prologue . if art & industry should doe as much as nature hath for canaan , not such another place , for benefit and rest , in all the universe can be possest , the more we proove it by discovery , the more delight each object to the eye procures , as if the elements had here bin reconcil'd , and pleas'd it should appeare like a faire virgin , longing to be sped , and meete her lover in a nuptiall bed , deck'd in rich ornaments t' advaunce he state and excellence , being most fortunate , when most enjoy'd , so would our canaan b● womb if well imploy'd by art & industry whose ofspring , now shewes that her fruitfu● not being enjoy'd , is like a glorious tombe admired things producing which there dy● and ly fast bound in darck obscurity , the worth of which in each particuler , who lift to know , this abstract will declare . new english canaan , or new canaan . the first booke . containing the originall of the natives , their manners , & customes , with their tractable nature and love towards the english. chap. i. prooving nevv england the principall part of all america , and most commodious and fitt for habitation . the wise creator of the universall globe , hath placed a golden meane betwixt two extreames : i meane the temperate zones , betwixt the hote and cold ; and every creature , that participates of heavens blessings , with in the compasse of that golden meane , is made most apt and fit , for man to use , who likewise by that wisedome is ordained to be the lord of all . this globe may be his glasse , to teach him how to use moderation , and discretion , both in his actions and intentions . the wise man sayes , give mee neither riches nor poverty ; why ? riches might make him proud like nebuchadnezar , and poverty despaire , like iobs wife ; but a meane betweene both . so it is likewise in the use of vegetatives , that which hath too much heate or too much colde , is said to be venenum , so in the use of sensitives , all those animals , of what genus or species soever they be , if they participate of heate or cold , in the superlative , are said to be inimica naturae , as in some fishes about the isle of sall , and those ilandes adjoyninge , betweene the tropickes , their participatinge of heate and cold , in the superlative is made most manifest , one of which , poysoned a whole ships company that eate of it . and so it is in vipers , toades , and snakes , that have heate or cold in the superlative degree . therefore the creatures that participate of heate and cold in a meane , are best and holsomest : and so it is in the choyse of love , the middell zone betweene the two extreames is best , and it is the●efore called zona temperata , and is in the golden meane ; and all those landes lying under that zone , most requisite and fitt for habitation . in cosmography , the tw● extreames are called , the one torrida zona , lying betweene the tropickes , the other frigida zona , lyin● neare the poles : all the landes lying under , eithe● of these zones , by reason , they doe participate to much of heate or cold , are very inconvenient , and are accompanied with many evils . and allthough i am not of opinion with aristotle , that the landes under torrida zona , are alltogether uninhabited , i my selfe having beene so neare the equinoctiall line , that i have had the sunn for my zenith , and seene proofe to the contrary , yet cannot i deny , but that it is accompanied with many inconveniences , as that fish and flesh both will taint in those partes , notwithstanding the use of salt which cannot be wanting there , ordained by natures hande-worke . and that is a great hinderance to the settinge forth and supply of navigation , the very sinewes of a florishing common-wealth . then barrennesse , caused through want of raines , for in most of those partes of the world it is seldome accustomed to raine , untill the time of the tornathees ( as the portingals phrase is , who lived there ) and then it will raine about 40. dayes together , which moisture serveth to fructify the earth for all the yeare after , duringe which time is seene no raine at all : the heate and cold , and length of day and night , being much alike , with little difference . and these raines are caused by the turning of the windes , which else betweene the tropickes , doe blow trade , that is allwayes one way . for next the tropicke of cancer it is constantly north-●ast , and next the tropicke of capricorne it is southwest ; so that the windes comming from the poles , do keepe the aire in those partes coole , and make it temperate and the partes habitable , were it not for those and other inconv●niences . this torrida zona is good for grashoppers : and zona temperata for the ant and bee. but frigida zona good for neither , as by lamentable experience of captaine davis fate , is manifest , who in his inquest of the nortwest passage for the east india trade was frozen to death . and thefore for frigida zona , i agree with aristotle , that it is unfit for habitation : and i know by the course of the caelestiall globe , that in groeneland many degrees short of the pole articke , the place is too cold , by reason of the sunns absence almost six monethes , and the land under the continuall power of the frost ; which thinge many more navigators have prooved with pittifull experience of their wintringe there , as appeareth by the history , i thinke , they will not venture to winter there againe for an india mine . and as it is found by our nation under the pole articke , so it is likewise to be found under the antarticke pole , yet what hazard will not an industrious minde , and couragious spirit undergoe , according to that of the poēt . impiger extremos currit mercator ad indos per mare pauperiem fugiens , per saxa , per ignes . and all to gett and hord up like the ant and the bee , and yet as salomon saith , hee cannot tell whether a foole or a wise man shall enjoy it . therefore let us leave these two extreames , with their inconveniences , and indeavour to finde out this golden meane , so free from any one of them . behold the secret wisedome of allmighty god , and love unto , our salomon to raise a man of a lardge hart , full of worthy abilities to be the index or loadstarre , that doth point out unto the english nation , with ease and comfort how to finde it out . and this the noble minded gentleman , sir ferdinando gorges knight , zealous for the glory of god , the honor of his majesty , and the benefit of the weale publicke , hath done a great worke for the good of his country . and herein this , the wondrous wisedome and love of god , is shewne , by sending to the place his minister , to sweepe away by heapes the salvages , and also giving him length of dayes , to see the same performed after his enterprise was begunne , for the propagation of the church of christ. this judicious gentleman , hath found this goulden meane , to be scituated about the middle of those two extreames , and for directions you may proove it thus : counting the space betweene the line and either of the poles , in true proportion , you shall finde it to be 90. degrees : then must we finde the meane , to be neare unto the center of 90. and that is about 45. degrees , and then incline unto the sotherne side of that center , properly for the benefit of heate , remembringe that sol & homo generat hominem ; and then keepe us on that same side , and see what land is to be found there , and we shall easily discerne that new england is on the south side of that center . for that country doth beginne her boundes at 40. degrees of northerne latitude , and endes at 45. degrees of the same latitude , and doth participate of heate and cold indifferently , but is oppressed with neither : and therefore may be truly sayd to be within the compasse of that golden meane , most apt and fit for habitation and generation , being placed by allmighty god the great creator , under that zone , called zona temperata , and is therefore most fitt for the generation and habitation of our english nation , of all other , who are more neere neighbours to the northerne pole , whose land lyeth betweene 50. and 54. degrees of the selfesame latitude : now this new ●ngland though it be nearer to the line , then that old england by 10. degrees of latitude , yet doth not this exceede that other in heate or cold , by reason of the cituation of it ; for as the coast lyeth , being circularly northeast and southwest , opposite towards the sunnes risinge , which makes his course over the ocean , it can have litle or no reflecting , heat of the sun-beames , by reason of the continuall motion of the waters , makinge the aire there the cooler and the constanter ; so that for the temperature of the climent , sweetnesse of the aire , fertility of the soile , and small number of the salvages ( which might seeme a rubb in the way off an effeminate minde , ) this country of new england is by all judicious men , accounted the principall part of all america , for habitation and the commodiousnesse of the sea , ships there not being subject to wormes , as in virginea and other places , and not to be paraleld in all christendome . the massachussets being the middell part thereof , is a very beautifull land not mountany , nor inclininge to mountany , lyeth in 42. degrees , and 30. minutes , and hath as yet the greatest number of inhabitants , and hath a very large bay to it , divided by islands into 4. great bayes , where shippinge may safely ride all windes and weathers , the windes in those partes being not so violent as in england by many degrees , foe there are no shrubbs seene , to leane from the windes as by the sea coast of england , i have seene them leane , and the groundage is a sandy sleech free from rockes to gaule cables , but is good for anchorage , the rest of the planters are disperst among the coasts betweene 41. and 44. degrees of latitude , and as yet , have very little way into the iland , the riches of which country i have set forth in this abstract as in a landskipp , for the better information of the travellers , which hee may peruse and plainely perceave by the demonstration of it , that it is nothing inferior to canaan of israel , but a kind of paralell to it , in all points . chap. ii. of the originall of the natives . in the yeare since the incarnation of christ , 1622. it was my chance to be landed in the parts of new england , where i found two sortes of people , the one christians , the other infidels , these i found most full of humanity , and more friendly then the other : as shall hereafter be made apparant in dew-course , by their severall actions from time to time , whilest i lived among them after my arrivall in those partes , i endeavoured by all the wayes and meanes that i could to find out from what people or nation , the natives of new england might be conjectured originlly to proceede , & by continuance & conversation amongst them , i attaned to so much of their language , as by all probable conjecture may make the same manifest , for it hath been found by divers , and those of good judgement that the natives of this country , doe use very many wordes both of greeke and latine , to the same signification that the latins and greekes have done , as en animia , when an indian expresseth , that hee doth any thing with a good will ; and pascopan signifieth gredy gut , this being the name of an indian that was so called of a child , through the greedinesse of his minde , and much eating , for pasco in latine signifieth to feede , and pan in greeke signifieth all , and pasco nantum , quasi pasco nondum , halfe starved , or not eating , as yet ; equa coge , set it upright , mona is an island in their language , quasi monon , that is alone , for an island is a peece or plott of ground standing alone , and devided from the mane land by force of water . cos is a whetstone with them . hame an instrument to take fish , many places doe retaine the name of pan , as pantneket and matta pan , so that it may be thought that these people heretofore , have ha● the name of pan in great reverence and estimation and it may bee have worshipped pan the great god o● the heathens : howsoever they doe use no manne● of worship at all now : and it is most likely that th● natives of this country , are descended from people bred upon that part of the world , which is towarde● the tropicke of cancer , for they doe still retaine the memory of some of the starres one that part of thea caelestiall globe , as the north-starre , which with them is called maske , for maske in their language signifieth a beare , and they doe divide the windes into eight partes , and it seemes originally , have had some litterature amongst them , which time hath cancelled and worne out of use , and where as it hath beene the opinion of some men , which shall be nameles , that the natives of new-england may proceede from the race of the tartars , and come from tartaria into those partes , over the frozen sea. i see no probality for any such conjecture , for as much , as a people once setled , must be remooved by compulsion , or else tempted thereunto in hope of better fortunes , upon commendations of the place , unto which they should be drawne to remoove , and if it may be thought , that these people came over the frozen sea , then would it be by compulsion , if so , then by whome , or when ? or what part of this mane continent may be thought to border upon the country of the tartars , it is yet unknowne , and it is not like , that a people well enough at ease , will of their one accord undertake to travayle over a sea of ice , considering how many difficulties they shall encounter with , as first whether there be any land at the end of their unknowne way , no land beinge in view , then want of food to sustane life in the meane time upon that sea of ice , or how should they doe for fuell , to keepe them at night from freezing to death , which will not bee had in such a place , but it may perhaps be granted that the natives of this country might originally come of the scattred trojans : for after that brutus , who was the forth from aneas , left latium upon the conflict had with the latines , ( where although hee gave them a great overthrow , to the slaughter of their grand captaine and many other of the heroes of latium , yet hee held it more safety to depart unto some other place , and people , then by stayi●g to runne the hazard of an unquiet life or doubtfull conquest , which as history maketh mention hee performed ; ) this people were dispersed there is no question , but the people that lived with him , by reason of their conversation with the graecians and latines , had a mixed language that participated of both , whatsoever was that which was proper to their owne nation at first ; i know not for this is commonly seene where 2. nations traffique together , the one indevouring to understand the others meaning makes thē both many times speak a mixed language , as is approoved by the natives of new england , through the coveteous desire they have , to commerce with our nation , and wee with them . and when brutus did depart from latium , we doe not finde that his whole number went with him at once , or arrived at one place ; and being put to sea might encounter with a storme , that would carry them out of sight of land , and then they might sayle god knoweth whether , and so might be put upon this coast , as well as any other ; compasse i beleeve they had none in those dayes ; sayles they might have , ( which daedalus the first inventor thereof ) left to after ages , having taught his sonne icarus the use of it , who to his cost found how dangerous it is , for a sonne not to observe the precepts of a wise father , so that the icarian sea , now retaines the memory of it to this day , and victuals they might have good store , and many other things fittinge , oares without all question , they would store themselves with , in such a case , but for the use of compasse there is no mention made of it at that time ( which was much about sauls time the first that was made king of israell . ) yet it is thought ( and that not without good reason for it ) that the use of the loadstone , and compasse was knowne in salomons time , for as much as hee sent shippes to fetch of the gould of ophir , to adorne and bewtify that magnificent temple of hierusalem , by him built for the glory of almighty god , and by his speciall appointment : and it is held by cosmographers to be 3. yeares voyage from hierusalem to ophir , and it is conceaved that such a voyage could not have beene performed , without the helpe of the loadstone and compasse . and why should any man thinke , the natives of new england , to be the gleanings of all nations , onely because by the pronunciation and termination their words seeme to trench upon severall languages , when time hath not furnished him with the interpretation thereof , the thinge that must induce a man of reasonabe capacity to any maner of conjecture , of their originall , must by the sence and signification of the words , principally to frame this argument by , when hee shall drawe to any conclusion thereupon , otherwise hee shall but runne rounde about a maze ( as some of the fantasticall tribe use to do about the tythe of muit and comin . ) therfore since i have had the approbation of sir christopher gardiner knight an able gentl. that lived amongst them & of david tompson a scottish gentl. that likewise conversant with those people both scollers and travellers that were diligent in taking notice of these things as men of good judgement . and that have bin in those parts any time ; besides others of lesse , now i am bold to conclude that the originall of the natives of new england may be well conjectured to be from the scattered trojans , after such time as brutus departed from latium . chap. iii. of a great mortality that happened amongst the natives of nevv england neere about the time , that the english came there to plant . it fortuned some few yeares , before the englis● came to inhabit at new plimmouth in new england that upon some distast given in the massachussets bay by frenchmen , then trading there with the native for beaver , they set upon the men , at such advantage that they killed manie of them burned their shipp then riding at anchor by an island there , now called peddocks island in memory of leonard peddock that landed there ( where many wilde anckies haunted that time which hee thought had bin tame , ) distributing them unto 5. sachems which were lords of the severall territories adjoyninge , they did keepe them so longe as they lived , onely to sport themselves at them , and made these five frenchmen fetch them wood and water , which is the generall worke that they require of a servant , one of these five men out livinge the rest had learned so much of their language , as to rebuke them for their bloudy deede , saying that god would be angry with them for it ; and that hee would in his displeasure destroy them ; but the salvages ( it seemes boasting of their strenght , ) replyed and sayd , that they were so many , that god could not kill them . but contrary wise in short time after , the hand of god fell heavily upon them , with such a mortall stroake , that they died on heapes , as they lay in their houses and the living ; that were able to shift for themselves would runne away , & let them dy , and let there carkases ly above the ground without buriall . for in a place where many inhabited , there hath been but one left a live , to tell what became of the rest , the livinge being ( as it seemes , ) not able to bury the dead , they were left for crowes , kites , and vermin to pray upon . and the bones and skulls upon the severall places of their habitations , made such a spectacle after my comming into those partes , that as i travailed in that forrest , nere the massachussets , it seemed to mee a new found golgatha . but otherwise it is the custome of those indian people , to bury their dead ceremoniously , and carefully , and then to abandon that place , because they have no desire the place should put them in minde of mortality : and this mortality was not ended , when the brownists of new plimmouth were setled at patuxet in new england , and by all likelyhood the sicknesse that these indians died of , was the plague , as by conference with them since my arrivall , and habitation in those partes , i have learned . and by this meanes there is as yet but a small number of salvages in new england to that , which hath beene in former time , and the place is made so much the more fitt , for the english nation to inhabit in , and erect in it temples to the glory of god. chap. iv. of their houses and habitations . the natives of new england are accustomed to build them houses , much like the wild irish , they gather poles in the woodes and put the great end of them in the ground , placinge them in forme of a circle or circumference , and bendinge the topps o● them in forme of an arch , they bind them together with the barke of walnut trees , which is wondrous tuffe , so that they make the same round on the topp . for the smooke of their fire , to assend and passe through ? these they cover with matts , some made of reeds , and some of longe flagges , or sedge finely sowed together with needles made of the splinter bones of a cranes legge , with threeds , made of their indian hempe , which their groueth naturally , leaving severall places for dores , which are covered with mats , which may be rowled up , and let downe againe at their pleasures , making use , of the severall dores , according as the winde sitts , the fire is alwayes made in the middest of the house , with winde fals commonly : yet some times they fell a tree , that groweth neere the the house and by drawing in the end thereof maintaine the fire on both sids , burning the tree by degrees shorter and shorter , untill it be all consumed ; for it burneth night and day , their lodging is made in three places of the house about the fire , they lye upon plankes commonly about a foote or 18. inches aboue the ground raised upon railes that are borne up upon forks they lay mats under them , and coats of deares skinnes otters beavers racownes and of beares hides , all which they have dressed and converted into good lether with the haire on for their coverings and in this manner they lye as warme as they desire in the night they take their rest , in the day time , either the kettle is on with fish or flesh , by no allowance : or else , the fire is imployed in roasting of fishes , which they delight in , the aire doeth beget good stomacks , and they feede continually , and are no niggards of their ●ittels , for they are willing , that any one shall eate with them , nay if any one , that shall come into their houses , and there fall a sleepe , when they see him disposed to lye downe , they will spreade a matt for him of their owne accord , and lay a roule of skinnes for boulster , and let him lye ? if hee sleepe untill the●● meate be dished up , they will set a wooden boule 〈◊〉 meate by him that sleepeth , & wake him saying cattu●● keene meckin : that is , if you be hungry , there 〈◊〉 meat for you , where if you will eate you may , such 〈◊〉 their humanity . likewise when they are minded ro remoove● they carry away the mats with them , other material● the place adjoyning will yeald , they use not to wint●● and summer in one place , for that would be a reason t● make fuell scarse , but after the manner of the gent●● of civilized natives , remoove for their pleasures some times to their hunting places where they r●maine keeping good hospitality , for that se●son ; and sometimes to their fishing places , where the● abide for that season likewise ▪ and at the spring , whe● fish comes in plentifully , they have meetinges fro● severall places , where they exercise themselves in g●minge , and playing of juglinge trickes , and all ma●ner of revelles , which they are deligted in , that it 〈◊〉 admirable to behould , what pastime they use , of sev●rall kindes , every one striving to surpasse each othe● after this manner they spend their time . chap. v. of their religion . it has bin a common receaved opinion from cicero , that there is no people so barbarous , but have some worshipp , or other in this particular , i am not of opinion rherein with tully ; and surely , if hee had ●in amongst those people so longe as i have bin , and ●onversed so much with them , touching this matter of religion , hee would have changed his opinion , neither ●hould we have found this error , amongst the rest , by ●he helpe of that wodden prospect , if it had not been so ●nadvisedly built upon such highe land as that coast. 〈◊〉 all mens judgements in generall , ) doth not yeeld , ●ad hee but taken the judiciall councell of sir william ●lexander , that setts this thing forth in an exact and ●onclusive sentence ; if hee be not too obstinate ? hee ●●ould graunt that worthy writer , that these people ●re sine fide , sine lege , & sine rege , and hee hath ex●mplified this thinge by a familiar demonstration , ●hich i have by longe experience observed to be ●●ue . and me thinks , it is absurd to say they have a kinde ●f worship , and not be able to demonstrate whome or ●hat it is they are accustomed to worship . for 〈◊〉 part i am more willing to beleeve that the ele●●ants ( which are reported to be the most intelligible 〈◊〉 all beasts ) doe worship the moone , for the reasons given by the author of this report as mr. thomas may , the minion of the muses dos recite it in his contimation , of lucans historicall poem , rather then this man , to that i must bee constrained , to conclude agains● him , and cicero ; that the natives of new englan● have no worship nor religion at all , and i am sure it ha● been so observed by those that neede not the help● of a wodden prospect for the matter . chap. vi. of the indians apparrell . the indians in these parts do make their apparrell of the skinnes of severall sortes of beastes , an● commonly of those , that doe frequent those parte● where they doe live , yet some of them for variety , wi●● have the skinnes of such beasts that frequent th● partes of their neighbors , which they purchase o● them , by commerce and trade . these skinnes they convert into very good l●ther , making the same plume and soft . some 〈◊〉 these skinnes they dresse with the haire on , and som● with the haire off ; the hairy side in winter time the● weare next their bodies , and in warme weather , the● weare the haire outwardes : they make likewise so●● coates of the feathers of turkies , which they wea● together with twine of their owne makinge , very pri●tily : these garments they weare like mantels knit ov●● their shoulders , and put under their arme : they have likewise another sort of mantels , made of mose skinnes , which beast is a great large deere , so bigge as a horse , these skinnes they commonly dresse bare , and make them wondrous white , and stripe them with size , round about the borders , in forme like lace set on by a taylor , and some they stripe with size , in workes of severall fashions very curious , according to the severall fantasies of the workemen , wherein they strive to excell one another : and mantels made of beares skinnes is an usuall wearinge , among the natives , that live where the beares doe haunt : they make shooes of mose skinnes , which is the principall leather used to that purpose ; and for want of such lether ( which is the strongest ) they make shooes of deeres skinnes , very handsomly and commodious , and of such deeres skinnes as they dresse bare , they make stockinges , that comes within their shooes , like a stirrop stockinge , and is fastned above at their belt which is about their middell ; every male after hee attaines unto the age , which they call pubes , wereth a belt about his middell , and a broad peece of lether that goeth betweene his leggs , and is tuckt up both before and behinde under that belt , and this they weare to hide their secreats of nature ; which by no meanes they will suffer to be seene , so much modesty they use in that particular , those garments they allwayes put on , when they goe a huntinge to keepe their skinnes from ●he brush of the shrubbs , and when they have rheir apparrell one , they looke like irish in their trouses , the stockinges joyne so to their breeches . a good well growne deere skin is of great account with them , and it must have the tale on , or else they account it defaced , the tale being three times as long as the tales of our english deere , yea foure times so longe , this when they travell is raped round about their body , and with a girdle of their making , bound round about their middles , to which girdle is fastned a bagg , in which his instruments be , with which hee can strike fire upon any occasion . thus with their bow in their left hand , and their quiuer of arrowes at their back , hanging one their left shoulder with the lower end of it , in their right hand , they will runne away a dogg trot , untill they come to their journey end , and in this kinde of ornament , ( they doe seeme to me ) to be hansomer , then when they are in english apparrell , their gesture being answerable to their one habit and not unto ours . their women have shooes and stockinges to weare likewise when they please , such as the men have , but the mantle they use to cover their nakednesse with , is much longer then that , which the men use ; for as the men have one deeres skinn , the women have two soed together at the full lenght , and it is so lardge that it trailes after them , like a great ladies trane , and in time i thinke they may have their pages to beare them up : and where the men use but one beares skinn for a mantle , the women have two soed together ; and if any of their women would at any time shift one , they take that which they intend to make use of , and cast it over them round , before they shifte away the other , for modesty , being unwilling to be seene to discover their nakednesse , and the one being so cast over , they slip the other from under them in a decent manner , which is to be noted in people uncivilized , tberein they seeme to have as much modesty as civilized people , and deserve to be applauded for it . chap. vii . of their child-bearing , and delivery , and vvhat manner of persons they are . the women of this country , are not suffered to be used for procreation , untill the ripenesse of their age ; at which time they weare a redd cap made of lether in forme like to our flat caps , and this they weare for the space of 12. moneths : for all men to take notice of them that have any minde to a wife ; and then it is the custome of some of their sachems or lords of the territories , to have the first say or maidenhead of the females ? ( very apt they are ) to be with childe , and very laborious when they beare children , yea when they are as great as they can be , yet in that case they neither forbeare laboure , nor travaile , i have seene them in that plight with burthens at their backs enough to load a horse , yet doe they not miscarry , but have a faire delivery , and a quick , their women are very good midwifes , and the women very lusty after delivery and in a day or two will travell or trudge about . their infants are borne with haire on their heads ; and are of complexion white as our nation , but their mothers in their infancy make a bath of wallnut leaves , huskes of walnuts , and such things as will staine their skinne for ever , wherein they dip and washe them to make them tawny , the coloure of their haire is black , and their eyes black , these infants are carried at their mothers backs , by the help of a cradle made of a board forket at both ends , whereon the childe is fast bound , and wrapped in furres : his knees thrust up towards his bellie , because they may be the more usefull for them when he sitteth , which is as a dogge does on his bumme , and this cradle surely preserues them better then the cradles of our nation ; for as much , as we finde them well propertioned not any of them , crooked backed or wry legged , and to give their charracter in a worde , they are as proper men and women for feature and limbes as can be found , for flesh and bloud as active : longe handed they are , ( i never sawe a clunchfisted salvadg amonst them all in my time . ) the colour of their eies being so generally black , made a salvage ( that had a younge infant whose eies were gray , ) shewed him to us and said they were english mens eies , i tould the father , that his sonne was nan weeteo , which is a bastard , hee replied titta ches hetue squaa , which is hee could not tell ; his wife might play the whore and this childe the father desired might have an english name , because of the likenesse of his eies which his father had in admiration , because of novelty amongst their nation . chap. viii . of their reverence , and respect to age . it is a thing to be admired , and indeede made a president , that a nation yet uncivilizied , should more respect age then some nations civilized ; since there are so many precepts both of divine and humane writers extant : to instruct more civill nations in that particular wherein they excell , the younger are allwayes obedient unto the elder people , and at their commaunds in every respect without grummbling , ●n all councels ( as therein they are circumspect to do ●heir acciones by advise and counsell and not rashly or inconsiderately , the younger mens opinion shall ●e heard , but the old mens opinion and councell im●raced and followed , besides as the elder feede and ●rovide for the younger in infancy : so doe the ●ounger after being growne to yeares of manhood , provide for those that be aged , and in distribution of ●●●tes the elder men are first served , by their dis●ensator and their counsels ( especially if they be ●owahs ) are esteemed as oracles amongst the younger natives . the consideration of these things , mee thinkes ●●ould reduce some of our irregular young people of ●ivilized nations : when this story shall come to ●●eir knowledge , to better manners , and make them ●shamed of their former error in this kinde , and to become hereafter more duetyfull , which i as a friend ( by observation having found ) have herein recorded for that purpose . chap. ix . of their pretty coniuring tricks . if we doe not judge amisse of these salvages in accounting them witches , yet out all question , we may be bould to conclude them to be but weake witches , such of them as wee call by the names o● powahs some correspondency they have with the devil , out of al doubt as by some of their accions , in whic● they glory , is manifested papasiquineo ; that sachem or sagamore is a powah of greate estimation amongs● all kinde of salvages , there hee is at their revel● ( which is the time when a great company of salvage● meete , from severall parts of the country , in amity with their neighbours ) hath advaunced his honor in hi● feats or jugling tricks ( as i may right tearme them ) t● the admiration of the spectators whome hee endevoured to perswade , that he would goe under water to th● further side of a river to broade for any man to undertake with a breath , which thing hee performed by swimming over & deluding the company with castin● a mist before their eies that see him enter in and com● out , but no part of the way hee has bin seene , likewis● by our english in the heat of all summer to make ic● appeare in a bowle of faire water , first having the water set before him hee hath begunne his incantatio● according to their usuall accustome and before th● same has bin ended a thick clowde has darkned th● aire and on a sodane a thunder clap hath bin heard that has amazed the natives , in an instant hee hath shewed a firme peece of ice to flote in the middest of the bowle in the presence of the vulgar people , which doubtles was done by the agility of satan his consort . and by meanes of these sleights and such like trivial things , as these they gaine such estimation amongst the rest of the salvages ; that it is thought a very impious matter for any man to derogate from the words of these powahs . in so much as hee that should slight them , is thought to commit a crime no lesse hainous amongst them , as sacriledge is with us , as may appeare by this one passage , which i wil set forth for an instance . a neighbour of mine that had entertain'd a salvage into his service , to be his factor for the beaver trade amongst his countrymen , delivered unto him divers parcells of commodities , fit forthem to trade with ; amongst the rest there was one coate of more esteeme then any of other , and with this his new entertained marchant man travels amonst his countrymen to truck them away for beaver : as our custome hath bin , the salvage went up into the country amongst his neighbours for beaver & returned with some , but not enough answerable to his masteers expectation , but being called to an accompt and especially for that one coate of speciall note ; made answer that he had given that coate to tantoquineo , a powah : to which his master in a rage cryed what have i to doe with tantoquineo ? the salvage very angry at the matter cryed , what you speake ; you are not a very good man , wil you not give tantoq . a coat ? what 's this ? as if he had offered tantoquineo , the greatest indignity that could be devised : so great is the estimation and reverence that these people have of these ingling powahs , who are usually sent for ( when any person is sicke and ill at ease ) to recover them , for which they receive rewards as do● our chirgeons and phisitions , and they doe make ● trade of it , and boast of their skill where they come one amongst the rest did undertake to cure an englishman of a swelling of his hand for a parcell of biskett , which being delivered him , hee tooke the party greived into the woods aside from company , an● with the helpe of the devill ( as may be conjectured quickly recovered him of that swelling , and sent hi● about his worke againe . chap. x. of their duels and the honourable estimation of victory obtained thereby . these salvages are not apt to quarrell one wit● anothet : yet such hath bin the occasion that difference hath happened , which hath growne to tha● height , that it has not bin reconciled otherswise the● by combat , which hath bin performed in this manner the two champions prepared for the fight , with thei● bowes in hand , and a quiver full of arrowes at thei● backs , they have entered into the field , the challenge● and challenged have chosen two trees , standing wit● in a little distance of each other ; they have cast lotts for the cheife of the trees , then either champion setting himselfe behinde his tree watches an advantage , to let fly his shafts , and to gall his enemy , there they continue shooting at each other , if by chaunce they espie any part open , they endeavour to gall the combatant in that part ; and use much agility in the performance of the taske they have in hand . resolute they are in the execution of their vengeance , when once they have begunne , and will in no wise be daunted , or seeme to shrinck though they doe catch a clap with an arrow , but fight it out in this manner untill one or both be slaine . i have bin shewed the places , where such duels have bin performed , and have fuond the trees marked for a memoriall of the combat , where that champion hath stood , that had the hap to be slaine in the duell ? and they count it the greatest honor that can be , to the serviving cumbatant to shew the scares of the wounds , received in this kinde of conflict , and if it happen to be on the arme as those parts are most in danger in these cases , they will alwayes weare a bracelet upon that place of the arme , as a trophy of honor to their dying day . chap. xi . of the maintaining of their reputation . reputation is such a thing , that it keepes many men in awe , even amongst civilized nations , and is very much stood upon : it is ( as one hath very well noted ) the awe of great men and of kings , and since i have observed it , to be maintained amongst salvage people , i cannot chuse but give an instance thereof in this treatise , to confirme the common receaved opinion thereof . the sachem or sagamore of sagus made choise , ( when hee came to mans estate ) of a lady of noble discent , daughter to papasiquineo : the sachem or sagamore of the territories neare merrimack river a man of the best note and estimation in all those parts ( and as my countryman mr. wood declares in his prospect ) a great nigromancer , this lady the younge sachem with the consent & good liking of her father marries , and takes for his wife . great entertainement , hee and his receaved in those parts at her fathers hands , where they weare fested in the best manner that might be expected , according to the custome of their nation , with reveling , & such other solemnities as is usuall amongst them . the solemnity being ended , papasiquineo causes a selected number of his men to waite upon his daughter home : into those parts that did properly belong to her lord , and husband , where the attendants had entertainment by the sachem of sagus and his countrymen : the solemnity being ended , the attendants were gratified . not long after the new married lady had a great desire to see her father , and her native country , from whence shee came , ●er lord willing to pleasure her , & not deny her request ( amongst them ) thought to be reasonable commanded a selected number of his owne men to conduct his lady to her father ; wherwith great respect they brought her : and having feasted there a while , returned to their owne country againe , leaving the lady to continue there at her owne pleasure , amongst her friends , and old acquaintance : where shee passed away the time for a while : and in the end desired to returne to her lord againe . her father the old papasiquineo having notice of her intent , sent some of his men on ambassage to the younge sachem , his sonne in law , to let him understand that his daughter was not willing , to absent her selfe from his company any longer ; & therfore ( as the messengers had in charge ) desired the younge lord to send a convoy for her ▪ but hee standing upon tearmes of honor , & the maintaining of his reputatiō , returnd to his father in law this answere that when she departed from him , hee caused his men to waite upon her to her fathers territories , as it did become him : but now shee had an intent to returne , it did become her father , to send her back with a convoy of his own people : & that it stood not with his reputation to make himself or his men so servile , to fetch her againe . the old sachem papasiquineo having this message returned , was inraged ? to think that his young son in law did not esteeme him at a higher rate , then to capitulate with him about the matter , & returne him this sharpe reply ; that his daughters bloud , and birth deserved no more respect ; then to be so slighted , & there●ore if he would have her company , hee were best to ●end or come for her . the younge sachem not willing to under value himselfe , and being a man of a stout spirit , did not stick to say , that hee should either send her , by his owne convey , or keepe her ; for hee was not determined to stoope so lowe . so much these two sachems stood upon tearme of reputation with each other , the one would not sen● her , & the other would not send for her , least it should be any diminishing of honor on his part , that shoul● seeme to comply , that the lady ( when i came ou● of the country ) remained still with her father ; whic● is a thinge worth the noting , that salvage peopl● should seeke to maintaine their reputation so muc● as they doe . chap. xii . of their trafficke and trade one vvith another . although these people have not the use of navigation , whereby they may trafficke as other nations , that are civilized , use to doe , yet doe they barter for such commodities as they have , & have a kind● of beads ; in steede of money , to buy withall suc● things as they want , which they call wampampeak● and it is of two sorts , the one is white , the other is o● a violet coloure . these are made of the shells o● fishe ; the white with them is as silver with us ; th● other as our gould , and for these beads they buy , an● sell , not onely amongst themselves , but even with us we have used to sell them any of our commodities for this wampampeak , because we know , we can have beaver againe of them for it : and these beads are currant in all the parts of new england , from one end of the coast to the other . and although some have indevoured by example to have the like made , of the same kinde of shels , yet none hath ever , as yet , attained to any perfection in the composure of them , but that the salvages have found a great difference to be in the one ●nd the other ; and have knowne the counterfett beads ●rom those of their owne making ; and have , and doe light them . the skinnes of beasts are sould and bartered to ●uch people , as have none of the same kinde in the ●arts where they live . likewise they have earthen potts of divers sizes , ●rom a quarte to a gallon , 2. or 3. to boyle their viteals in ; very stronge , though they be thin like our ●ron potts . they have dainty wooden bowles of maple , of ●ighe price amongst them , and these are dispersed ●y bartering one with the other , and are but in cer●aine parts of the country made , where the severall ●rades are appropriated to the inhabitants of those ●arts onely . so likewise ( at the season of the yeare ) the sal●ages that live by the sea side for trade with the in●anders for fresh water , reles curious silver reles , ●hich are bought up of such as have them not fre●uent in other places , chestnuts , and such like usefull things as one place affordeth , are sould to the inhabitants of another : where they are a novelty accompted amongst the natives of the land ; and there is no such thing to barter withall , as is their whampampeake . chap. xiii . of their magazines or storehovvses . these people are not without providence , though they be uncivilized , but are carefull to preserve foede in store against winter , which is the corne that they laboure and dresse in the summer , and although they eate freely of it , whiles it is growinge , yet have they a care to keepe a convenient portion thereof ; to releeve them in the dead of winter , ( like to the ant and the bee ) which they put under ground . their barnes are holes made in the earth , that will hold a hogshead of corne a peece in them . in these ( when their corne is out of the huske and well dried ) they lay their store in greate baskets ( which they make of sparke ) with matts under , about the sides and on the top : and putting it into the place made for it , they cover it with earth : and in this manner it is preserved from destruction or putrifaction ; to be used in case of necessity , and not else . and i am perswaded , that if they knew the benefit of salte ( as they may in time , ) and the meanes to make salte meate fresh againe , they would endeaver to preserve fishe for winter , as well as corne ; and that if any thinge bring them to civility , it will be the use of salte , to have foode in store , which is a cheife benefit in a civilized commonwealth . these people have begunne already to incline to the use of salte . many of them would begge salte of mee for to carry home with them , that had frequented our howses and had beene acquainted with our salte meats : and salte i willingly gave them ; although i sould them all things else : onely because they should be delighted with the use there of ; and thinke it a commodity of no value in it selfe , allthough the benefit was great , that might be had by the use of it . chap. xiv . of theire subtilety . these people are not ( as some have thought a dull , or slender witted people ; but very ingenious and very subtile . i could give maine instances to maintaine mine opinion of them in this : but i will onely relate one , which is a passage worthy to be observed . in the massachussets bay lived cheecatawback the sachem or sagamore of those territories , who had large dominions , which hee did appropriate to himselfe . into those parts came a greate company of salvages , from the territories of narohiganset , to the number of 100. persons ; and in this sachems dominions they intended to winter . when they went a hunting for turkies : they spreade over such a greate scope of ground , that a turkie could hardily escape them : deare they killed up in greate abundance , and feasted their bodies very plentifully : beavers they killed by no allowance : the skinnes of those they traded away at wassaguscus with my neighboures for corne , and such other commodities as they had neede of ; and my neighboures had a wonderfull great benefit by their being in those parts . yea sometimes ( like genious fellowes ) they would present their marchant with a fatt beaver skinne , alwayes the tayle was not diminished , but presented full and whole : although the tayle is a present for a sachem , and is of such masculaine vertue , that if some of our ladies knew the benefit thereof , they would desire to have ships sent of purpose , to trade for the tayle alone , it is such a rarity , as is not more esteemed of , then reason doth require . but the sachem cheecatawbak ( on whose possessions they usurped , and converted the commodities thereof to their owne use , contrary to his likeing ) not being of power to resist them , practised to doe it by a subtile stratagem . and to that end gave it out amongst us , that the cause why these other salvages of the narohigansets , came into these parts , was to see what strength we were of , and to watch an opportunity to cut us off , and take that which they found in our custody usefull for them ; and added further , they would burne our howses , and that they had caught one of his men , named meshebro , and compelled him to discover to them where their barnes , magazines , or storehowses were , and had taken away his corne , and seemed to be in a pittifull perplexity about the matter . and the more to adde reputation to this tale , desires that his wifes and children might be harbered in one of our howses . this was graunted , and my neighbours put on corslets , headpeeces , and weapons defensive and offensive . this thing being knowne to cheecatawback , hee caused some of his men to bring the narohigansets to trade , that they might see the preparation . the salvage that was a stranger to the plott , simply comming to trade , and finding his merchants , lookes like lobsters , all cladd in harnesse , was in a maze to thinke what would be the end of it . haste hee made to trade away his furres , and tooke any thing for them , wishing himselfe well rid of them , and of the company in the howse . but ( as the manner has bin ) hee must eate some furmety before hee goe : downe hee sits , and eats , and withall had an eie on every side ; and now and then saw a sword , or a dagger layd a thwart a headpeece , which hee wondered at , and asked his giude whether the company were not angry . the guide , ( that was privy to his lords plot ) answered in his language . that hee could not tell . but the harmelesse salvage before hee had halfe filled his belly , started upon a sodayne , and ranne out of the howse in such hast , that hee left his furmety there , and stayed not to looke behinde him who came after : glad hee was that he had escaped so . the subtile sachem hee playd the tragedian ; and fained a feare of being surprised ; and sent to see whether the enemies ( as the messenger termed them ) were not in the howse ; and comes in a by way with his wifes and children ; and stopps rhe chinkes of the out howse , for feare the fire might be seene in the night , and be a meanes to direct his enemies where to finde them . and in the meane time , hee prepared for his ambassador to his enemies a salvage , that had lived 12. moneths in england , to the end it might adde reputation to his ambassage . this man hee sends to those intruding narohigansets , to tell them that they did very great injury , to his lord , to trench upon his prerogatives : and advised them to put up their pipes , and begon in time : if they would not , that his lord would come upon them , and in his ayd his freinds the english , who were up in armes already to take his part , and compell them by force to be gone , if they refused to depart by faire meanes . this message comming on the neck of that which doubtlesse the fearefull salvage had before related of his escape , and what hee had observed ; caused all those hundred narohigansets ( that meant us no hurt ) to be gone with bagg , and baggage , and my neighboures were gulled by the subtilety of this sachem , and lost the best trade of beaver that ever they had for the time , and in the end found theire error in this kinde of credulity when it was too late . chap. xv. of their admirable perfection , in the use of the sences . this is a thinge not onely observed by mee , and diverse of the salvages of new england , but also , by the french men in nova francia , and therefore i am the more incouraged to publish in this treatice my observation of them , in the use of theire sences : which is a thinge that i should not easily have bin induced , to beleeve , if i my selfe , had not bin an eie witnesse , of what i shall relate . i have observed , that the salvages have the sence of seeing so farre beyond any of our nation , that one would allmost beleeve they had intelligence of the devill , sometimes : when they have tould us of a shipp at sea , which they have seene , soeuer by one hower , yea two howers sayle , then any english man that stood by ; of purpose to looke out , their sight is so excellent . their eies indeede are black as iett ; and that coler is accounted the strongest for sight . and as they excell us in this particular so much noted , so i thinke they excell us in all the rest . this i am sure , i have well observed , that in the sence of smelling , they have very great perfection : which is confirmed by the opinion of the french , that are planted about canada , who have made relation , that they are so perfect in the use of that sence , that they will distinguish between a spaniard and a frenchman by the sent of the hand onely . and i am perswaded , that the author of this relation has seene very probable reasons , that have induced him , to be of that opinion ; and i am the more willing to give credit thereunto , because i have observed in them so much , as that comes to . i have seene a deare passe by me upon a neck of land , and a salvage that has pursued him by the view . i have accompanied him in this pursuite ; and the salvage , pricking the deare , comes where hee findes the view of two deares together , leading several wayes . one hee was sure , was fresh , but which ( by the sence of seeing ) hee could not judge , therefore , with his knife , hee diggs up the earth of one ; and by smelling , sayes , that was not of the fresh deare : then diggs hee up the other ; and viewing and smelling to that , concludes it to be the view of the fresh deare , which hee had pursued , and thereby followes the chase and killes that deare , and i did eate part of it with him : such is their perfection in these two sences . chap. xvi . of their acknovvledgment of the creation , and immortality of the soule . although these salvages are found to be without religion , law , and king ( as sir william alexander hath well observed , ) yet are they not altogether without the knowledge of god ( historically ) for they have it amongst them by tradition , that god made one man and one woman , and bad them live together , and get children , kill deare , beasts , birds , fish , and fowle , and what they would at their pleasure ; and that their posterity was full of evill , and made god so angry : that hee let in the sea upon them , & drowned the greatest part of them , that were naughty men , ( the lord destroyed so . ) and they went to sanaconquam who feeds upon them , pointing to the center of the earth : where they imagine is the habitation of the devill : ) the other , ( which were not destroyed , ) increased the world ; and when they died ( because they were good ) went to the howse of kytan , pointing to the setting of the sonne ; where they eate all manner of dainties , and never take paines ( as now ) to provide it . kytan makes provision ( they say ) and saves them that laboure and there they shall live with him forever voyd of care . and they are perswaded that kytan is hee that makes corne growe , trees growe , and all manner of fruits . and that wee that use the booke of common prayer , doo it to declare to them , that cannot reade , what kytan has commaunded us , and that wee doe pray to him with the helpe of that booke ; and doe make so much accompt of it , that a salvage ( who had lived in my howse before hee had taken a wife , by whome hee had children ) made this request to mee ( knowing that i allwayes used him with much more respect then others . ) that i would let his sonne be brought up in my howse , that hee might be taught to reade in that booke : which request of his i granted ; and hee was a very joyfull man to thinke , that his sonne should thereby ( as hee said ) become an englishman ; and then hee would be a good man. i asked him who was a good man ; his answere was , hee that would not lye , nor steale . these , with them , are all the capitall crimes , that can be imagined ; all other are nothing in respect of those : and hee that is free from these , must live with kytan for ever , in all manner of pleasure . chap. xvii . of their annals and funerals . these people , that have by tradition some touch of the immortality of the soule , have likewise a custome to make some monuments , over the place where the corps is interred : but they put a greate difference betwene persons of noble , and of ignoble , or obscure , or inferior discent . for indeed in the grave of the more noble , they put a planck in the bottom for the corps to be layed upon ; and on each side a plancke , and a plancke upon the top in forme of a chest , before they cover the place with earth . this done , they erect some thing over the grave in forme of a hearse cloath , as was that of cheekatawbacks mother , which the plimmouth planters defaced , because they accounted it an act of superstition . which did breede a brawle as hath bin before related : for they hold impious , and inhumane : to deface the monuments of the dead . they themselves esteeme of it as piaculum , and have a custome amongst them , to keepe their annals : & come at certaine times to lament , & bewaile the losse of their freind ; & use to black their faces , which they so weare in stead of a mourning ornament for a longer or a shorter time , according to the dignity of the person : so is their annals kept and observed with their accustomed solemnity . afterwards they absolutely abandon the place , because they suppose the sight thereof , will but renew their sorrow . it was a thing very offensive to them , at our first comming into those parts , to aske of them for any one that had bin dead ; but of later times it is not so offensively taken , to renew the memory of any deseased person , because by our example ( which they are apt to followe ) it is made more familiare unto them ; and they marvell to see no monuments over our dead , and therefore thinke no great sachem is yet come into those parts : or not as yet deade , because they see the graves all alike . chap. xviii . of their custome in burning the country , and the reason thereof . the salvages are accustomed , to set fire of the country in all places where they come ; and to burne it , twize a yeare , vixe at the spring , and the fall of the leafe . the reason that mooves them to doe so , is because it would other wise be so overgrowne with underweedes , that it would be all a coppice wood , and the people would not be able in any wise to passe through the country out of a beaten path . the meanes that they do it with , is with certaine minerall stones , rhat they carry about them : in baggs made for that purpose of the skinnes of little beastes which they convert into good lether ; carrying in the same a peece of touch wood ( very excellent for that purpose of their owne making . these minerall stones they have from the piquenteenes ( which is to the southward of all the plantations in new england ) by trade and trafficke with those people . the burning of the grasse destroyes the underwoods , and so scorcheth the elder trees , that it shrinkes them , and hinders their grouth very much : so that hee that will looke to finde large trees , and good tymber , must not depend upon the help , of a woodden prospect to finde them on the upland ground ; but must seeke for them , ( as i and others have done ) in the lower grounds where the grounds are wett when the country is fired : by reason of the snow water that remaines there for a time , untill the sunne by continuance of th●t hath exhaled the vapoures of the earth , and dried up those places , where the fire ( by reason of the moisture ) can have no power to doe them any hurt : and if he would endevoure to finde out any goodly cedars , hee must not seeke for them on the higher grounds , but make his inquest for them in the vallies , for the salvages by this custome of theirs , have spoiled all the rest : for this custome hath bin continued from the beginninge . and least their firing of the country in this manner ; should be an occasion of damnifying us , and indaingering our habitations ; wee our selves have used carefully about the same times ; to observe the winds and fire the grounds about our owne habitations , to prevent the dammage that might happen by any neglect thereof , if t●e fire should come neere those howses in our absence . for when the fire is once kindled , it dilates and spreads it selfe as well against , as with the winde ; burning continually night and day , untill a shewer of raine falls to quench it . and this custome of firing the country is the meanes to make it passable , and by that meanes the trees growe here , and there as in our parks : and makes the country very beautifull , and commodious . chap. xix . of their inclination to drunkennesse . although drunkennesse be justly termed a vice , which the salvages are ignorant of , yet the benefit is very great , that comes to the planters by the sale of strong liquor to the salvages , who are much taken with the delight of it , for they will pawne their wits , to purchase the acquaintance of it , yet in al the cōmerce that i had with them , i never proffered them any such thing ; nay i would hardly let any of them have a drame unles hee were a sachem , or a winnaytue , that is a rich man , or a man of estimation , next in degree to a sachem , or sagamore : i alwayes tould them it was amongst us the sachems drinke . but they say if i come to the northerne parts of the country , i shall have no trade , if i will not supply thē with lusty liquors , it is the life of the trade , in all those parts , for it so happened , that thus a salvage desperately killed himselfe , when hee was drunke , a gunne being charged and the cock up , hee sets the mouth to his brest , and putting back the tricker with his foote , shot himselfe dead . chap. xx. that the salvages live a contended life . a gentleman and a traveller , that had bin in the parts of new england for a time , when hee retorned againe in his discourse of the country , wondered ( as hee said , ) that the natives of the land lived so poorely , in so rich a country , like to our beggers in england : surely that gentleman had not time or leasure whiles hee was there , truely to informe himselfe of the state of that country , and the happy life the salvages would leade weare they once brought to christianity . i must confesse they want the use and benefit of navigation ( which is the very sinnus of a flourishing commonwealth , ) yet are they supplied with all manner of needefull things , for the maintenance of life and lifelyhood , foode and rayment are the cheife of all that we make true use of ; and of these they finde no want , but have , and may have , them in a most plentifull manner . if our beggers of england should with so much ease ( as they , ) furnish themselves with foode , at all seasons , there would not be so many starved in the streets , neither would so many gaoles be stuffed , or gallouses furni●hed with poore wretches , as i have seene them , but they of this sort of our owne nation , that are fitt to goe to this canaan are not able to transport themselves , and most of them unwilling to goe from the good ale tap ; which is the very loadstone of the lande by which our english beggers steere theire course : it is the northpole to which the flowre-deluce of their compasse points ; the more is the pitty that the commonalty of oure land are of such leaden capacities , as to neglect so brave a country , that doth so plentifully feede maine lusty and a brave , able men , women , and children that have not the meanes that a civilized nation hath to purchase foode and rayment : which that country with a little industry : will yeeld a man in a very comfortable measure ; without overmuch carking . i cannot deny but a civilized nation , hath the preheminence of an uncivilized , by meanes of those instruments that are found to be common amongst civile people , and the uncivile want the use of , to make themselves masters of those ornaments , that make such a glorious shew , that will give a man occasion to cry , sic transit gloria mundi . now since it is but foode and rayment that men that live needeth ( though not all alike , ) why should not the natives of new england be sayd to live richly having no want of either : cloaths are the badge of sinne , and the more variety of fashions is but the greater abuse of the creature , the beasts of the forrest there doe serve to furnish them at any time , when they please : fish and flesh they have in greate abundance which they both roast and boyle . they are indeed not served in dishes of plate with variety of sauces to procure appetite , that needs not there . the rarity of the aire begot by the medicinable quality of the sweete herbes of the country , alwayes procures good stomakes to the inhabitants . i must needs commend them in this particular , that though they buy many commodities of our nation , yet they keepe but fewe , and those of speciall use . they love not to bee cumbered with many utensilles , and although every proprietor knowes his owne , yet all things ( so long as they will last , ) are used in common amongst them : a bisket cake given to one ; that one breakes it equally into so many parts , as there be persons in his company , and distributes it . platoes commonwealth is so much practised by these people . according to humane reason guided onely by the light of nature , these people leades the more happy and freer life , being voyde of care , which torments the mindes of so many christians : they are not delighted in baubles , but in usefull things . their naturall drinke is of the cristall fountaine ; and this they take up in their hands , by joyning them close together . they take up a great quantity at a time , and drinke at the wrists , it was rhe sight of such a feate , which made diogenes hurle away his dishe , and like one that would have this principall confirmed . natura paucis contentat , used a dish no more . i have observed that they will not be troubled with superfluous commodities . such things as they finde , they are taught by necessity to make use of , they will make choise of ; and seeke to purchase with industry so that in respect , that their life is so voyd of care , and they are so loving also that they make use of those things they enjoy ( the wife onely excepted as common goods , and are therein , so compassionate that rather than one should starve through want , they would starve all , thus doe they passe away the time merrily , not regarding our pompe ( whic● they see dayly before their faces ) but are better content with their owne , which some men esteeme s● meanely of . they may be rather accompted to live richly wanting nothing that is needefull ; and to be commended for leading a contented life , the younger bein● ruled by the elder , and the elder ruled by the powahs and the powahs are ruled by the devill , and then yo● may imagin what good rule is like to be amongst them . finis . new english canaan , or new canaan . the second booke . containing a description of the bewty of the country with her naturall indowements , both in the land and sea , with the great lake of erocoise . chap. i. the generall survey of the country . in the moneth of iune , anno salutis : 1622. it was my chaunce to arrive in the parts of new england with 30. servants , and pr●vision of all sorts fit for a plantation : and whiles our howses were building , i did indeavour to take a survey of the country : the more i looked , the more i liked it . and when i had more seriously considered , of the bewty of the place , with all her faire indowments , i did not thinke that in all the knowne world it could be paralel'd . for so many goodly groues of trees ; dainty fine round rising hillucks : delicate faire large plaines ; sweete cristall fountaines ; and cleare running streames , that twine in fine meanders through the meads , making so sweete a murmering noise to heare , as would even lull the sences with delight a sleepe , so pleasantly doe , they glide upon the pebble stones , jetting most jocundly where they doe meete ; and hand in hand runne downe to neptunes court , to pay the yearely tribute , which they owe to him as soveraigne lord of all the springs . contained within the volume of the land , fowles in abundance , fish in multitude , and discovered besides ; millions of turtledoves one the greene boughes : which sate pecking , of the full ripe pleasant grapes , that were supported by the lusty trees , whose fruitfull loade did cause the armes to bend , which here and there dispersed ( you might see ) lillies and of the daphnean-tree , which made the land to mee seeme paradice , for in mine eie , t' was natures master-peece : her cheifest magazine of all , where lives her store : if this land be not rich , then is the whole world poore . what i had resolved on , i have really performed , and i have endeavoured , to use this abstract as an instrument , to bee the meanes , to communicate the knowledge which i have gathered , by my many yeares residence in those parts , unto my countrymen , to the end , that they may the better perceive their error , who cannot imagine , that there is any country in the universall world , which may be compared unto our native soyle , i will now discover unto them a country whose indowments are by learned men allowed to stand in a paralell with the israelites canaan , which none will deny , to be a land farre more excellent then old england in her proper nature . this i consider i am bound in duety ( as becommeth a christian man ) to performe , for the glory of god , in the first place ; next ( according to cicero , ) to acknowledge that , non nobis solum nati sumus , sed partim patria , partim parentes , partim amici vindicant . for which cause i must approove of the indeavoures of my country men , that have bin studious to inlarge the territories of his majesties empire by planting coloines in america . and of all other i must applaude the judgement of those that have made choise of this part ( whereof i now treat ) being of all other most absolute , as i will make it appeare , hereafter by way of paralell , among those that have setled themselvs in new england , some have gone for their conscience sake , ( as they professe ) & i wish that they may plant the gospel of iesus christ : as becommeth them , sincerely and without satisme or faction , whatsoever their former or present practises are ( which i intend not to justifie , howsoever they have deserved ( in mine opinion ) some commendationes , in that they have furnished the country , so commodiously in so short a time , although it hath bin but for their owne profit , yet posterity will taste the sweetnes of it , and that very sodainly . and since my taske in this part of mine abstract , is to intreat of the naturall indowments , of the country , i will make a b●eife demonstration of them in order , severally , according to their severall qualities : and shew you what they are , and what profitable use may be made of them by industry . chap. ii. vvhat trees are there and hovv commodious . oakes are there of two sorts , white and redd , excellent tymber for the building , both of howses , and shipping : and they are found to be a tymber , that is more tough then the oak of england . they are excellent for pipe-staves and such like vessels ; and pipe-staves at the canary ilands are a prime commodity , i have knowne them there at 35. p. the 1000. and will purchase a fraight of wines there before any commodity in england , their onely wood being pine , of which they are enforced , also to build shippinge : of oackes there is great abundance in the parts of new england , and they may have a prime place in the catalogue of commodities . ashe there is store and very good for staves , oares or pikes , and may have a place in the same cat●logue . elme : of this sort of trees , there are some ; but there hath not as yet bin found any quantity to speake of . beech there is of two sorts , redd and white very excellent for trenchers , or chaires and also for oares and may be accompted for a commodity . wallnut , of this sorte of wood there is infinite store and there are 4. sorts , it is an excellent wood , for many uses approoved , the younger trees are imployed for hoopes , and are the best for that imployement of all other stuffe whatsoever , the nutts serve when they fall to feede our swine , which make them the delicatest bacon of all other foode , and is therein a cheife commodity . chestnutt , of this sorte there is very greate plenty ; the tymber whereof is excellent for building and is a very good commodity , especially in respect of the fruit , both for man and beast . pine , of this sorte there is infinite store in some parts of the country . i have travelled 10. miles together , where is little , or no other wood growing . and of these may be made rosin , pitch , and tarre , which are such usefull commodities , that if wee had them not from other countries in amity with england , our navigation would decline . then how great the commodity of it will be to our nation , to have it of our owne , let any man judge . cedar , of this sorte there is abundaunce ; and this wood was such as salomon used for the building of that glorious temple at hierusalem , and there are of these cedars , firre trees , and other materialls necessary for the building of many faire temples , if there were any salomons to be at the cost of them , and if any man be desirous to finde out in what part of the country the best cedars are , he must get into the bottom grounds , and in vallies that are wet at the spring of the yeare , where the moisture preserves them from the fire in spring time and not in a woodden prospect , this wood cutts red , and is good for bedsteads tables and chests , and may be placed in the catalogue of commodities . cypres , of this there is great plenty , and vulgarly this tree hath bin taken , for another sort of cedar ; but workemen put a difference betweene this cypres , and the cedar , especially in the colour ; for this is white and that redd white and likewise in the finenes of the leafe and the smoothnes of the barque . this wood is also sweeter then cedar and ( as it is in garrets herball ) a more bewtifull tree ; it is of all other to my minde , most bewtifull , and cannot be denied to passe for a commodity . spruce , of these there are infinite store , especially in the northerne parts of the country : and they have bin approoved by workemen in england , to be more tough , then those that they have out of the east country : from whence wee have them for masts and yards of shipppes . the spruce of this country are found to be 3. and 4. fadum about : and are reputed able single , to make masts for the biggest ship , that sayles on the maine ocean , without peesing , which is more than the east country can afford . and seeing that navigation is the very sinneus of a flourishing common-wealth , it is fitting , to allow the spruce tree a principall place , in the catalogue of commodities . alder , of ths sorte there is plenty by rivers sides good for turners . birch , of this there is plenty in divers parts of the country . of the barck of these the salvages of the northerne parts make them delicate canowes , so light , that two men will transport one of them over land whether they list , and yet one of them will transporte tenne or twelffe salvages by water at a time . mayple , of those trees there is greate abundance , and these are very excellent , for bowles . the indians use of it to that purpose , and is to be accompted a good commodity . elderne , there is plenty in that country , of this the salvages make their arrowes , and it hath no strong unsavery sent like our eldern in england . hawthorne , of this there is two sorts , one of which beares a well tasting berry , as bigg as ones thumbe , and lookes like little queene apples , vines , of this kinde of trees , there are that beare grapes of three colours , that is to say : white , black , and red . the country is so apt for vines , that ( but for the fire at the spring of the yeare ) the vines would so over spreade the land , that one should not be able to passe for them , the fruit is as bigg of some ; as a musket bullet , and is excellent in taste . plumtrees , of this kinde there are many ; some that beare fruit as bigg as our ordinary bullis : others there be , that doe beare fruite much bigger than peare plummes , their colour redd , and their stones flat , very delitious in taste . cheritrees , there are abundance , but the fruit is as small as our sloes , but if any of them were replanted , & grafted , in an orchard they would soone be raised by meanes of such and the like fruits . there is greate abundance of muske roses in divers places : the water distilled excelleth our rosewater of england . there is abundance af sassafras and sarsaperilla , growing in divers places of the land ; whose budds at the spring doe perfume the aire . other trees there are not greatly materiall to be recited in this abstract , as goose berries , rasberies , and other beries . there is hempe that naturally groweth , finer then our hempe of england . chap. iii. potthearbes and other herbes for sallets . the country there naturally affordeth very good potherbes and fallet herbes and those of a more maskuline vertue then any of the same species in england ; as potmarioram , tyme , alexander , angellica , pursland , violets , and anniseeds , in very great abundance : and forthe pott i gathered in summer , dried and crumbled into a bagg to preserve for winter store . hunnisuckles , balme , and divers other good herbes are there , that grow without the industry of man , that are used when occasion serveth very commodiously . chap. iv. of birds , and fethered fovvles . now that i have breifly shewed the commodity of the trees , herbes , and fruits . i will shew you a description of the fowles of the aire , as most proper in ordinary course . and first of the swanne , because shee is the biggest of all the fowles of that country . there are of them in merrimack river , and in other parts of the country , greate store at the seasons of the yeare . the flesh is not much desired of the inhabitants , but the skinnes may be accompted a commodity , fitt for divers uses , both for fethers , and quiles . there are geese of three sorts vize brant geese , which are pide , and white geese which are bigger , and gray geese which are as bigg and bigger then the tame geese of england , with black legges , black bills , heads , and necks black ; the flesh farre more excellent , then the geese of england , wilde or tame , yet the purity of the aire is such , that the biggest is accompted but an indifferent meale for a couple of men . there is of them great abundance . i have had often 1000. before the mouth of my gunne , i never saw any in england for my part so fatt , as i have killed there in those parts , the fethers of them makes a bedd , softer then any down bed that i have lyen on : and is there a very good commodity , the fethers of the geese that i have killed in a short time , have paid for all the powther and shott , i have spent in a yeare , and i have fed my doggs with as fatt geese there , as i have euer fed upon my selfe in england . ducks , there are of three kindes , pide ducks , gray ducks , and black ducks in greate abundance : the most about my habitation were black ducks : and it was a noted custome at my howse , to have every mans duck upon a trencher , and then you will thinke a man was not hardly used , they are bigger boddied , then the tame ducks of england : very fatt and dainty flesh . the common doggs fees were the gibletts , unlesse they were boyled now and than for to make broath . teales , there are of two sorts greene winged , and blew winged : but a dainty bird , i have bin much delighted with a rost of these for a second course , i had plenty in the rivers and ponds about my howse . widggens there are , and abundance of othe● water foule , some such as i have seene , and such a● i have not seene else where , before i came into those parts , which are little regarded . simpes , there are like our simpes in all respects , with very litle difference . i have shot at them onely , to see what difference i could finde betweene them and and those of my native country , and more i did no● regard them . sanderlings are a dainty bird , more full boddied than a snipe , and i was much delighted to feede on them , because they were fatt , and easie to come by , because i went but a stepp or to for them : and i have killed betweene foure and five dozen at a shoot which would loade me home . their foode is at ebbing water on the sands , of small seeds , that grows on weeds there , and are very good pastime in august . cranes , there are greate store , that ever more came there at s. davids day , and not before : that day they never would misse . these sometimes eate our corne , and doe pay for their presumption well enough ; and serveth there in powther , with turnips to supply the place of powthered beefe , and is a goodly bird in a dishe , and no discommodity . turkies there are , which divers times in great flocks have sallied by our doores ; and then a gunne ( being commonly in a redinesse , ) salutes them with such a courtesie , as makes them take a turne in the cooke roome . they daunce by the doore so well . of these there hath bin killed , that have weighed forty eight pound a peece . they are by mainy degrees sweeter then the tame turkies of england , feede them how you can . i had a salvage who hath taken out his boy in a morning , and th●y have brought home their loades about noone . i have asked them what number they found in the woods , who have answered neent metawna , which is a thosand that day ; the plenty of them is such in those parts . they are easily killed at rooste , because the one being killed , the other sit fast neverthelesse , and this is no bad commodity . there are a kinde of fowles which are commonly called pheisants , but whether they be pheysants or no , i will not take upon mee , to determine . they are in forme like our pheisant henne of england . both the male and the female are alike ; but they are rough footed ; and have stareing fethers about the head and neck , the body is as bigg as the pheysant henne of england ; and are excellent white flesh , and delicate white meate , yet we seldome bestowe a shoot at them . partridges , there are much , like our partridges of england , they are of the same plumes , but bigger in body . they have not the signe of the horseshoe on the brest as the partridges of england ; nor are they coloured about the heads as those are ; they sit on the trees . for i have seene 40. in one tree at a time : yet at night they fall on the ground , and sit untill morning so together ; and are dainty flesh . there are quailes also , but bigger then the quailes in england . they take trees also : for i have numbered 60. upon a tree at a time . the cocks doe call at the time of the yeare , but with a different note from the cock quailes of england . the larkes there , are like our larkes of england in all respects : sauing that they doe not use to sing at all . there are owles of divers kindes : but i did never heare any of them whop as ours doe . there are crowes , kights and rooks that doe differ in some respects from those of england . the crowes ( which i have much admired , what should be the cause ) both smell and taste of muske in summer , but not in winter . there are hawkes in new england of 5. sorts , and these of all other fether fowles i must not omitt , to speake of , nor neede i to make any apology for my selfe , concerning any trespasse , that i am like to make upon my judgement , concerning the nature of them , having bin bred in so genious a way , that i had the common use of them in england : and at my first arrivall in those parts practised to take a lannaret , which i reclaimed , trained , and made flying in a fortnight , the same being a passinger at michuelmas . i found that these are most excellent mettell , rank winged , well conditioned , and not tickleish footed , and having whoods , bels , luers , and all things fitting , was desirous to make experiment of that kinde of hawke , before any other . and i am perswaded : that nature hath ordained them to be of a farre better kinde , then any that have bin used in england . they have neither dorre , nor worme to feed upon ( as in other parts of the world ) the country affording none , the use whereof in other parts , makes the lannars there more bussardly , then they be in new england . there are likewise fawcons , and tassell gentles , admirable well shaped birds , and they will tower up when they purpose to pray , and on a sodaine , when they esspie their game , they will make such a cancellere , that one would admire to behold them , some there are more black , then any that have bin used in england . the tassell gent , ( but of the least size ) is an ornament for a person of estimation among the indians to weare in the knot of his lock , with the traine upright , the body dried and stretched out . they take a great pride in the wearing of such an ornament , and give to one of us ( that shall kill them one for that purpose ) so much beaver as is worth three pounds sterling very willingly . these doe us but little trespas , because they pray on such birds as are by the sea side , and not on our chickens . goshawkes there are , and tassels . the tassels are short trussed bussards ; but the goshawkes are well shaped , but they are small ; some of white male , and some redd male , i have seene one with 8. barres in the traine . these fall on our bigger poultry : the lesser chicken . i thinke they scorne to make their pray of ; for commonly the cocke goes to wrack . of these i have seene many , and if they come to trespasse me , i lay the law to them with the gunne , and take them dammage fesant . there are very many marlins ; some very small , and some so large as is the barbary tassell . i have often beheld these pretty birds , how they have scoured after the black bird , which is a small sized choffe that eateth the indian maisze . sparhawkes there are also , the fairest , and best shaped birds that i have ever beheld of that kinde , those that are litle , no use is made of any of them , neither are they regarded , i onely tried conclusions with a lannaret at first comming ; and when i found , what was in that bird , i turned him going : but for so much as i have observed of those birds , they may be a fitt present for a prince ; and for goodnesse too be preferred before the barbary , or any other used in christendome , and especially the lannars and lannarets . there is a curious bird to see to , called a hunning bird , no bigger then a great beetle ; that out of question lives upon the bee , which hee eateth and catcheth amongst flowers : for it is his custome to frequent those places , flowers hee cannot feed upon by reason of his sharp bill , which is like the poynt of a spannish needle , but shorte . his fethers have a glasse like silke , and as hee stirres , they shew to be of a chaingable coloure : and has bin , and is admired for shape coloure , and size . chap. v. of the beasts , of the forrest . now that i have made a rehearsall of the birds , and fethered fowles , which participate most of aire , i will give you a description of the beasts , and shew you , what beasts are bred in those parts , and what my experience hath gathered , by observation of their kinde , and nature , i begin with the most usefull and most beneficiall beast , which is bredd in those parts , which is the deare . there are in this country , three kindes of deare ▪ of which there are greate plenty , and those are very usefull . first , therefore i will speake of the elke , which the salvages call a mose : it is a very large deare , with a very faire head , and a broade palme , like the palme of a fallow deares horne , but much bigger , and is 6. footewide betweene the tipps , which grow curbing downwards : hee is of the bignesse of a great horse . there have bin of them , seene that has bin 18. handfulls highe : hee hath a bunch of haire under his jawes : hee is not swifte , but stronge and large in body , and longe legged ; in somuch that hee doth use to kneele , when hee feedeth on grasse . hee bringeth forth three faunes , or younge ones , at a time ; and being made tame , would be good for draught , and more usefull ( by reason of their strength ) then the elke of raushea . these are found very frequent , in the northerne parts of new england , their fle●h is very good foode , and much better then our redd deare of england . their hids are by the salyages converted into very good lether , and dressed as white as milke . of this lether , the salvages make the best shooes , and use to barter away the skinnes to other salvages , that have none of that kinde of bests in the parts where they live . very good buffe may be made of the hids , i have seene a hide as large as any horse hide that can be found . there is such abundance of them that the salvages , at hunting time , have killed of them so many , that they have bestowed six or seaven at a time , upon one english man whome they have borne affection to . there is a second sort of deare ( lesse then the redd deare of england , but much bigger then the english fallow deare ) swift of foote , but of a more darke coloure ; with some griseld heares . when his coate is full growne in the summer season , his hornes grow curving , with a croked beame , resembling our redd deare , not with a palme like the fallow deare . these bringe 3. fawnes at a time , spotted like our fallow deares fawnes ; the salvages say , foure , i speake of what i know to be true ; for i have killed , in february a doe with three fawnes in her belly , all heared , and ready to fall ; for these deare fall their fawnes , 2. moneths sooner ; then the fallow deare of england . there is such abundance of them , that an hundred have bin found at the spring of the yeare , within the compasse of a mile . the salvages take these in trappes made of their naturall hempe , which they place in the earth ; where they fell a tree for browse , and when hee rounds the tree for the browse , if hee tread on the trapp , hee is horsed up by the legg , by meanes of a pole that starts up , and catcheth him . their hides the saluages use for cloathing , and will give for one hide killed in season 2.3 . or 4. beaver skinnes , which will yeild pounds a peece in that country : so much is the deares hide prised with them above the beaver . i have made good merchandize of these , the flesh is farre sweeter then the venison of england : and hee feedeth fatt and leane together as a swine , or mutton , where as our deare of england feede fatt on the out side , they doe not croake at rutting time , nor spendle shafte , nor is their flesh discolored at rutting . hee that will impale ground fitting , may be brought once in the yeare , wherewith bats and men hee may take so many to put into that parke , as the hides will pay the chardge of impalcinge , if all these things be well considered , the deare , as well as the mose , may have a principall place in the catalogue of commodities . i for my part may be bould to tell you , that my howse , was not without the flesh of this sort of deare , winter nor summer , the humbles was ever my dogges fee , which by the wesell , was hanged on the barre in in the chimny , for his diet only : for hee has brought to my stand a brace in a morning , one after the other , before sunne rising , which i have killed . there is likewise , a third sorte of deare , lesse then the other , ( which are a kinde of rayne deare ) to the southward of all the english plantations , they are excellen● good flesh . and these also bring three fawnes at a time , and in this particular the deare of thos● parts , excell all the knowne deare of the whol● world . on all these the wolfes doe pray continually the best meanes they have ( to escape the wolfes is b● swimming to islands , or necks of land , whereb● they escape : for the wolfe will not presume to follow them , untill they see them over a river ; then being landed , ( they wayting on the shore ) undertake the water , and so follow with fresh suite . the next in mine opinion fit to be spoaken of , is the beaver ; which is a beast ordained , for land and water both , and hath fore feete like a cunny , her hinder feete like a goese , mouthed like a cunny , but short eared like a serat , fishe in summer , and wood in winter , which hee conveyes to his howse built on the water , wherein hee sitts with his tayle hanging in the water , which else would over heate and rot off . hee cuts the bodies of trees downe with his fore-teeth , which are so long as a boares tuskes , & with the help of other beavers ( which held by each others tayles like a teeme of horses ) the hind most with the legg on his shoulder stayed by one of his fore feete against his head ) they draw the logg to the habitation appoynted , placing the loggs in a ●quare , and so by pyling one uppon another , they build up a howse , which with boghes is covered very strongly , and placed in some pond to which they make a damme of brush wood like a hedge : so stronge , that i have gone on the top of it crosse the current of that pond . the flesh of this beast is excellent foode . the fleece is a very choise furre , which ( before the salvages had commerce with christians ) they burned of the tayle , this beast is of a masculine vertue for the advancement of priapus : and is preserved for a dish for the sachems , or sagamores : who are the princ●s of the people but not kings ( as is fondly supposed . ) the skinnes are the best marchantable commodity , that can be found , to cause ready mony to be brought into the land , now that they are raised to 10. shill●ngs a pound . a servant of mine in 5. yeares , was thought to have a 1000. p. in ready gold gotten by beaver when hee dyed ; whatsoever became of it . and this beast may challenge preheminence in the catalogue . the otter of those parts , in winter season hath a furre so black as jett , and is a furre of very highe price : a good black skinne is worth 3. or 4. angels of gold . the flesh is eaten by the salvages : but how good it is i cannot shew , because it is not eaten by our nation . yet is this a beast , that ought to be placed in the number amongst the commodities of the country . the luseran , or luseret , is a beast like a catt : but so bigg as a great hound : with a tayle shorter then a catt . his clawes are like a catts , hee will make a pray of the deare . his flesh is dainty meat , like a lambe : his hide is a choise furre , and accompted a good commodity . the martin is a beast about the bignes , of a foxe . his furre is chestnutt coloure , and of those there are greate store in the northerne parts of the country , and is a good commodity . the racowne is a beast as bigg , full out , as a foxe , with a bushtayle . his flesh excellent foode : his oyle precious for the syattica , his furre course , but the skinnes serve the salvages for coats : and is with those people of more esteeme , then a coate of beaver , because of the tayles that ( hanging round in their order ) doe adorne the garment , and is therefore so much esteemed of them . his fore feete are like the feete of an ape ; and by the print thereof , in the time of snow , he is followed to his hole , which is commonly in a hollow tree , from whence hee is fiered out , and saotken . the foxes are of two coloures : the one redd , the other gray , these feede on fish ; and are good furre , they doe not stinke , as the foxes of england , but their condition for their pray , is as the foxes of england . the wolfes are of divers coloures : some sandy coloured : some griselled , and some black , their foode is fish which they catch , when they passe up the rivers , into the ponds to spawne , at the spring time . the deare are also their pray , and at summer , when they have whelpes , the bitch will fetch a puppy dogg from our dores , to feede their whelpes with . they are fearefull curres , and will runne away from a man ( that meeteth them by chaunce at a banke end ) as fast as any fearefull dogge . these pray upon the deare very much . the skinnes are used by the salvages , especially the skinne of the black wolfe , which is esteemed a present for a prince there . when there ariseth any difference betweene prince , and prince , the prince that desires to be reconciled to his neighbouring prince does endeavour to purchase it , by sending him a black wolfes skinne for a present , and the acceptance of such a present is an assurance of reconciliation betweene them ; and the salvages will willingly give 40. beaver skinnes for the purchase of one of these black wolfes skinnes : and allthough the beast himselfe be a discommodity , which other countries of christendome are subject unto , yet is the skinne of the black wolfe worthy , the title of a commodity , in that respect that hath bin declared . if i should not speake something of the beare , i might happily leave a scruple , in the mindes of some effeminate persone who conceaved of more dainger in them , then there is cause . therefore to incourage them against all feare , and fortifie their mindes against needles danger , i will relate what experience hath taught mee ; concerning them , they are beasts that doe no harme in those parts : they feede upon hurtle buries , nuts , and fish , especially shellfish . the beare is a tyrant at a lobster , and at low water will downe to the rocks , and groape after them with great diligence . hee will runne away from a man as fast as a litle dogge , if a couple of salvages chaunce to espie him at his banquet , his running a way , will not serve his turne , for they will coate him , and chase him betweene them home to theire howses , where they kill him , to save a laboure in carrying him farre . his flesh is esteemed venison , and of a better taste then beefe . his hide is used by the salvages , for garments , and is more commodious than discommodious , and may passe ( with some allowance ) with the rest . the muske washe , is a beast that frequenteth the ponds . what hee eats i cannot finde . hee is but a small beast , lesse then a cunny , and is indeede in those parts no other then a water ratte , for i have seene the suckers of them digged out of a banke ; and at that age , they neither differed in shape coloure , nor size , from one of our greate ratts . when hee is ould , hee is of the beavers coloure ; and hath passed in waite with our chapmen for beaver . the male of them have stones , which the salvages , in un caseing of them , leave to the skinne , which is a most delicate perfume , and may compare with any perfume that i know for goodnesse ; then may not this be excluded the catalogue . this country , in the north parts thereof , hath many porcupines , but i doe not finde , the beast any way usefull or hurtfull . there are in those northerne parts many hedge-hoggs , of the like nature , to our e●glish hedghoggs . here are greate store of co●yes in th●se parts , of divers coloures ; some white , some black , and some gray . those towards the southerne parts are very small , but those to the north are as bigg as the english cony : their eares are very short . for meate the small rabbit is as good as any that i have eaten of else where . there are squirils of three sorts , very different ●n shape and condition ; and is gray , and hee is as bigg as the lesser cony , and keepeth the woods feeding , upon nutts . another is red , and hee haunts our howses , and will rob us of our corne , but the catt many times , payes him the price of his presumption . the third is a little flying squirill , with bat like winges , which hee spreads when hee jumpes from tree to tree , and does no harme . now because i am upon a treaty of the beasts , i will place this creature the snake amongst the beasts having my warrant from the holy bible ; who ( though his posture in his passage be so different from all other , being of a more subtile and aidry nature , that hee can make his way without feete , and lifte himselfe above the superficies of the earth , as hee glids along . ) yet may he not bee ranked with any , but the beasts , no●●ithstanding hee frequents the water , as well as the land . there are of snakes divers , and of severall kindes , as be with us in england , but that country hath not so many , as in england have bin knowne . the generall salvage name of them is ascowke ▪ there is one creeping beast or longe creeple ( a●● the name is in devonshire , ) that hath a rattle at hi● tayle , that does discover his age ; for so many yeares a● hee hath lived , so many joynts are in that rattle , which soundeth ( when it is in motion , ) like pease in a bladder , and this beast is called a rattle snake ; but the salvages give him the name of sesick ; which some tak● to be the adder ; and it may well be so ; for the salvages are significiant in their denomination of an● thing ) and is no lesse hurtfull than the adder of england , nor no more . i have had my dogge venome with troubling one of these ; and so swelled , that had thought it would have bin his death : but wit● one saucer of salet oyle powred downe his throate , h● has recovered , and the swelling asswaged by the next day . the like experiment hath bin made upon a boy , that hath by chaunce troad upon one of these , and the boy never the worse . therefore it is simplicity in any one that shall tell a bugbeare tale of horrible , or terrible serpents that are in that land . mise there are good store , and my lady wood-bees black gray malkin may have pastime enough there : but for rats , the country by nature is troubbled with none . lyons there are none in new england : it is contrary to the nature of the beast , to frequent places accustomed to snow ; being like the catt , that will hazard the burning of her tayle rather than abide from the fire . chap. vi. of stones and minerals . now ( for as much as i have in a breife abstract shewed you the creatures : whose specificall natures doe simpathise with the elements of fire and aire ) i will come to speake of the creatures ●hat participate of earth more then the other two , which is stones . and first of the marble for building ; whereof there is much in those parts , in so much as there is one ●ay in the land , that beareth the name of marble har●er , because of the plenty of marble there : and these are usefull for building of sumpteous pallaces . and because , no good building can be made permanent , or durable , without lime : i will let you understand that there is good limestone neere to the river of monatoquinte at uttaquatock to my knowledge and we hope other places too , ( that i have not taken so much notice of ) may have the like , or better : and those stones are very convenient for building . chalke stones there are neere squantos chappell shewed me by a salvage . there is abundance of excellent slate in divers places of the country : and the best that ever i beheld for covering of howses : and the inhabitanrs have made good use of these materials for building . there is a very usefull stone in the land , and as yet there is found out but one place where they may be had , in the whole country , ould woodman , ( that was choaked at plimmouth after hee had played the unhappy markes man when hee was pursued by a carelesse fellow that was new come into the land ) they say laboured ro get a patent of it to himselfe . hee was beloved of many , and had many sonnes , that had a minde to engrosse that commodity . and i cannot spie any mention made of it in the woodden prospect . therefore i begin to suspect his aime : that it was for himselfe , and therefore will i not discover it , it is the stone so much commended by ovid , because love delighteth to make his habitation in a building of those materials , where hee advises . those that seeke for love to doe it , duris in cotibus illum . this stone the salvages doe call cos , and of these ( on the north end of richmond iland ) are store , and those are very excellent good for edg'd tooles : i envy not his happinesse . i have bin there : viewed the place , liked the commodity : but will not plant so northerly for that , nor any other commodity that is there to be had . there are loadestones also in the northerne parts of the land : and those which were found are very good , and are a commodity worth the noteing . iron stones there are abundance : and severall sorts of them knowne . lead ore is there likewise , and hath bin found by the breaking of earth , which the frost hath made mellow . black leade i have likewise found very good , which the salvages use to paint their faces with . red leade is there likewise in great abundance . there is very excellent boll armoniack . there is most excellent vermilion . all these things the salvages make some litle use of , and doe finde them on the circumference of the earth . brimstone mines there are likewise . mines of tinne , are likewise knowne to be in those parts : which will in short time be made use of : and this cannot be accompted a meane commodity . copper mines are there found likewise : that will inrich the inhabitants . but untill theire younge cattell , be growne hardy labourers in the yoake , that the plough and the wheate may be seene more plentifully , it is a worke must be forborne . they say there is a silver , and a gold mine found by captaine littleworth : if hee get a patent of it to himselfe , hee will surely change his name . chap. vii . of the fishes , and vvhat commodity they proove . among fishes . first i will begin with the codd ; because it is the most commodious of all fish , as may appeare , by the use which is made of them in forraigne parts . the codd fishing is much used in america , ( whereof new england is a part ) in so much as 300. sayle of shipps , from divers parts , have used to be imployed yearely in that trade . i have seene in one harboure , next richmond iland 15. sayle of shipps at one time , that have taken in them , driyed codds for spaine , and the straights ( and it has bin found that the saylers have made 15.18.20.22 . p. share for a common man. the coast aboundeth with such multitudes of codd , that the inhabitants of new england doe dunge their grounds with codd ; and it is a commodity better than the golden mines of the spanish indies ; for without dried codd the spaniard , portingal , and italian , would not be able to vittel of a shipp for the sea ; and i am sure at the canaries it is the principall commodity : which place lyeth neere new england yery convenient , for the vending of this commodity , one hundred of these being at the price of 300. of new found land codds , greate store of traine oyle , is mayd of the livers of the codd , and is a commodity that without question will enrich the inhabitants of new england quicly ; and is therefore a principall commodity . the basse is an excellent fish , both fresh and salte one hundred whereof salted ( at a market ) have yeilded 5. p. they are so large , the head of one will give a good eater a dinner , and for daintinesse of diet , they excell the marybones of beefe . there are such multitudes , that i have seene stopped into the river close adjoyning to my howse with a sand at one tide , so many as will loade a ship of a 100. tonnes . other places have greater quantities in so much , as wagers have bin layed , that one should not throw a stone in the water , but that hee should hit a fish . i my selfe , at the turning of the tyde , have seene such multitudes passe out of a pound , that it seemed to mee , that one might goe over their backs drishod . these follow the bayte up the rivers , and sometimes are follwed for bayte and chased into the bayes , and shallow waters , by the grand pise : and these may have also a prime place in the catalogue of commodities . the mackarels are the baite for the basse , and these have bin chased into the shallow waters , where so many thousands have shott themselves a shore with the surfe of the se● that whole hogges-heads have bin taken up on the sands ; and for length they excell any of other parts : they have bin measured 18. and 19. inches in length , and seaven in breadth : and are taken with a drayle , ( as boats use to passe to and froe at sea on businesse ) in yery greate quantities all alonge the coaste . the fish is good , salted ; for store against the winter , as well as fresh , and to be accounted a good commodity . this sturgeon in england is regalis piscis . every man in new england may catch what hee will , there are multitudes of them , and they are much fatter then those that are brought into england from other parts , in so much as by reason of their fatnesse , they doe not looke white , but yellow , which made a cooke presume they were not so good as them of roushea : silly fellow that could not understand that it is the nature of fish salted , or pickelled , the fatter the yellower being best to preserve . for the taste i have warrant of ladies of worth , with choise pallats for the commendations , who liked the taste so well , that they esteemed it beyond the sturgeon of other parts , and sayd they were deceaved in the lookes : therefore let the sturgeon passe for a commodity . of salmons there is greate abundance : and these may be allowed for a commodity , and placed in the catallogue . of herrings , there is greate store , fat , and faire : and ( to my minde ) as good as any i have seene , and these may be preserved , and made a good commodity at the canaries . of eeles there is abundance , both in the salt-waters , and in the fresh : and the fresh water eele there ( if i may take the judgement of a london fishmonger ) is the best that hee hath found in his life time . i have with jieele potts found my howse hold , ( being nine persons , besides doggs ) with them , taking them every tide , ( for 4. moneths space , ) and preserving of them for winter store : and these may proove a good commodity . of smelts there is such abundance , that the salvages doe take them up in the rivers with baskets , like sives . there is a fish , ( by some called shadds , by some allizes ) that at the spring of the yeare , passe up the rivers to spaune in the ponds ; and are taken in such multitudes in every river , that hath a pond at the end , that the inhabitants doung their ground with them . you may see in one towneship a hundred acres together , set with these fish , every acre taking 1000. of them : and an acre thus dressed will produce and yeald so much corne , as 3. acres without fish : and ( least any virginea man would inferre hereupon , that the ground of new england is barren , because they use no fish in setting their corne , i desire them to be remembred , the cause is plaine in virginea ) they have it not to sett . but this practise is onely for the indian maize ( which must be set by hands ) not for english graine : and this is therefore a commodity there . there is a large sized fish called hallibut , or turbut : some are taken so bigg that two men have much a doe to hale them into the boate ; but there is such plenty , that the fisher men onely eate the heads , and finnes , and throw away the bodies : such in paris would yeeld 5. or 6. crownes a peece : and this is no discommodity . there are excellent plaice and easily taken . they ( at flowing water ) do almost come a shore , so that one may stepp but halfe a foote deepe , and prick them up on the sands : and this may passe with some allowance . hake is a dainty white fish , and excellent vittell fresh ; and may passe with other commodities , because there are multitudes . there are greate store of pilchers : at michelmas , in many places , i have seene the cormorants in length 3. miles feedinge upon the sent. lobsters are there infinite in store in all the parts of the land , and very excellent . the most use that i made of them , in 5. yeares after i came there was but to baite my hooke for to catch basse , i had bin so cloyed with them the first day i went a shore . this being knowne , they shall passe for a commodity to the inhabitants ; for the salvages will meete 500 , or 1000. at a place where lobsters come in with the tyde , to eate , and save dried for store , abiding in that place , feasting and sporting a moneth or 6. weekes together . there are greate store of oysters in the entrance of all rivers : they are not round as those of england , but excellent fat , and all good . i have seene an oyster banke a mile at length . mustles there are infinite store , i have often go● to wassaguscus ; where were excellent mustles to eate ( for variety ) the fish is so fat and large . clames is a shellfish , which i have seene sold in westminster for 12. pe . the skore . these our swine feede upon ; and of them there is no want , every shore is full , it makes the swine proove exceedingly , they will not faile at low water to be with them . the salvages are much taken with the delight of this fishe ; and are not cloyed ( notwithstanding the plenty ) for our swine we finde it a good commodity . raser fishes there are . freeles there are , cockles , and scallopes , and divers other sorts of shellfishe , very good foode . now that i have shewed you what commodities are there to be had in the sea , for a market ; i will shew what is in the land also , for the comfort of the inhabitants , wherein it doth abound . and because my taske is an abstract , i will discover to them the commodity thereof . there are in the rivers , and ponds , very excellent trouts , carpes , breames , pikes , roches , perches , tenches , eeles , and other fishes , such as england doth afford , and as good , for variety ; yea many of them much better ; and the natives of the inland parts , doe buy bookes of us , to catch them with , and i have knowne the time , that a trouts hooke hath yeelded a beaver skinne , which hath bin a good commodity to those that have bartered them away . these things i offer to your consideration ( curteous reader ) and require you to shew mee the like in any part of the knowne world if you can . chap. viii . of the goodnes of the country and the waters . now since it is a country so infinitely blest with foode , and fire , to roast or boyle our flesh and fish , why should any man feare for cold there , in a country warmer in the winter , than some parts of france & neerer the sunne : unles hee be one of those that salomon bids goe to the ant and the bee. there is no boggy ground , knowne in all the country , from whence the sunne may exhale unwholsom vapors : but there are divers arematicall herbes , and plants , as sassafras , muske roses , violets , balme , lawrell , hunnisuckles , and the like , that with their vapors perfume the aire ; and it has bin a thing much observed that , shipps have come from virginea where there have bin scarce five men able to hale a rope , untill they have come within 40. degrees of latitude , and smell the sweet aire of the shore , where they have suddainly recovered . and for the water , therein it excelleth canaan by much , for the land is so apt for fountaines , a man cannot digg amisse , therefore if the abrahams and lots of our times come thether , there needs be no contention for wells . besides there are waters of most excellent vertues , worthy admiration . at ma-re mount , there was a water ( by mee discovered ) that is most excellent for the cure of melancolly probatum . at weenasemute is a water , the vertue whereof is , to cure barrenesse . the place taketh his name of that fountaine which signifieth quick spring , or quickning spring probatum . neere squantos chappell ( a place so by us called ) is a fountaine , that causeth a dead sleepe for 48. howres , to those that drinke 24. ounces at a draught , and so proportionably . the salvages that are powahs at set times use it , and reveale strang things to the vulgar people by meanes of it , so that in the delicacy of waters , and the conveniency of them , canaan came not neere this country . as for the milke and hony which that canaan flowed with , it is supplyed by the plenty of birds ; beasts and fish , whereof canaan could not boast her selfe . yet never the lesse ( since the milke came by the industry of the first inhabitants , ) let the cattell be chereshed that are at this time in new england , and forborne but a litle , i will aske no long time ; no more , but untill the brethren have converted one salvage , and made him a good christian , and i may be bold to say , butter and cheese will be cheaper there , then ever it was in canaan . it is cheaper there then in old england at this present , for there are store of cowes ; considering the people : which ( as my intelligence gives ) is 12000. persons , and in gods name let the people have their desire , who wri● to their freinds , to come out of sodome , to the land of canaan , a land that flowes with milke and hony. and i appeale to any man of judgement whether it be not a land , that for her excellent indowments of nature may passe for a plaine paralell to canaan of israell , being in a more temporat climat , this being in 40. degrees and that in 30. chap. ix . a perspective to vievv the country by . as for the soyle , i may be bould to commend the fertility thereof , and preferre it before the soyle of england , ( our native country ) and i neede not to produce more then one argument for proffe thereof , because it is so infallible . hempe is a thing by husband men in generall agreed upon , to prosper best , in the most fertile soyle : and experience hath taught this rule , that hempe-seede prospers so well in new england , that it shewteth up to be tenne foote high and tenne foote and a halfe , which is twice so high as the ground in old england produceth it , which argues new england the more fertile of the two . as for the aire , i will produce but one proffe for the maintenance of the excellency thereof ; which is so generall , as i assure my selfe it will suffice . no man living there ; was ever knowne to be troubled with a cold , a cough , or a murre , but many men comming sick out of virginea to new canaan , have instantly recovered with the helpe of the purity of that aire ; no man ever surfeited himselfe either by eating or drinking . as for the plenty of that land , it is well knowne , that no part of asia , affrica , or europe ; affordeth deare that doe bring forth any more then one single faune ; and in new canaan the deare are accustomed to bring forth 2. and 3 , faunes at a time . besides there are such infinite flocks of fowle , and multitudes of fish both in the fresh waters , and also on the coast , that the like hath not else where bin discovered by any traveller . the windes there are not so violent as in england ; which is prooved by the trees that grow in the face of the winde by the sea coast , for there they doe not leane from the winde as they doe in england , as we have heard before . the raine is there more moderate then in england , which thing i have noted in all the time of my residence to be so . the coast is low land , and not high land : and hee is of a weake capacity rhat conceaveth otherwise of it , because it cannot be denied , but that boats may come a ground in all places along the coast , and especially within the compas of the massachusets patent , where the prospect is fixed . the harboures are not to be bettered , for safety , and goodnesse of ground , for ancorage , and ( which is worthy observation ; ) shipping will not there be furred , neither are they subject to wormes , as in virginea , and other places . let the scituation also of the country be considered ( together with the rest , which is discovered in the front of this abstract , ) and then i hope no man will hold this land unworthy to be intituled by the name of the second canaan . and since the seperatists , are desirous to have the denomination thereof , i am become an humble suter on their behalfe for your consents ( courteous readers ) to it , before i doe shew you what revels they have kept in new canaan . chap. x. of the great lake of erocoise in nevv england , and the commodities thereof . westwards from the massachussets bay ( which lyeth in 42. degrees and 30. minutes of northerne latitude ) is scituated a very spacious lake ( called of the natives the lake of erocoise ) which is farre more excellent , then the lake of genezereth in the country of palestina , both in respect of the greatnes and properties thereof ; and likewise of the manifould commodities it yealdeth : the circumference of which lake is reputed to be 240. miles at the least : and it is distant from the massachussets bay 300. miles , or there abouts : wherein are very many faire islands , where innumerable flocks of severall sorts of fowle doe breede , swannes , geese , ducks , widgines , teales , and other water fowle . there are also more abundance of beavers , deare , and turkies breed about the parts of that lake , then in any place in all the country of new england ; and also such multitudes of fish , ( which is a great part of the foode , that the beavers live upon , ) that it is a thing to be admired at : so that about this lake , is the principallst place for a plantation in all new canaan , both for pleasure and proffit . here may very many brave townes and citties be erected which may have intercourse one with another by water , very commodiously : and it is of many men of good judgement , accounted the prime seate for the metropolis of new canaan , from this lake northwards is derived the famous river of canada , ( so named of monsier de cane a french lord , that first planted a colony of french in america , there called nova francia , from whence captaine kerke of late , by taking that plantation , brought home in one shipp ( as a seaman of his company , reported in my hearing ) 25000. beaver skinnes . and from this lake southwards , trends that goodly river called of the natives patomack , which dischardgeth herselfe in the parts of virginea , from whence it is navigable by shipping of great burthen up to the falls ( which lieth in 41. degrees , and a halfe of north latitude : ) and from the lake downe to the falls by a faire current . this river is navigable for vessels of good burthen ; and thus much hath often bin related by the natives , and is of late found to be certaine . they have also made description of great heards of well growne beasts , that live about the parts of this lake , such as the christian world ( untill this discovery ) hath not bin made acquainted with . these beasts are of the bignesse of a cowe , their flesh being very good foode , their hides good lether , their fleeces very usefull , being a kinde of wolle , as fine almost as the wolle of the beaver , and the salvages doe make garments thereof . it is tenne yeares since first the relation of these things came to the eares of the english : at which time wee were but slender proficients in the language of the natives , and they , ( which now have attained to more perfection of english , could not then make us rightly apprehend their meaninge . wee supposed , when they spake of beasts thereabouts as high as men , they have made report of men all over hairy like beavers , in so much as we questioned them , whether they eate of the beavers , to which they replyed matta , ( noe ) saying they were almost beavers brothers . this relation at that time wee concluded to be fruitles , which since , time hath made more apparent . about the parts of this lake may be made a very greate commodity by the trade of furres , to inrich those that shall plant there ; a more compleat discovery of those parts : is ( to my knowleadge ) undertaken by henry ioseline esquier sonne of sir thomas ioseline of kent knight , by the approbation and appointement of that heroick and very good common wealths man captaine iohn mason esquier , 〈◊〉 true foster father and lover of vertue , ( who at his owne chardge ) hath fitted master ioseline and imployed him to that purpose , who no doubt will performe as much as is expected , if the dutch ( by gettinge into those parts before him , doe not frustrate his so hopefull and laudable designes . it is well knowne , they aime at that place , and have a possibility to attaine unto the end of their desires therein , by meanes , if the river of mohegan , which of the english is named hudsons river ( where the dutch have setled : to well fortified plantations already . if that river be derived from the lake as our country man in his prospect affirmes it to be , and if they get and fortifie this place also , they will gleane away the best of the beaver both from the french and english , who have hitherto lived wholely by it , and very many old planters have gained good estates out of small beginnings by meanes thereof . and it is well knowne to some of our nation that have lived in the dutch plantation : that the dutch have gained by beaver 20000. pound a yeare . the salvages make report of 3. great rivers that issue out of this lake 2. of which are to us knowne , the one to be patomack , the other canada , and why may not the third be found there likewise , which they describe to trend westward , which is conceaved to discharge herselfe into the south sea. the salvages affirme that they have seene shipps in this lake with 4. masts which have taken from thence for their ladinge earth , that is conjectured to be some minerall stuffe . there is probability enough for this , and it may well be thought , that so great a confluxe of waters as are there gathered together , must be vented by some great rivers : and that if the third river ( which they have made mention of ) proove to be true as the other two have done : there is no doubt but that the passage to the east india , may be obtained , without any such daingerous and fruitlesse inquest by the norwest , as hetherto hath bin endeavoured : and there is no traveller of any resonable capacity , but will graunt , that about this lake , must be innumerable springes , and by that meanes many fruitfull , and pleasant pastures all about it , it hath bin observed that the inland part ( witnes neepnet ) are more pleasant and fertile then the borders of the sea coaste . and the country about erocoise is ( not without good cause ) compared to delta the most fertile parte in all aegypt , that aboundeth with rivers and rivalets derive● from nilus fruitfull channell , like vaines from the liver , so in each respect is this famous lake of erocoise . ad therefore it would be adjudged an irreparable oversight to protract time , and suffer the dutch ( who are but intruders upon his majesties most hopefull country of new england ) to possesse themselves of that so plesant and commodious country of erocoise before us : being ( as appeareth ) the principal● part of all new canaan for plantation , and not elsewhere to be paralelld in all the knowne world . new canaans genivs . epilogvs . thou that art by fates degree , or providence ordain'd to s●e , natures wonder , her rich store , ne'-r discovered before , th' admired lake of erocoise , and fertile borders now rejoyce . see what multitudes of fish , shee presents to fitt thy dish , if rich furres thou dost adore , and of beaver fleeces store , see the lake where they abound , and what pleasures els are found . there chast leda free from fire , does enjoy her hearts desire , mongst the flowry bancks at ease , live the sporting najades , bigg lim'd druides whose browes , bewtified with greenebowes , see the nimphes how they doe make , fine meanders from the lake , twining in and out as they , through the pleasant groves make way , weaving by the shady trees , curious anastomases , where the harmeles turtles breede , and such usefull beasts doe feede , as no traveller can tell , els where bow to paralell , colcos golden fleece reject , this deserveth best respect , in sweete peans let thy voyce , sing the praise of erocoise , peans to advaunce her name , new canaans everlasting fame . new english canaan , or new canaan . the third booke . containing a description of the people that are planted there , what remarkable accidents have happened there , since they were setled , what tenents they hould , together with the practise of their church . chap. i. of a great league made vvith the plimmouth planters after their arrivall , by the sachem of those territories . the sachem of the territories , where the planters of new england are setled , that are the first of the now inhabitants of new canaan , not knowing what they were , or whether they would be freindes or foes , and being desirous to purchase their freindship , that hee might have the better assurance of quiet tradinge with them ( which hee conceived would be very advantagious to him ) was desirous to prepare an ambassador , with commission to treat on his behalfe , to that purpose ; and having one that had beene in england taken ( by a worthlesse man ) out of other partes , and after left there by accident , this salvage hee instructed , how to be have himselfe , in the treaty of peace , and the more , to give him incouragement to adventure his person , amongst these new come inhabitants , which was a thinge , hee durst not himselfe attempt , without security or hostage , promised that salvage freedome , who had beene detained there as theire captive : which offer hee accepted , and accordingly came to the planters , salutinge them with wellcome , in the english phrase , which was of them admired , to heare a salvage there speake in their owne language , and used him with great courtesie : to whome hee declared the cause of his comminge , and contrived the businesse so , that hee brought the sachem and the english together , betweene whome was a firme league concluded , which yet continueth . after which league the sachem being in company with the other whome hee had freed , and suffered to live with the english , espijnge a place where a hole had been made in the grounde , where was their store of powder layed to be preserved from danger of fire ( under ground ) demaunded of the salvage what the english had hid there under ground , who answered the plague , at which hee starteled , because of the great mortality lately hapned , by meanes of the plague , ( as it is conceaved ) and the salvage the more to encrease his feare told the sachem if he should give offence to the english party , they would let out the plague to destroy thē all , which kept him in great awe . not longe after being at varience with another sachem borderinge upon his territories , he came in solemne manner and intreated the governour , that he would let out the plague to destroy the sachem , and his men who were his enemies , promising that he himselfe , and all his posterity would be their everlasting freindes , so great an opinion he had of the english. chap. ii. of the entertainement of mr. westons people sent to settle a plantation there . master thomas weston a merchant of london that had been at some cost , to further the brethren of new plimmouth , in their designes for these partes , shipped a company of servants , fitted with provition of all sorts ; for the undertaking of a plantation to be setled there , with an intent to follow after them in parson . these servants at first arived at new plimmouth where they were entertained with court holy bread , by the brethren , they were made very wellcome , in shew at least : there these servants goodes were landed , with promises to be assisted in the choise of a convenient place , and still the good cheare went forward , and the strong liquors walked . in the meane time the brethren were in consultation , what was best for their advantage singing the songe , frustra sapit , qui sibi non sapit . this plantation would hinder the present practice , and future profit , & master weston an able man would want for no supplies , upon the returne of beaver , and so might be a plantation that might keepe them under , who had a hope to be the greatest , besides his people were no chosen seperatists , but men made choice of a● all adventures , fit to have served for the furtherance o● master westons undertakinges : and that was as muc● as hee neede to care for : ayminge at beaver principally , for the better effecting of his purpose . now whe● the plimmouth men began to finde , that maste● westons mens store of provition grew short with feasting , then they hasted them to a place called wessaguscus , in a weake case , and there left them fasting . chap. iii. of a battle fought at the massachussets , betvveen the english and the indians . the planters of plimmouth , at their last being i● those parts , having defaced the monument of th●ded at pasonayessit ( by taking away the herse cloat● which was two greate beares skinnes sowed togethe● at full lenth , and propped up over the grave 〈◊〉 chuatawbacks mother , ) the sachem of those ter●●tories , being inraged at the same , stirred up his me● in his bee halfe , to take revenge : and having gathere● his men together , hee begins to make an oration● this manner . when last the glorious light of all th● skey was underneath this globe , and birds grew silent , i began to settle as my ( custome is ) to take repose ; before mine eies were fast closed , mee thought i saw a vision , ( at which my ) spirit was much troubled , & trembling at that dolefull sight , a spirit cried aloude behold my sonne ) whom i have cherisht , see the papps that gave thee suck , the hands that lappd thee warme and fed thee oft , canst thou forget to take revenge of those uild people , that hath my monument defaced in despitefull manner , disdaining our ancient antiquities , and honourable customes : see now the sachems grave lies like unto the common people , of ignoble race defaced : thy mother doth complaine , implores thy aide against this theevish people , new come hether if this be suffered , i shall not rest in quiet within my everlasting habitation . this said , the spirit vanished , and i all in a sweat , not able scarce to speake , began to gett some strength , and recollect my spirits that were fed , all which i thought to let you understand , to have ●our councell , and your aide likewise ; this being spo●en , straight way arose the grand captaine , and cried ●oud come , let us to armes , it doth concerne us all , ●et us bid them battaile ; so to armes they went , and ●id weight for the plimmouth boate , and forceinge ●●em to forsake their landinge place , they seeke ano●●er best for their convenience , thither the salvages ●●paire in hope to have the like successe , but all in ●ine , for the english captaine warily foresaw , ( and ●erceavinge their plot ) knew the better how to order ●s men fit for battaile in that place , hee bouldly lea●●ng his men on , rainged about the feild to and fro , and taking his best advantage , le ts fly , and makes the salvages give ground , the english followed them fiercely on and made them take trees for their shelter , ( as their custome is ) from whence their captaine let flie a maine , yet no man was hurt , at last lifting up his right arm , to draw a fatall shaft ( as hee then thought ) to end this difference , received a shott upon his elbow , and straight way fled , by whose example , all the army followed the same way ; and yealded up the honor of the day , to the english party ; who were such a terror to them after , that the salvages durst never make to a head against them any more . chap. iv. of a parliament held at wessaguscus , and the actes . master westons plantation beinge setled at wessaguscus , his servants , many of them , lazy persons , that would use no endeavour to take th● benefit of the country , some of them fell sicke and died . one amongst the rest an able bodied man , tha● ranged the woodes , to see what it would afford , lighted by accident on an indian barne , and from thenc● did take a capp full of corne ; the salvage owner of it finding by the foote some english had bin there came to the plantation , and made complaint after thi● manner . the cheife commander of the company one this occation called a parliament of all his people but those that were sicke , and ill at ease . and wisely now they must consult , upon this huge complaint , that a privy knife , or stringe of beades would well enough have qualified , and edward iohnson was a spetiall judge of this businesse : the fact was there in repetition , construction made , that it was fellony , and by the lawes of england punished with death , and this in execution must be put , for an example , and likewise to appease the salvage , when straight wayes one arose , mooved as it were with some compassion , and said hee could not well gaine say the former sentence , yet hee had conceaved within the compasse of his braine an embrion , that was of spetiall consequence to be delivered , and cherished hee said , that it would most aptly serve to pacifie the salvages complaint , and save the life of one that might ( if neede should be ) stand them in some good steede , being younge and stronge , fit for resistance against an enemy , which might come unexspected for any thinge they knew , the oration made was liked of every one , and hee intreated to proceede to shew the meanes how this may be performed : sayes hee , you all agree that one must die , and one shall die , this younge mans cloathes we will take of , and put upon one , that is old and impotent , a sickly person that cannot escape death , such is the disease one him confirmed , that die hee must , put the younge mans cloathes on this man , and let the sick person be hanged in the others steede : amen sayes one , and so sayes many more . and this had like to have prooved their finall sentence , and being there confirmed by act of parliament , to after ages for a president : but that one with a ravenus voyce , begunne to croake and bellow for revenge , and put by that conclusive motion , alledging such deceipts might be a meanes hereafter to exasperate the mindes of the complaininge salvages , and that by his death , the salvages should see their zeale to iustice , and therefore hee should die : this was concluded ; yet neverthelesse a scruple was made ; now to countermaund this act , did represent itselfe unto their mindes , which was how they should doe to get the mans good wil : this was indeede a spetiall obstacle : for without ( that they all agreed ) it would be dangerous , for any man to attempt the execution of it , lest mischeife should befall them every man ; hee was a person , that in his wrath , did seeme to be a second sampson , able to beate out their branes with the jawbone of an asse : therefore they called the man and by perswation got him fast bound in jest , and then hanged him up hard by in good earnest , who with a weapon , and at liberty , would have put all those wise judges of this parliament to a pittifull non plus , ( as it hath beene credibly reported ) and made the cheife iudge of them all buckell to him . chap. v. of a massacre made upon the salvages at wessaguscus . after the end of that parliament , some of the plantation there , about three persons went to live with checatawback & his company , and had very good quarter , for all the former quarrell , with the plimmouth planters : they are not like will sommers , to take one for another . there they purposed to stay untill master westons arrivall : but the plimmouth men intendinge no good to him ( as appered by the consequence ) came in the meane time to wessaguscus , and there pretended to feast the salvages of those partes , bringing with them porke , and thinges for the purpose , which they sett before the salvages . they eate thereof without suspition of any mischeife , who were taken upon a watchword given , and with their owne knives ( hanging about their neckes ) were by the plimmouth planters stabd and slaine : one of which were hanged up there , after the slaughter . in the meane time the sachem had knowledge of this accident , by one that ranne to his countrymen , at the massachussets , and gave them intelligence of the newes ; after which time the salvages there consultinge of the matter , in the night ( when the other english feareles of danger were a sleepe , ) knockt them all in the head , in revenge of the death of their countrymen : but if the plimmouth planters had really intended good to master weston , or those men , why had they not kept the salvages alive in custody , untill they had secured the other english ? who by meanes of this evill mannaginge of the businesse lost their lives , and the whole plantation was dissolved thereupon , as was likely for feare of a revenge to follow , as a relatione to this cruell antecedent ; and when master weston came over ; hee found thinges at an evill exigent , by meanes thereof : but could not tell , how it was brought about : the salvages of the massachussets that could not imagine , from whence these men should come , or to what end , seeing them performe such unexpected actions , neither could tell by what name , properly to distinguish them , did from that time afterwards , call the english planters wotawquenange , which in their language signifieth stabbers or cutthroates , and this name was received by those that came there after for good , being then unacquainted with the signification of it , for many yeares following , untill from a southerly indian , that understood english well , i was by demonstration , made to conceave the interpretation of it , and rebucked these other , that it was not forborne : the other callinge us by the name of wotoquansawge , what that doth signifie , hee said hee was not able by any demonstration to expresse ; and my neighbours durst no more in my hearinge , cal us by the name formerly used , for feare of my displeasure . chap. vi. of the surprizinge of a merchants shipp in plimmouth harbour . this merchant a man of worth , arrivinge in the parts of new canaan , and findinge that his plantation was dissolved , some of his men slaine , some dead with sicknes , and the rest at plimmouth ; hee was perplexed in his minde about the matter , comminge as hee did with supply , and meanes to have rased their fortunes and his one exceedingly and seeinge what had happened resolved to make some stay in the plimmouth harbour , and this suted to their purpose , wherefore the brethren did congratulate with him at his safe arrivall , and their best of entertainement for a swetning cast , deploring the disaster of his plantation , and glozing upon the text , alledging the mischeivous intent of the salvages there , which by freindly intelligence of their neighbours , was discovered before it came to be full summed : so that they lost not all , allthough they saved not all : and this they pretended , to proceede from the fountaine of love & zeale to him ; and christianity , and to chastise the insolency of the salvages , of which that part had some dangerous persons . and this as an article of the new creede of canaan , would they have received of every new commer there to inhabit ; that the salvages are a dangerous people , subtill , secreat , and mischeivous , and that it is dangerous to live seperated , but rather together , and so be under their lee , that none might trade for beaver , but at their pleasure , as none doe or shall doe there : nay they will not be reduced to any other song yet , of the salvages to the southward of plimmouth , because they would have none come there , sayinge that hee that will sit downe there must come stronge : but i have found the massachussets indian more full of humanity , then the christians , & haue had much better quarter with them ; yet i observed not their humors , but they mine , althoug my great number that i landed were dissolved , and m● company as few as might be : for i know that thi● falls out infallibly , where two nations meete , on● must rule , and the other be ruled , before a peace ca● be hoped for : and for a christian to submit to the rul● of a salvage you will say , is both shame and dishonor ( at least ) it is my opinion , and my practise was acco●dingly , and i have the better quarter by the mean● thereof . the more salvages the better quarter , th● more christians the worser quarter i found , as all th● indifferent minded planters can testifie . now whil● the merchant was ruminatinge on this mishapp , t●● plimmouth planters perceivinge that hee had f●nished himselfe with excellent commodities , fit f●● the merchandise of the country , ( and holding it go● to fish in trobled waters , and so get a snatch unseen practised in secret with some other in the land , who● they thought apt to imbrace the benefit of such cheat , and it was concluded and resolved upon , th● all this shipp and goodes should be confiscated , for b●sinesse done by him , the lord knowes when , or whe● a letter must be framed to them , and handes unto it , to be there warrant , this should shadow them ; that is the first practise they will infane a man , and then pretend that iustice must be done : they cause the merchant ( secure ) to come a shore , and then take him in hold , shewing they are compelled unto it legally , and enter strait abord peruse the cargazowne , and then deliver up the charge of her to their confederates : and how much lesse this is then piraty , let any practise in the admiralty be judge . the merchant , his shipp and goodes confiscated , himselfe a prisoner , and threatned so to be sent and conveyed to england , there to receave the somme of all that did belonge to him a malefactor ( and a great one to ) this hee good man , indured with patience , longe time , untill the best of all his goodes were quite dispersed , and every actor his proportion , the merchant was inlarged , his shipp a burthen to the owner now , his undertakinges in these partes beinge quite overthrowne , was redelivered , and bondes of him were taken not to prosecute , hee being greived hereat , betakes him to drive a trade , betweene that and virginea many yeares . the brethren ( sharpe witted ) had it spread by and by amongst his freinds in england , that the man was mad . so thought his wife so thought his other freindes , that had it from a planter of the towne . so was it thought of those , that did not know , the brethren could dissemble : why thus they are all of them honest men in their particular , and every man being bound to seeke anothers good , shall in the generall doe the best hee can to effect it , and so they may be excused , i thinke . chap. vii . of thomas mortons entertainement at plimmouth and castinge avvay upon an island . this man arrived in those parts , and hearing newes of a towne that was much praised , he was desirous to goe thither , and see how thinges stood , where his entertainement was there best , i dare be bould to say : for although they had but 3. cowes in all , yet had they fresh butter and a sallet of egges in dainty wise , a dish not common in a wildernes , there hee bestowed some time in the survey of this plantation . his new come servants in the meane time , were tane to taske , to have their zeale appeare , and questioned what preacher was among their company ; and finding none , did seeme to condole their estate as if undone , because no man amongst them had the guift , to be in ionas steade , nor they the meanes , to keepe them in that path so hard to keepe . our master say they reades the bible and the word of god , and useth the booke of common prayer , but this is not the meanes ; the answere is : the meanes , they crie : alas poore soules where is the meanes , you seeme as if betrayed to be without the meanes : how can you be stayed from fallinge headlonge to perdition ? facilis descensus averni : the booke of common prayer sayd they what poore thinge is that , for a man to reade in a booke ? no , no , good sirs i would you were neere us , you might receave comfort by instruction : give me a man hath the guiftes of the spirit , not a booke in hand . i doe professe sayes one , to live without the meanes , is dangerous , the lord doth know . by these insinuations , like the serpent they did creepe and winde into the good opinion of the illiterate multitude , that were desirous to be freed and gone ( to them no doubdt , which some of them after confessed ) and little good was to be done one them after this charme was used , now plotts and factions , how they might get loose , and here was some 35. stout knaves , & some plotted how to steale master westons barque , others exasperated knavishly to worke , would practise how to gett theire master to an island ; and there leave him , which hee had notice of , and fitted him to try what would be done , and steps aborde his shallop bound for cape anne to the massachussets , with an hogshead of wine , sugar hee tooke along , the sailes hoist up and one of the conspirators aboard to steere , who in the mid way pretended foule weather at the harboure mouth , and therefore for a time , hee would put in to an island neere , and make some stay where hee thought to tempt his master to walke the woods , and so be gone , but their master to prevent them , caused the sales and oares to be brought a shore , to make a tilt if neede should be , and kindled fire , broched that hogshed , and caused them fill the can with lusty liquor , claret sparklinge neate which was not suffered to grow pale and flatt , but tipled of with quick dexterity , the master makes a shew of keepinge round , but with close lipps did seeme to make longe draughts , knowinge the wine would make them protestants , and so the plot was then at large disclosed and discovered , & they made drowsie , and the inconstant windes shiftinge at night did force the kellecke home , and billedge the boat , that they were forced to leave her so , and cut downe trees that grew by the shore , to make caffes : two of them wen● over by helpe of a fore saile almost a mile to the maine the other two stayed five dayes after , till the winde● would serve to fill the sailes . the first two went t● cape ann by land , and had fowle enough , and fowle wether by the way , the islanders had fish enough , shel-fish and fire to roast , & they could not perish for lacke of foode , and wine they had to be sure ; and by this yo● see they were not then in any want ; the wine an● goodes brought thence , the boat left there so billedg● that it was not worth the labor to be mended . chap. viii . of the banishment of master iohn layford , an● iohn oldam from plimmouth . master layford was at the merchants chardge sent to plimmouth plantation to be their pastor ▪ but the brethren , before they would allow of it , woul● have him first renounce his calling , to the office of th● ministery , received in england , as hereticall and papisticall , ( so hee confest ) and then to receive a ne● callinge from them , after their fantasticall invention , which hee refused , alledging and maintaining , that his calling as it stood was lawfull , and that hee would not renounce it ; and so iohn oldam his opinion was one the affirmative , and both together did maintaine the church of ●ngland , to be a true church , although in some particulars ( they said ) defective concludinge so against the tenents there , and by this meanes cancelled theire good opinion , amonst the number of the seperatists , that stay they must not , lest they should be spies , & to fall fowle on this occation , the brethren thought it would betray their cause , and make it fall under censure , therefore against master layford they had found out some scandall ; to be laid on his former corse of life , to blemish that , and so to conclude hee was a spotted beast , and not to be allowed , where they ordained to have the passover kept so zealously : as for iohn oldam , they could see hee would be passionate , and moody ; and proove himselfe a mad iack in his mood , and as soone mooved to be moody , and this impatience would minister advantage to them to be ridd of him . hanniball when hee had to doe with fabius , was kept in awe more by the patience of that one enemy , then by the resolution of the whole army : a well tempered enemy is a terrible enemy to incounter . they injoyne him to come to their needeles watch howse in person , and for refusinge give him a cracked crowne for presse money , and make the blood run downe about his eares , a poore trick , yet a good vaile though luscus may see thorough it ; and for his further behaviour in the case , proceed to sentence him with banishment , which was performed after a solemne invention in this manner : a lane of musketiers was made , and hee compelled in scorne to passe along betweene , & to receave a bob upon the bumme by every musketier , and then a board a shallop , and so convayed to wessaguscus shoare , & staid at massachussets , to whome iohn layford and some few more did resort , where master layford freely executed his office and preached every lords day , and yet maintained his wife & children foure or five , upon his industry there , with the blessing of god , and the plenty of the land , without the helpe of his auditory , in an honest and laudable manner , till hee was wearied and made to leave the country . chap. ix . of a barren doe of virginea grovvne fruithfull in nevv canaan . children and the fruit of the wombe , are said in holy writt , to be an inheritance that commeth of the lord ; then they must be coupled in gods name first , and not as this and some other have done . they are as arrowes in the hand of a gyant ; and happy saith david , is the man , that hath his quiver full of them , and by that rule , happy is that land and blessed to that is apt and fit for increase of children . i have shewed you before in the second part , of the discourse , how apt it is for the increase of minerals , vegetables , and sensible creatures . now i will shew you , how apt new canaan is likewise for the increase of the reasonable creatures , children , of all riches being the principall : and i give you this for an instance . this country of new canaan in seaven yeares time could show more children livinge , that have beene borne the●e , then in 27. yeares could be shewen in virginea ; yet here are but a handful of weomen landed , to that of virginea . the country doth afford such plenty of lobsters , and other delicate shellfish , and venus is said to be borne of the sea , or else it was some sallet herbe proper to the climate or the fountaine at weenaseemute made her become teeming here , that had tried a campe royall in other partes , where shee had been , & yet never the neere , till shee came in to new canaan . shee was delivered ( in a voyage to virginea ) about bussardes bay , to west of cape cod , where shee had a sonne borne , but died without baptisme , and was buried ; and being a thinge remarkable , had this epitaph followinge made of purpose to memorize the worth of the persons . epitaph : time that bringes all thinges to light . doth hide this thinge out of sight , yet fame hath left behinde a story , a hopefull race to shew the glory : for underneath this heape of stones , lieth a percell of small bones , what hope at last can such impes have , that from the wombe goes to the grave . chap. x. of a man indued vvith many spetiall guifts sent over to be master of the ceremonies . this was a man approoved of the brethren , both for his zeale and guiftes , yet but a bubble , & at the publike chardge conveyed to new england , i thinke to be master of the ceremonies , betweene the natives , and the planters : for hee applied himselfe cheifly to pen the language downe in stenography : but there for want of use , which hee rightly understood not , all was losse of labor , somethinge it was when next it came to veiw , but what hee could not tell . this man master bubble was in the time of iohn oldams absence made the howse chaplaine there , and every night hee made use of his guifts , whose oratory luld his auditory fast a sleepe , as mercuries pipes did argus eies : for when hee was in ; they sayd hee could not tell how to get out : nay hee would hardly out , till hee were fired out , his zeale was such : ( one fire they say drives out another , ) hee would become a great merchant , and by any thinge that was to be sold so as hee might have day and be trusted never so litle time : the price it seemed hee stood not much upon , but the day : for to his freind hee shewed commodities so priced , as caused him to blame the buyer , till the man this bubble did declare , that it was tane up at day , and did rejoyce in the bargaine , insistinge on the day , the day , yea marry quoth his freind if you have doomesday for payment you are then well to passe . but if he had not , it were as good hee had , they were payed all alike . and now , this bubbles day is become a common proverbe , hee obtained howse roome at passonagessit , and remooved thether , because it stood convenient , for the beaver trade , and the rather because the owner of passonagessit had no corne left : and this man seemed a bigg boned man , and therefore thought to be a good laborer , and to have store of corne , but contrary wise hee had none at all , and hoped upon this freind his host : thithere were brought the trophies of this master bubbles honor : his water tankard and his porters basket , but no provision , so that one gunne did serve to helpe them both to meat ; and now the time for fowle was almost past . this man and his host at dinner : bubble begins to say grace , yea and a long one to , till all the meate was cold ; hee would not give his host leave to say grace , belike hee thought mine host past grace , and further learned as many other schollers are : but in the usage and custome of this blinde oratory , his host tooke himselfe abused , and the whiles fell to and had halfe done , before this man bubble would open his eies , to see what stood afore him , which made him more cautius , and learned , that brevis oratio penetrat caelum . together bubbles and hee goes in the canaw to nut island for brants , and there his host makes a shotte & breakes the winges of many , bubble in hast and single handed , paddels out like a cow in a cage : his host cals back to rowe two handed like to a pare of oares , and before this could be performed , the fowle had time to swimme to other flockes , and so to escape : the best part of the pray being lost , mayd his host to mutter at him , and so to parte for that time discontended . chap. xi . of a composition made by the sachem , for a thef● committed by some of his men shevving● their honest meaninge . the owner of passonagessit to have the benefi● of company , left his habitation in the winter an● reposed at wessaguscus , ( to his cost ) meane tim● in the depth of winter , the neighbour salvage accustomed to buy foode , came to the howse ( fo● that intent perhaps ) & peepinge in all the windowes , ( then unglased espied corne . but no body to sell the same , and having company and helpe at hand , did make a shift to get into the howse , and take out corne to serve but for the present , left enough behinde the sachem having knowledge of the facte , an● being advertised likewise , of the displeasure that had ben cōceaved , by the proprieter therof , at this offence prepares a messenger , the salvage that had lived in england , and sends him with commission , for the trespasse of his men who had tenne skinnes perposed for it , to bee payd by a day certaine : the sachem at the time appointed , bringes the beaver to wessaguscus : where the owner lived , but just then was gone abroade , meane time the skinnes were by the wessaguscus men gelded , & the better halfe by them juggled away : before the owner came , and hee by the actors perswaded , to bee contended with the rest , who not so pleased did draw the sachem then to make a new agreement , and so to pay his remnant left in hand , and tenne skinnes more by a new day asigned , and then to bringe them to passonagessit , but the wessaguscus men went the day before to the salvages with this sayinge , that they were sent to call upon him there for payement , and received tenne skinnes , and tooke a salvage there to justifie that at their howse ; the owner stayed the while , hee verified this , because hee saw the man , before at wessaguscus : the sachem did beleive the tale , and at that time delivered up tenne skinnes : on that behalfe , in full dischardge of all demandes , against the trespasse , and the trespassers to them , who consented to him , and them , to the owner , and kept view to themselves , and made the salvage take the tenth , and give the owner all that yet was to bee had , themselves confessinge their demaunds for him , and that there was but onely one as yet prepared , so that by this you may easily perceive the uncivilized people , are more just than the civilized . chap. xii . of a voyadge made by the master of the ceremonies of nevv canaan to neepenett , from vvhence hee came avvay , and of the manifold dangers hee escaped . this woorthy member master bubble , a new master of the ceremonies , having a conceipt inhis head , that hee had hatched a new device for the purchase of beaver , beyond imagination , packes up a sacke full of odde implements , and without any company , but a couple of indians for guides , ( and therefore you may , if you please , ) beeleive they are so dangerous as the brethren of plimmouth give it out , hee betakes him to his progresse into the inlande for beaver , with his carriadge on his shoulders like milo , his guides and hee in processe of time , come to the place appointed , which was about neepenett , thereabouts being more beavers to be had then this milo could carry : and both his journey men , glad hee was good man , and his guides were willing to pleasure him , there the salvages stay : night came on , but before they were inclined to sleepe , this good man master bubble had an evation crept into his head , by misapplying the salvages actions , that hee must needs be gone in all hast , yea and without his errand , hee purposed to doe it so cunningely that his flight should not be suspected , hee leaves his shooes in the howse , with all his other implements , and flies , as hee was on his way , to increase his feare , suggestinge himselfe that hee was present by a company of indians , & that there shafts were let fly as thick as haile at him , hee puts of his breeches , and puts them one his head , for to save him from the shafts , that flew after him so thick , that no man could perceave them : and cryinge out avoyd satan , what have yee to doe with mee , thus running one his way without his breeches , hee was pittifully scratched , with the brush of the underwoods , as hee wandred up and downe in unknowne wayes : the salvages in the meane time put up all his implements in the sack hee left behinde , and brought them to wessaguscus , where they thought to have found him ; but understanding hee was not returned , were ferefull what to doe : and what would be conceaved of the english was become of this mazed man , the master of the ceremonies ; and were in consultation of the matter . one of the salvages was of opinion the english would suppose him to be made a way , fearefull hee was to come in sight . the other better acquainted with the english having lived some time in england , ) was more confident , and hee perswaded his fellow that the english would be satisfied with relation of the truth , as having had testimony of his fidelity . so they boldly adventured , to shew what they had brougt , and how the matter stood . the english ( when the sack was opened ) did take a note in writing of all the particulers that were in the sack ; & heard what was b● the salvages related of the accidents : but when his shoes were showne , it was thought hee would not have departed without his shoes ; and therefore they did conceave that master bubble was made away : by some sinister practise of the salvages , who unadvisedly had bin culpable of a crime which now they sought to excuse ; and straightly chardged the salvages to finde him out againe , and bring him dead , or alive ; else their wifes and children should be destroyed . the poore salvages being in a pittifull perplexity , caused their countrymen to seeke out for this maz'd man ; who being in short time found , was brought to wessaguscus ; where hee made a discourse of his travels , and of the perrillous passages : which did seeme to be no lesse dangerous , then these of that worthy knight errant , don quixote , and how miraculously hee had bin preserved ; and in conclusion , lamented the greate losse of his goods , whereby hee thought himselfe undone . the perticuler whereof being demaunded , it appeared , that the salvages had not diminished any part of them ; no not so much as one bit of bread : the number being knowne , and the fragments laid together , it appeared all the bisket was preserved , and not any diminished at all : whereby the master of the ceremonies was overjoyed , and the whole company made themselves merry at his discourse of all his perrillous adventures and by this you may observe whether the salvage people are not full of humanity , or whether they are a dangerous people as master bubble and the rest of his tribe would perswade you . chap. xiii . of a lamentable fit of mellancolly , that the barren doe fell into , ( after the death of her infant , seeing herselfe despised of her svveete hart , ) vvhereof shee vvas cured . whether this goodly creature of incontinency went to worke upon even termes like phillis or noe it does not appeare by any indenture of covenants then extant , whereby shee might legally challenge the performance of any compleate marriage at his hands , that had bin tradeing with her ●s demopheon here to fore had bin with his ostis . neverthelesse ( for his future advantage ) shee indeavoured ( like phillis , ) to gaine this demopheon all to herselfe , who ( as it seemes ) did meane nothing lesse , by leaving her for the next cōmer , that had any minde to coole his courage by that meanes ; the whipping post ( as it seemes ) at that time not being in publike use , for such kinde of cony katchers , but seeing herselfe rejected , shee grew into such a passion of mellancolly , on a sodaine , that it was thought , shee would exhibit a petition for redresse to grim pluto who had set her a worke , and knowing that the howse of fate has many entrances , shee was pusseld to finde the neerest way . shee could not resolve on a sodaine : which doore would soonest bring her to his presence handsomely . if shee should make way with a knife , shee thought shee might spoyle her drinking in after ages , if by poyson ; shee thought it might prolonge her passage thether : if by drowning , shee thought caron might come the while with his boate , and wast her out of sight : if shee should tie up her complaint in a halter , shee thought the ropmakers would take exceptions against her good speede . and in this manner shee debated with herselfe , and demurred upon the matter ▪ so that shee did appeare willing enough ; but a woman of small resolution . which thing when it was publikely knowne , made many come to comfort her . one amongst the rest , was by hir requested , on her behalfe , to write to he● late unkinde demopheon . the gentleman being merrily disposed , in steed of writing an heroicall epistle , composed this elegi for a memoriall of some mirth upon the circumstance of the matter , to be sen● unto hir , as followeth : carmen elegiacvm . melpomene ( at whose mischeifous tove , the screech owles voyce is heard ; the mandrals grove ) commands my pen in an lambick vaine , to tell a dismall tale , that may constraine , the hart of him to bleede that shall discerne , how much this foule amisse does him concerne , alecto ( grim alecto ) light thy tortch , to thy beloved sister next the porch , that leads unto the mansion howse of fate , whose farewell makes her freind more fortunate . a great squa sachem can shee poynt to goe , before grim minos , and yet no man know . that knives , and halters , ponds , and poysonous things , are alwayes ready when the divell once brings , such deadly sinners : to a deepe remorse , of conscience selfe accusing that will force , them to dispaire like wicked kain , whiles death , stands ready with all these to stopp their breath . the beare comes by ; that oft hath bayted ben , by many a satyr●s whelpe unlesse you can , commaund your eies to drop huge milstones forth , in lamentation of this losse on earth , of her , of whome , so much prayse wee may finde , goe when shee will , shee 'l leave none like behinde , shee was too good for earth , too bad for heaven . why then for hell the match is somewhat even . after this , the water of the fountaine at ma-remount , was thought fit to be applyed unto her for a remedy , shee willingly used according to the quality thereof . and when this elegy came to be divulged , shee was so conscious of her crime , that shee put up her pipes , and with the next shipp shee packt away to virginea , ( her former habitation ) quite cured of her mellancolly with the helpe of the water of the fountaine at ma-re mount. chap. xiv . of the revells of nevv canaan . the inhabitants of pasonagessit ( having translated the name of their habitation from that ancient salvage name to ma-re mount ; and being resolved to have the new name confirmed for a memorial to after ages ) did devise amongst themselves to have it performed in a solemne manner with revels , & merriment after the old english custome : prepared to sett up a maypole upon the festivall day of philip and iacob ; & therefore brewed a barrell of excellent beare , & provided a case of bottles to be spent , with other good cheare , for all commers of that day . and because they would have it in a compleat forme , they had prepared a song fitting to the time and present occasion . and upon may-day they brought the maypole to the place appointed , with drumes , gunnes , pistols , and other fitting instruments , for that purpose ; and there erected it with the help of salvages , that came thether of purpose to see the manner of our revels . a goodly pine tree of 80. foote longe , was reared up , with a peare of buckshorns nayled one , somewhat neare unto the top of it : where it stood as a faire sea marke for directions ; how to finde out the way to mine hoste of ma-re mount. and because it should more fully appeare to what end it was placed there , they had a poem in readines made , which was fixed to the maypole , to shew the new name confirmed upon that plantation ; which allthough it were made according to the occurrents of the time , it being enigmattically composed ) pusselled the seperatists most pittifully to expound it , which ( for the better information of the reader ) i have here inserted . the poem . rise oedipeus , and if thou canst unfould , what meanes caribdis underneath the mould , when scilla sollitary on the ground , ( sitting in forme of niobe ) was found ; till amphitrites darling did acquaint , grim neptune with the tenor of her plaint , and causd him send forth triton with the sound , of trumpet lowd , at which the seas were found , so full of protean formes , that the bold shore , presented scilla a new parramore , so stronge as sampson and so patient , as job himselfe , directed thus , by fate , to comfort scilla so unfortunate . i doe profosse by cupids beautious mother , here 's scogans choise for scilla , and none other ; though scilla 's sick with greife because no signe , can there be found of vertue masculine . esculapius come , i know right well , his laboure's lost when you may ring her knell , the fatall sisters doome none can withstand , nor cithareas powre , who poynts to land , with proclamation that the first of may , at ma-re mount shall be kept hollyday . the setting up of this maypole was a lamentable spectacle to the precise seperatists : that lived at new plimmouth . they termed it an idoll ; yea they called it the calfe of horeb : and stood at defiance with the place , naming it mount dagon ; threatning to make it a woefull mount and not a merry mount . the riddle for want of oedipus , they could not expound , onely they made some explication of part of it , and sayd , it was meant by sampson iob , the carpenter of the shipp , that brought over a woman to her husband , that had bin there longe before : and thrived so well , that hee sent for her and her children to come to him ; where shortly after hee died , having no reason , but because of the sound of those two words : when as ( the truth is ) the man they applyed it to , was altogether unknowne to the author . there was likewise a merry song made , which ( to make their revells more fashionable ) was sung with a corus , every man bearing his part ; which they performed in a daunce , hand in hand about the maypole , whiles one of the company sung , and filled out the good liquor like gammedes and iupiter . the songe . drinke and be merry , merry , merry boyes , let all your delight be in hymens ioyes , jô to hymen now the day is come , about the merry maypole take a roome . make greene ganlons , bring bottles out ; and fill sweet nectar , freely about , vncover thy head , and feare no harme , for hers good liquor to keepe it warme , then drinke and be merry , &c. iô to hymen , &c. nectar is a thing assign'd , by the deities owne minde , to cure the hart opprest with greife , and of good liquors is the cheife , then drinke , &c. iô to hymen , &c. give to the mellancolly man , a cup or two of 't now and than ; this physick ' will soone revive his bloud , and make him be of a merrier moode . then drinke &c. iô to hymen &c. give to the nymphe that 's free from scorne , no irish ; stuff nor scotch over worne , lasses in beaver coats come away , yee shall be welcome to us night and day . to drinke and be merry &c. jô to hymen , &c. this harmeles mirth made by younge men ( that lived in hope to have wifes brought over to them , that would save them a laboure to make a voyage to fetch any over ) was much distasted , of the precise seperatists : that keepe much a doe , about the tyth of muit and cummin ; troubling their braines more then reason would require about things that are indifferent : and from that time sought occasion against my honest host of ma-re mount to overthrow his ondertakings , and to destroy his plantation quite and cleane . but because they presumed with their imaginary gifts ( which they have out of phaos box ) they could expound hidden misteries ( to convince them of blindnes as well in this , as in other matters of more cōsequence ) i will illustrate the poem , according to the true intent of the authors of these revells , so much distasted by those moles . oedipus is generally receaved for the absolute reader of riddles who is invoaked : silla and caribdis are two dangerous places for seamen to incounter , neere unto vennice , & have bin by poets formerly resembled to man and wife . the like licence the author challenged for a paire of his nomination , the one lamenting for the losse of the other as niobe for her children . amphitrite is an arme of the sea , by which the newes was carried up and downe , of a rich widow , now to be tane up or laid downe . by triton is the fame spread , that caused the suters to muster ; ( as it had bin to penellope of greece ) and the coast lying circuler , all our passage to and froe , is made more convenient by sea , then land. many aimed at this marke ; but hee that played proteus best and could comply with her humor must be the man , that would carry her , & hee had need have sampsons strenght to deale with a dallila : and as much patience as iob that should come there , for a thing that i did observe in the life time o● the former . but marriage and hanging ( they say ) comes by desteny & scogans choise t is better none at all . hee that playd proteus ( with the helpe of priapus ) put their noses out of joynt as the proverbe is . and this the whole company of the revellers at ma-re mount , knew to be the true sence and exposition of the riddle : that was fixed to the maypole , which the seperatists were at defiance with ? some of them affirmed , that the first institution thereof , was in memory of a whore ; not knowing that it was a trophe erected at first , in honor of maja , the lady of learning which they despise ; vilifying the two universities with uncivile termes ; accounting what is there obtained by studdy is but unnecessary learning ; not considering that learninge does inable mens mindes to converse with climents of a higher nature then is to be found within the habitation of the mole . chap. xv. of a great monster supposed to be at ma-re-mount ; and the preparation made to destroy it . the seperatists envying the prosperity , and hope of the plantation at ma-re mount ( which they perceaved beganne to come forward , and to be in a good way for gaine in the beaver trade ) conspired together against mine host especially , ( who was the owner of that plantation ) and made up a party against him ; and mustred up what aide they could ; accounting of him , as of a great monster . many threatening speeches were given out both against his person , and his habitation , which they divulged should be consumed with fire : and taking advantage of the time when his company ( which seemed little to regard , theire threats ) were gone up into the inlands , to trade with the salvages for beaver . they set upon my honest host at a place , called wessaguscus , where ( by accident ) they found him . the inhabitants there were in good hope , of the subvertion of the plantation at mare mount , ( which they principally aymed at ; ) and the rather , because mine host was a man that indeavoured to advaunce the dignity of the church of england ; which they ( on the contrary part ) would laboure to vilifie ; with uncivile termes : enveying against the sacred booke of common prayer , and mine host that used it in a laudable manner amongst his family , as a practise of piety . there hee would be a meanes to bringe sacks to their mill ( such is the thirst after beaver ) and helped the conspiratores to . surprisee mine host , ( who was there all alone ) and they chardged him , ( because they would seeme to have some reasonable cause against him ( to sett a glosse upon their mallice ) with criminall things which indeede had beene done by such a person , but was of their conspiracy ; mine host demaunded of the conspirators who it was , that was author of that information , that seemed to be their ground for what they now intended . and because they answer●d , they would not tell him , hee as peremptorily replyed , that hee would not stay , whether he had , or he had not done as they had bin informed . the answere made no matter ( as it seemed ) whether it had bin negatively , or affirmatively made ; for they had resolved what hee should suffer , because ( as they boasted , ) they were now become the greater number : they had shaked of their shackles of servitude , and were become masters , and masterles people . it appeares , the● were like beares whelpes in former time , when mine hosts plantation was of as much strength as theirs , but now ( theirs being stronger , ) they ( like overgrowne beares ) seemed monsterous . in breife , mine host must indure to be their prisoner , untill they could contrive it so , that they might send him for england , ( as they said , ) there to suffer according to the merrit of the fact , which they intended to father upon him ; supposing ( belike ) it would proove a hainous crime . much rejoycing was made that they had gotten their cappitall enemy ( as they concluded him ) whome they purposed to hamper in such sort , that hee should not be able to uphold his plantation at ma-re mount the conspirators sported themselves at my honest host , that meant them no hurt ; & were so joccund that they feasted their bodies , and fell to tippeling , as if they had obtained a great prize ; like the trojans when they had the custody of hippeus pinetree horse . mine host fained greefe : and could not be perswaded either to eate , or drinke , because hee knew emptines would be a meanes to make him as watchfull , as the geese kept in the roman cappitall : whereon the contrary part , the conspirators would be so drowsy , that hee might have an opportunity to give them a slip , in steade of a tester . six persons of the conspiracy were set to watch him at wessaguscus : but hee kept waking ; and in the dead of night ( one lying on the bed , for further suerty , ) up gets mine host , and got to the second dore that hee was to passe which ( notwithstanding the lock ) hee got open : and shut it after him with such violence , that it affrighted some of the conspirators . the word which was given with an alarme , was , o he 's gon , he 's gon , what shall wee doe he 's gon ? the rest ( halfe a sleepe ) start up in a maze , and like rames , ran theire heads one at another full butt in the darke . theire grand leader captaine shrimp tooke on most furiously , and tore his clothes for anger , to see the empty nest , and their bird gone . the rest were eager to have torne theire haire from theire heads , but it was so short , that it would give them no hold ; now captaine shrimp thought in the losse of this prize ( which hee accoumpted his master peece , ) all his honor would be lost forever , in the meane time mine host was got home to ma-re mount through the woods , eight miles , round about the head of the river monatoquit , that parted the two plantations : finding his way by the helpe of the lightening ( for it thundred as hee went terribly ) and there hee prepared powther three pounds dried , for his present imployement , and foure good gunnes for him , and the two assistants left at his howse , with bullets of severall sizes three hounderd , or thereabouts ; to be used if the conspirators should pursue him thether : and these two persons promised theire aides in the quarrell , and confirmed that promise with a health in good rosa solis . now captaine shrimp , the first captaine in the land ( as hee supposed , ) must doe some new act to repaire this losse , and to vindicate his reputation , who had sustained blemish , by this oversight . begins now to study , how to repaire or survive his honor in this manner ; callinge of councell : they conclude . hee takes eight persons more to him , and ( like the nine worthies of new canaan ) they imbarque with preparation against ma-re-mount , where this monster of a man ( as theire phrase was ) had his denne ; the whole number , ( had the rest not bin from home , being but seaven , ) would have given captaine shrimpe ( a quondam drummer , ) such a wellcome , as would have made him wish for a drume as bigg as diogenes tubb , that hee might have crept into it out of sight . now the nine worthies are approached ; and mine host prepared : having intelligence by a salvage , that hastened in love from wessaguscus , to give him notice of their intent . one of mine hosts men prooved a craven : the other had prooved his wits to purchase a little valoure , before mine host had observed his posture . the nine worthies comming before the denne of this supposed monster , ( this seaven headed hydra , as they termed him , ) and began like don quixote against the windmill to beate a party , and to offer quarter ( if mine host would yeald ) for they resolved to send him for england , and bad him lay by his armes . but hee ( who was the sonne of a souldier ) having taken up armes in his just defence , replyed , that hee would not lay by those armes , because they were so needefull at sea , if hee should be sent over . yet ( to save the effusion of so much worty bloud , as would haue issued , out of the vaynes of these 9. worthies of new canaan , if mine host should have played upon them out at his port holes ( for they came within danger like a flocke of wild geese , as if they had bin tayled one to another , as coults to be sold at a faier ) mine host was content to yeelde upon quarter ; and did capitulate with them : in what manner it should be for more certainety , because hee knew what captaine shrimpe was . hee expressed , that no violence should be offered to his person , none to his goods , nor any of his howsehold : but that hee should have his armes , and what els was requisit for the voyage , ( which theire herald retornes , ) it was agreed upon , and should be performed . but mine host no sooner had set open the dore and issued out : but instantly captaine shrimpe , and the rest of the worties stepped to him , layd hold of his armes ; and had him downe , and so eagerly was every man bent against him ( not regarding any agreement made with such a carnall man , ) that they fell upon him , as if they would have eaten him : some of them were so violent , that they would have a slice with scabbert and all for haste , untill an old souldier ( of the queenes as the proverbe is ) that was there by accident , clapt his gunne under the weapons , and sharply rebuked these worthies for their unworthy practises . so the matter was taken into more deliberate consideration . captaine shrimpe and the rest of the nine worthies , made themselves ( by this outragious riot ) masters of mine hoste of ma-re mount , and disposed of what hee had at his plantation . this they knew ( in the eye of the salvages ) would add to their glory ; and diminish the reputation of mine honest host , whome they practised to be ridd of , upon any termes , as willingly as if hee had bin the very hidra of the time . chap. xvi . hovv the 9. vvorthies put mine host of ma-re-mount into the inchaunted , castle at plimmouth , and terrified him vvith the monster briareus . the nine worthies of new canaan having now the law in their owne hands ( there being no generall governour in the land : nor none of the seperation that regarded , the duety they owe their soveraigne , whose naturall borne subjects they were : though translated out of holland : from whence they had learned to worke all to their owne ends , and make a great shew of religion , but no humanity , for they were now to sit in counsell on the cause . and much it stood mine honest host upon , to be very circumspect , and to take eacus to taske : for that his voyce was more allowed of , then both the other : and had not mine host confounded all the arguments that eacus could make in their defence : and confuted him that swaied the rest , they would have made him unable to drinke in such manner of merriment any more . so that following this private counsell , given him by one that knew who ruled the rost , the hiracano ceased that els would split his pinace . a conclusion was made , and sentence given , that mine host should be sent to england a prisoner . but when hee was brought to the shipps for that purpose , no man durst be so foole hardy as to undertake to carry him . so these worthies set mine host upon an island , without gunne , powther , or shot , or dogge , or so much as a knife , to get any thinge to feede upon : or any other cloathes to shelter him with at winter , then a thinne suite which hee had one at that time . home hee could not get to ma-re-mount upon this island . hee stayed a moneth at least , and was releeved by salvages that tooke notice that mine host was a sachem of passonagessit , and would bringe bottles of strong liquor to him , and unite them selves into a league of brother hood with mine host ; so full of humanity are these infidels before those christians . from this place for england , sailed mine host in a plimmoth shipp , ( that came into the land to fish upon the coast , ) that landed him safe in england at plimmouth , and hee stayed in england untill the ordinary time for shipping to set forth for these parts ; and then retorned : noe man being able to taxe him of any thinge . but the worthies ( in the meane time ) hoped they had bin ridd of him . chap. xvii . of the baccanall triumphe of the nine vvorthies of nevv canaan . the seperatists were not so contended , ( when mine host of ma-re-mount was gone ) but they were as much discontended when hee was retorned againe : and the rather , because theire passages about him , and the businesse , were so much derided ; and in songes exemplified : which ( for better satisfaction of such as are in that kinde affected ) i have set forth as it was then in use by the name of the baccanall triumphe , as followeth : the poem . i sing th' adventures of mine worthy wights , and pitty't is i cannot call them knights , since they had brawne and braine and were right able , to be installed of prince arthures table , yet all of them were squires of low degree , as did appeare by rules of heraldry , the magi tould of a prodigeous birth , that shortly should be found upon the earth , by archimedes art , which they misconster vnto their land would proove a hiddeous monster , seaven heades it had , and twice so many feete , arguing the body to be wondrous greate , besides a sorked taile heav'd up on highe , as if it threaten'd battell to the skie , the rumor of this fearefull prodigy , did cause th' effeminate multitude to cry , for want of great alcides aide and stood , like people that have seene medusas head , great was the greife of hart , great was the mone , and great the feare conceaved by every one , of hydras hiddeous forme and dreadfull powre , doubting in time this monster would devoure , all their best flocks whose dainty wolle consorts , it selfe with scarlet in all princes courts , not iason nor the adventerous youths of greece , did bring from colcos any ritcher fleece , in emulation of the gretian force , these worthies nine prepar'd a woodden horse , and prick'd with pride of like successe divise , how they may purchase glory by this prize , and if they give to hidraes head the fall , it will remaine a plat forme unto all , theire brave atchivements , and in time to comme , per fas aut nefas they 'l erect a throne . cloubs are turn'd trumps : so now the lott is cast , with fire and sword , to hidras den they haste , mars in th' assendant , soll in cancer now , and lerna lake to plutos court must bow , what though they rebuk'd by thundring love , t is neither gods nor men that can remove , their mindes from making this a dismall day , these nine will now be actors in this play , and sum on hidra to appeare a non , before their witles combination , but his undaunted spirit nursd with meate , such as the cecrops gave their babes to eate , scorn'd their base accons , for with cecrops charme , hee knew he could defend himselfe from harme , of minos , eacus , and radamand , princes oj limbo who must out of hand , consult bout hidra what must now be done , who having sate in counsell one by one , retorne this answere to the stiggean feinds , and first grim minos spake : most loving freinds , hidra prognosticks ruine to our state , and that our kingdome will grow desolate , but if one head from thence be tane away , the body and the members will decay , to take in hand , what eacus this taske , is such as harebraind phaeton did aske , of phebus to begird the world about , which graunted put the netherlands to rout , presumptious fooles learne wit at too much cost , for life and laboure both at once hee lost , sterne radamantus being last to speake , made a great hum and thus did silence breake , what if with ratling chaines or iron bands , hidra be bound either by feete or hands , and after being lashd with smarting rodds , hee be conveyd by stix unto the godds , to be accused on the upper ground , of lesae majestatis this crime found , t' will be unpossible from thence i trowe , hidra shall come to trouble us belowe , this sentence pleasd the friends exceedingly , that up they tost their bonnets and did cry , long live our court in great prosperity . the sessions ended some did straight devise , court revells antiques and a world of joyes , brave christmas gambals , there was open hall , kept to the full : and sport the divell and all , labours despised the loomes are laid away , and this proclaim'd the stigean holli day , in came grim minos with his motly beard , and brought a distillation well prepar'd , and eacus who is as suer as text , came in with his preparatives the next , then radamantus last and principall , feasted the worthies in his sumptuous hall , there caron cerberous and the rout of feinds , had lap enough and so their pastims ends . the illvstrations . now to illustrate this poem , and make the sence more plaine , it is to be considered that the persons at ma-re-mount were seaven , and they had seaven heads and 14. feete , these were accounted hidra with the seaven heads ; and the maypole with the hornes nailed neere the topp , was the forked tayle of this supposed monster , which they ( for want of skill ) imposed : yet feared in time ( if they hindred not mine host ) hee would hinder the benefit of their beaver trade , as hee had done ( by meanes of this helpe ) in kyny back river finely , ere they were a wares ▪ who comming too late , were much dismaide to finde that mine host his boate had gleaned away all before they came ; which beaver is a fitt companion for scarlett : and i beleeve that iasons golden fleece was either the same , or some other fleece not of so much value . this action bred a kinde of hart burning in the plimmouth planters who after , sought occasion against mine host to overthrowe his undertakings , and to destroy his plantation , whome they accoumpted a maine enemy to theire church and state. now when they had begunne with him , they thought best to proceede : for asmuch as they thought them selves farre enough from any controule of iustice ; and therefore resolved to be their owne carvers : ( and the rather , because they presumed upon some incouragement they had from the favourites of their sect in england : ) and with fire and sword nine in number pursued mine host ; who had escaped theire hands in scorne of what they intended , and betooke him to his habitation in a night of great thunder and lightening , when they durst not follow him , as hardy , as these nine worthies seemed to be . it was in the moneth of iune , that these marshallists had appointed to goe about this mischeifous project , and deale so crabbidly with mine host. after a parly , hee capitulated with them about the quarter , they proffered him , if hee would consent to goe for england , there to answere ( as they pretended ) some thing they could object against him principall to the generall : but what it would be hee cared not , neither was it any thing materiall . yet when quarter was agreed upon , they contrary wise , abused him , and carried him to theire towne of plimmouth , where ( if they had thought hee durst have gone to england ) rather then they would have bin any more affronted by him , they would have dispatched him , as captaine shrimp in a rage , profest that hee would doe with his pistoll as mine host should set his foote into the boate . howsoever the cheife elders voyce in that place was more powerfull than any of the rest ; who concluded to send mine host without any other thing to be done to him . and this being the finall agreement , ( contrary to shrimpe and others , ) the nine wo●thies had a great feast made , and the furmity po●t was provided , for the boats gang by no allowance : and all manner of pastime . captaine shrimpe was so overjoyed in the performance of this exployt ; that they had , at that time , extraordinary merriment ; a thing not usuall amongst those presisians ) and when the winde served , they tooke mine host into their shallop ; hoysed saile , and carried him to the northen parts ; where they left him upon a island . chap. xviii . of a doctor made at a commencement in nevv canaan . the church of plimmouth having due regard to the weale publike , and the brethren , that were to come over ; and knowing that they would be busily imployed to make provision for the cure of soules , and therefore might neglect the body for that time : did hold themselves to be in duety bound , to make search for a fitting man that might be able , ( if so neede requir'd ) to take the chardge upon him in that place of imployment : and therefore called a counsell of the whole synagoge : amongst which company they chose out a man , that long time had bin nurst up in the tender bosome of the church : one that had speciall gifts : hee could wright and reade , nay more : hee had tane the oath of abjuration , which is a speciall stepp , yea and a maine degree unto perferment , him they weane : and out of phaos boxe fitt him with speciall guifts of no lesse worth : they stile him doctor and forth they send him to gaine imployement and opinion . what luck is it i cannot hit on his name : but i will give you him by a periphrasis , that you may know him when you meete him next . hee was borne at wrington in the county of somerset , where hee was bred a butcher . hee weares a longe beard , and a garment like the greeke that beggd in pauls church . this new made doctor comes to salem to congratulate : where hee findes some are newly come from sea , and ill at ease . hee takes the patient , and the urinall : vies the state there : findes the crasis syptomes , and the attomi natantes : and tells the patient that his disease was winde , which hee had tane by gapeing , feasting , over board at sea , but hee would quickly ease him of that greife , and quite expell the winde . and this hee did performe , with his gifts hee had : and then hee handled the patient so handsomely , that hee eased him of all the winde , hee had in an instant . and yet i hope this man may be forgiven , if hee were made a fitting plant for heaven . how hee went to worke with his gifts is a question : yet hee did a great cure for captaine littleworth , hee cured him of a disease called a wife : and yet i hope this man may be forgiven , if shee were made a fitting plant for heaven . by this meanes hee was allowed 4. p. a moneth , and the chirgeons chest , and made phisition generall of salem : where hee exercised his gifts so well , that of full 42. that there hee tooke to cure , there is not one has more cause to complaine , or can say black 's his eie . this saved captaine littleworths credit , that had truck'd away the vittels : though it brought forth a scandall on the country by it , and then i hope this man may be forgiven , if they were all made fitting plants for heaven . but in mine opinion , hee deserves to be set upon a palfrey , and lead up and downe in triumph throw new canaan , with a coller of iurdans about his neck , as was one of like desert in richard the seconds time through the streets of london , that men might know where to finde a quacksaluer . chap. xix . of the silencing of a minister in nevv canaan . a silenced minister out of courteousnesse , came over into new canaan to play the spie : hee pretended out of a zealous intent to doe the salvages good , and to teach them . hee brought a great bundell of horne books with him , and carefull hee was ( good man ) to blott out all the crosses of them , for feare least the people of the land should become idolaters . hee was in hope , with his gifts , to prepare a great auditory against greate iosua should arive there . hee applyed himselfe on the weeke dayes to the trade of beaver , but it was ( as might seeme ) to purchase the principall benefite of the lande , when the time should come ; for hee had a hope to be the caiphas of the country : and well hee might , for hee was higher by the head than any of his tribe that came after him . this man , it seemes , played the spie very handsomely , for in the exercise of his guifts on the lords day at weenasimute , hee espied a salvage come in with a good beaver coate , and tooke occasion to reproove the covetous desire of his auditory to trade for beaver on those dayes ; which made them all use so much modesty about the matter for the present , that hee found opportunity , the same day , to take the salvage a side into a corner , where ( with the helpe of his wampampeack , hee had in his pocket for that purpose in a readinesse , ) hee made a shifte to get that beaver coate , which their mouthes watered at ; and so deceaved them all . but shortly after , when iosua came into the land , hee had soone spied out caiphas practise ; and put him to silence ; and either hee must put up his pipes , and be packing or forsake ionas posture , and play demas part alltogether . chap. xx. of the practise of the s●peratists to gett a snare to hamper mine host of ma-re-mount . although the nine worthies had left mine hoste upon an island , in such an inhumane manner , as yee heard before ; yet when they understood that hee had got shipping , and was gone to england of his owne accord , they dispatched letters of advise to an agent they had there : and by the next shipp sent after , to have a snare made , that might hamper mine host so , as hee might not any more trouble theire conscience : and to that end , made a generall collection of beaver to defray the chardge , and hee was not thought a good christian that would not lay much out , for that imployment . some contributed three pounds ; some foure , some five pounds , and procured a pretty quantity by that devise , which should be given to a cunning man , that could make a snare to hamper him . the agent ( according to his directions , ) does his endeavoure ( in the best manner hee could ) to have this instrument made : and used no little diligence to have it effected . his reputation stood upon the taske imposed upon him against mine host , the onely enemy ( accounted ) of their church , and state. much inquiry was made in london , and about , for a skillfull man that would worke the feate . noe cost was spared , for gold hee had good store , first hee inquires of one : and then another : at the last hee heard newes of a very famous man , one that was excellent at making subtile instruments such as that age had never bin acquainted with . hee was well knowne to be the man , that had wit and wondrous skill , to make a cunning instrument , where with to save himselfe , and his whole family : if all the world besides should be drown'd ; and this the best , yea and the best cheap too ; for no good done , the man would nothing take . to him this agent goes , and praies his aide : declares his cause , & tells the substance of his greivance , all at large , and laid before his eies a heape of gold . when all was shewd , that could be ●he'd , and said what could be said , & all too little for to have it done ; the agent then did see his gold refused , his cause despised & thought himselfe disgraced , to leave the worke undone : so that hee was much dismaid , yet importun'd the cunning , who found no reason to take the taske in hand . hee thought perhaps , mine host ( that had the slight to escape from the nine worthies , to chaine argus eies , and by inchauntment make the doores of the watch tower fly open at an instant ) would not be hamperd , but with much a doe : and so hee was unwilling to be troubled with that taske . the agent wondring to see that his gold would doe no good , did aske , the cunning man if hee could give him no advise ? who said , hee would : and what was that thinke you ? to let mine host alone , who being ship'd againe for the parts of new canaan , was put in at plimmouth in the very faces of them , to their terrible amazement to see him at liberty , and told him hee had not yet fully answered the matter , they could object against him . hee onely made this modest reply , that hee did perceave they were willfull people , that would never be answered ; and derided them for their practises , and losse of laboure . chap. xxi . of captaine littlevvorth his nevv divise , for the purchase of beaver . in the meane time , whiles these former passages were : there was a great swelling fellow , of littleworth , crept over to salem ( by the helpe of master charter party the tresorer , and master ananias increase the collector for the company of seperatists , ) to take upon him their imployments for a time . hee resolving to make hay , whiles the sonne did shine , first pretended himselfe to be sent over as cheife iustice of the massachussets bay , and salem forsoth , and tooke unto him a counsell & a worthy one no doubt ; for the cow keeper of salem , was a prime man in those imployments ; and to ad a majesty ( as hee thought ) to his new assumed dignity , hee caused the patent of the massachussets ( new brought into the land ) to be carried where hee went in his progresse to and froe , as an embleme of his authority : which the vulgar people not acquainted with , thought it to be some instrument of musick locked up in that covered case , and thought ( for so some said ) this man of littleworth had bin a fidler , and the rather , because hee had put into the mouthes of poore silly things that were sent a longe with him , what skill hee had in engines and in things of quaint devise : all which prooved in conclusion to be but impostury . this man thinking none so worthy as himselfe , tooke upon him infinitely : and made warrants in his owne name ( without relation to his majesties authority in that place , ) and summoned a generall apparance , at the worshipfull towne of salem : there in open assembly was tendered certaine articles , devised betweene him and theire new pastor master eager ( that had renounced his old calling to the ministry receaved in england , by warrant of gods word : and taken a new one there by their fantasticall way imposed and conferred upon him with some speciall guifts had out of phaos boxe . ) to these articles every planter , old , and new , must signe : or be expelled from any manner of aboade within the compas of the land contained within that graunt then shewed : which was so large , it would suffice for elbow roome , for more then were in all the land by 700000. such an army might have planted them a colony with that cirquit which hee challenged . and not contend for roome for their cattell . but for all that , hee that should refuse to subscribe , must pack . the tenor of the articles were these : that in all ●auses , as well ecclesiasticall , as politicall , wee should ●ollow the rule of gods word . this made a shew of a good intent , and all the assembly ( onely mine host replyed ) did subscribe : hee would not unlesse they would ad this caution : so as nothing be done contrary , or repugnant to the lawes of the kingdome of england . these words hee knew , by former experience , were necessary , and without these , the same would proove a very mousetrapp to catch some body by his owne consent , ( which the rest nothing suspected ) for the construction of the worde would be made by them of the seperation , to serve their owne turnes : and if any man should , in such a case be accused of a crime ( though in it selfe it were petty ) they might set it on the tenter hookes of their imaginary gifts , and stretch it , to make it seeme cappitall ; which was the reason why mine host refused to subscribe . it was then agreed upon , that there should be one generall trade used within that patent ( as hee said ) and a generall stock : and every man to put in a parte : and every man , for his person , to have shares alike : and for their stock according to the ratable proportion was put in : and this to continue for 12. moneths : and then to call an accompt . all were united but mine host refused : two truckmasters were chosen ; wages prefixed ; onely mine host put in a caviat , that the wages might be payed out of the cleare proffit , which there in black and white was plainely put downe . but before the end of 6. moneths , the partners in this stock ( handled by the truckmasters ) would have an accoumpt : some of them had perceaved that wampambeacke could be pocketted up , and the underlings ( that went in the boats alonge ) would be neere the wiser for any thinge , but what was trucked for beaver onely . the accoumpt being made betweene captaine littleworth , and the two truckmasters ; it was found , that instead of increasing the proffit , they had decreased it ; for the principall stock , by this imployment , was freetted so , that there was a great hole to be seene in the very middle of it which cost the partners afterwards one hundred markes to stopp , and make good to captaine littleworth . but mine host that sturred not his foote at all for the matter , did not onely save his stock from such a cancar , but gained sixe and seaven for one : in the meane time , hee derided the contributers for being catch'd in that snare . chap. xxii . of a sequestration made in nevv canaan . captaine littleworth ( that had an akeing tooth at at mine host of ma-re-mount , ) devised how hee might put a trick upon him , by colour of a sequestration , and got some persons to pretend that hee had corne , and other goods of theirs in possession ; and the rather , because mine host had store of corne ; and hee had improvidently truckt his store , for the present gaine of beaver : in somuch , that his people under his chardge were put to short allowance ; which caused some of them to sicken with conceipt of such useage : and some of them ( by the practise of the new entertained doctor noddy , with his imaginary gifts : they sent therefore to exhibit a petition to grim minos , eacus , and radamant : where they wished to have the author of their greife to be converted : and they had procured it quickly : if curses would have caused it : for good prayers would be of no validity ( as they supposed ) in this extremity . now in this extremity capt. littleworth gave commission to such as hee had found ready for such imployments , to enter in the howse at ma-re-mount , and with a shallop , to bring from thence such corne , and other utensilles , as in their commission hee had specified . but mine host , wary to prevent eminent mischeife , had conveyed his powther , and shott ( and such other things as stood him in most steed for his present condition ) into the woods for safety : & whiles this was put in practise by him , the shallop was landed , and the commissioners entred the howse ; and willfully bent against mine honest host , that loved good hospitality . after they had feasted their bodies with that they found there , they carried all his corne away , with some other of his goods , contrary to the lawes of hospitality : a smale parcell of refuse corne onely excepted , which they left mine host to keepe christmas with . but when they were gone , mine host , fell to make use of his gunne , ( as one that had a good faculty in the use of that instrument ) and feasted his body neverthelesse with fowle , and venison , which hee purchased with the helpe of that instrument : the plenty of the country , and the commodiousnes of the place affording meanes by the blessing of god ; and hee did but deride captaine littleworth , that made his servants snap shorte in a country so much abounding with plenty of foode for an industrious man , with greate variety . chap. xxiii . of a great bonfire made for ioy of the arrivall of great iosua surnamed tempervvell into the land of canaan . seaven shipps set forth at once , and altogether arrived in the land of canaan , to take a full possession thereof : what are all the 12. tribes of new israell come : no , none but the tribe of issacar ; and some few scattered levites of the remnant of those that were descended of old elies howse . and here comes their iosua too among them : and they make it a more miraculous thing for these seaven s●ipps to set forth together , and arrive at new canaan together , then it was for the israelites to goe over iordan drishod : perhaps it was , because they had a wall on the right hand and a wall on the left hand . these seperatists suppose there was no more difficulty in the matter , then for a man to finde the way to the counter at noonedayes , betweene a sergeant and his yeoman : now you may thinke mine host will be hamperd or never . these are the men that come prepared to ridd the land , of all pollution . these are more subtile , then the cunning , that did refuse a goodly heap of gold . these men have brought a very snare indeed ; and now mine host must suffer . the book of common prayer which hee used to be despised : and hee must not be spared . now they are come , his doome before hand was concluded on : they have a warrant now : a cheife one too ; and now mine host must know hee is the subject of their hatred : the snare must now be used ; this instrument must not be brought by iosua in vaine . a court is called of purpose for mine host ; hee there convented : and must heare his doome , before hee goe : nor will they admitt him to capitulate , and know wherefore they are so violent to put such things in practise against a man they never saw before : nor will they allow of it , though hee decline their iurisdiction . there they all with one assent put him to silence , crying out , heare the governour , heare the govern : who gave this sentence against mine host at first sight : that hee should be first put in the billbowes , his goods should be all confiscated ; his plantation should be burned downe to the ground , because the habitation of the wicked should no more appeare in israell ; and his person banished from those territories , and this put in execution with all speede . the harmeles salvages ( his neighboures ) came the while , greived poore silly lambes : to see what they went about ; and did reproove these eliphants of witt , for their inhumane deede the lord above did opon their mouthes like balams asse , & made them speake in his behalfe sentences , of unexpected divinity , besides morrallity ; and tould them , that god would not love them , that burned this good mans howse : and plainely sayed , that they who were new come would finde the want of such a howses in the winter ; so much themselves to him confest . the smoake that did assend appeared to be the very sacrifice of kain . mine host ( that a farre of abourd a ship did there behold this wofull spectacle , ) knew not what hee should doe , in this extremity ; but beare and forbeare , as epictetus sayes : it was bootelesse to exclaime . hee did consider then , these transitory things are but ludibria fortunae as cicero calls them . all was burnt downe to the ground , and nothing did remaine , but the bare ashes as an embleme of their cruelty : and unles it could ( like to the phenix ) rise out of these ashes , and be new againe , ( to the immortall glory and renowne , of this fertile canaan the new , the stumpes and postes in their black liveries will mourne ; and piety it selfe will add a voyce to the bare remnant of that monument , and make it cry for recompence ( or else revenge ) against the sect of cruell schismaticks . chap. xxiv . of the digrading and creating gentry in nevv canaan . there was a zealous professor in the land of canaan ( growne a great merchant in the beaver trade ) ●hat came over for his conscience sake , ( as other men ●ave done ) and the meanes : ( as the phrase is ) who in ●is minority had bin prentice to a tombe maker ; who ●omming to more ripenes of yeares ( though lesse dis●retion , ) found a kinde of scruple in his conscience , ●hat the trade was in parte against the second commandement : and therefore left it off wholely , and betooke himselfe to some other imployments . in the end hee settled upon this course : where hee had hope of preferrement , and become one of those things that any iudas might hange himselfe upon , that is an elder . hee had bin a man of some recconing in his time ( as himselfe would boast ) for hee was an officer , just ●nder the exchequer at westminster , in a place called phlegeton : there hee was comptroller , and conversed with noe plebeians i tell you : but such as have angels for their attendance , ( i meane some lawyers , with appertenances ( that is clarks , ) with whome a iugg of beare , and a crusty rolle in the terme , is as currant as a three penny scute at hall time . there is another place , thereby called sticks : these are to two daingerous places , by which the infernall gods doe sweare : but this of sticks is the more daingerous of the two , because there , ( if a man be once in ) hee cannot tell how to get out againe handsomely . i knew an under sheriff was in unawaires , and hee laboured to be free of it : yet hee broake his back before hee got so farre as quietus est : there is no such dainger in phlegeton , where this man of so much recconing was comptroller . hee being here , waited an opportunity to be made a gentl. and , now it fell out that a gentl. newly come into the land of canaan ( before hee knew what ground hee stood upon ) had incurred the displeasure of great iosua so highly , that hee must therefore be digraded . no reconciliation could be had for him : all hopes were past for that matter : where upon this man of much recconing ( pretending a graunt of the approach in avoydance ) helpes the lame dogge over the stile ; and was as jocund on the matter as a magpie over a mutton . wherefore the heralls with drums , and trumpets , proclaiming in a very solemne manner , that it was the pleasure of great iosua ( for divers and sundry very good causes and considerations , master temperwell there unto especially mooving ) to take away the title , prerogative and preheminence of the delinquent , so unworthy of it , and to place the same upon a professor of more recconing : so that it was made a penall thing for any man after , to lifte the same man againe on the top of that stile : but that hee should stand perpetually digraded from that prerogative . and the place by this meanes being voyde , this man of so much more reckoning , was receaved in like a cypher to fillup a roome , and was made a gentleman of the first head ; and his coate of armes blazon'd and tricked out fit for that purpose , in this poem following . the poem . what ailes pigmalion ? is it lu●acy ; or doteage on his owne imagery ? let him remember how hee came from hell , that after ages by record may tell , the compleate story to posterity ; blazon his coate in forme of heraldry . hee beareth argent alwaies at commaund ; a barre betweene three crusty rolls at hand : and for his crest with froth there does appeare , dextra paw elevant a lugg of beare . now that it may the more easily be understood , i have here endeavoured to set it forth in these illustrations following pigmalion was an image maker , who doteing on his owne perfection in making the image of venus , grew to be amazed man , like our gentleman here of the first head : and by the figure antonomasia is hee herein exemplified . hee was translated from a tombe maker , to be the tapster at hell ( which is in westminster under the exchequer office ( for benefit of the meanes ) hee translated himselfe into new england : whereby the help of beaver , and the commaund of a servant or two , hee was advanced to the title of a gentleman ; where i left him to the exercise of his guifts . chap. xxv . of the manner hovv the seperatists doe pay debts to them that are vvithout . there was an honest man , one mr. innocence fairecloath , by mr. mathias charterparty , sent over into new canaan , to raise a very good marchantable commodity for his benefit ; for whiles the man was bound by covenant to stay for a time , and to imploy such 〈◊〉 , as did there belong to mr. charterparty , 〈◊〉 disdained the tenents of the seperatists : and they 〈◊〉 ( finding him to be none , ) disdained to be imploye●●y a carnall man ( as they termed him ) and sought occasion against him , to doe him a mischeife , intelligence was conveyed to mr. charterparty , that this man was a member of the church of england : and therefore ( in their account ) an enemy to their church , & state . and ( to the end they might have some coloure against him ) some of them practised to get into his debte ; which hee not mistrusting suffered : and gave credit for such commodity as hee had sold at a price . when the day of payment came , insteede of monyes ; hee being at that time sick and weake , and stood in neede of the beaver hee had contracted for hee , had an epistle full of zealous exhortations , to provide for the soule , and not to minde these transitory things that perished with the body ; and to be thinke himselfe whether his conscience would be so prompt to demaund so greate a somme of beaver as had bin contracted for . hee was further exhorted therein , to consider hee was but a steward for a time , and by all likely hood was going to to give up an accompt of his stewardship : and therfore perswaded the creditor not to load his conscience with such a burthen , which hee was bound by the gospell to ease him of ( if it were possible ) & for that cause hee had framed this epistle in such a freindly maner to put him in minde of it . the perusall of this ( lap'd in the paper ) was as bad as a portion , to the creditor , to see his debtor mast●r subtilety a zealous professor ( as hee thought ) to deride him in this extremity , that hee could not chuse ( in ad●iration of the deceipt ) but cast out these words : a●e th●se youre members ? if they be all like these i beleeve the divell was the setter up of their church . this was called in question , when mr. fairecloath least thought of it . capt. littleworth must be the man must presse it against him , for blasphemy against the church of salem : and to greate iosua temperwell hee goes with a bitter accusation , to have master innocence made an example for all carnall men , to presume to speake the least word that might tend to the dishonor of the church of salem ; yea the mother church of all that holy land. and hee convented was before their synagoge , where no defence would serve his turne , yet was there none to be seene to accuse him , save the court alone . the time of his sicknes , nor the urgent cause , were not allowed to be urg'd for him ; but whatsoever could be thought upon against him was urged , seeing hee was a carnall man of them , that are without . so that it seemes by those proceedings there , the matter wa● adjudged before he came : hee onely brought to hear● his sentence in publicke : which was , to have hi● tongue bored through ; his nose flit ; his face branded his eares cut ; his body to be whip'd in every several plantation of theire iurisdiction : and a fine of fort● pounds impos'd with perpetuall banishment : and ( to execute this vengeance , ) shackles ( the deacon o● charles towne ) was as ready as mephostophiles when doctor faustus was bent upon mischeife . hee is the purser generall of new canaan , wh● ( with his whipp , with knotts most terrible ) takes thi● man unto the counting howse : there capitulates wit● him , why hee should be so hasty for payment , whe● gods deare children must pay as they are able : an● hee weepes , and sobbes , and his handkercher walke as a signe of his sorrow for master fairecloaths sinne that he should beare no better affection to the churc● and the saints of new canaan : and strips innocenc● the while ; and comforts him . though hee be made to stay for payment , he should not thinke it longe ; the payment would b● sure when it did come , and hee should have his due t● a doite ; hee should not wish for a token more ; an● then tould it him downe in such manner , that he● made fairecloaths innocent back , like the pictur● of rawhead and blowdy bones : and his shirte like 〈◊〉 pudding wifes aperon . in this imployment shackles ●akes a greate felitity , and glories in the practise of it : this cruell sentence was stoped , in part by sir christopher gardiner ( then presentat the execution ) by expostulating with master temperwell : who was content ( with that whipping , and the cutting of parte of his eares ) to send innocence going , with the losse of all his goods to pay the fine imposed , and perpetuall banishment out of their lands of new canaan in terrorem populi . loe this is the payment you shall get , if you be one of them they terme , without . chap. xxvi . of the charity of the seperatists . charity is sayd to be the darling of religion and is indeed the marke of a good christian : but where we doe finde a commission for ministring to the necessity of the saints , we doe not finde any prohibition against casting our bread upon the waters , where the unsanctified , as well as the sanctified , are in possibility to make use of it . i cannot perceave that the seperatists doe allowe of helping our poore though they magnify their practi●● in contributing to the nourishment of their saints for a● much as some that are of the number of those whom ●hey terme without ( though it were in case of sicknesse ) upon theire l●nding , when a little fresh victuals would have recovered their healths , yet could they not finde any charitable assistance from thē . nay mine host of ma-re-mount ( if hee might have had the use of his gunne powther , and shott , and his dogg ▪ which were denied ) hee doubtles would have preserved , such poore helples wretches as were neglected by those that brought them over ; which was so appara●t ( as it seemed ) that one of their owne tribe said : the death of them would be required at some bodies hands one day , ( meaning master temperwell . but such good must not come from a carnall man : if it come from a member , then it is a sanctified worke ; if otherwise , it is rejected , as unsanctified . but when shackles wife , and such as had husbands parents , or freinds happened to bee sick , mine hosts helpe was used , and instruments provid●d for him , ●o kill fresh vittell with ( wherein hee was industrious ) and the persons , having fresh vittell , lived . so doubtles might many others have bin preserved , but they were of the number left without ; neither will those precise people admit a carnall man into their howses , though they have made use of his in the like case , they are such antagonists to ●hose , that doe not comply with them and seeke to be admitted , to be of their church that in scorne they say : you may see what it is to be without . chap. xxvii . of the practise of their church . the church of the seperatists , is governed by pastors , elders , and deacons , and there is not any of these ( thouh hee be but a cow keeper ) but is allowed to exercise his guifts , in the publik assembly on the lords day ; so as hee doe not make use of any notes for the helpe of his memory : for such things they say smell of lampe oyle , and there must be no such unsavery perfume admitted , to come into the congregation . these are all publike preachers . there is amongst these people a deakonesse made of the sisters , that uses her guifts at home in an assembly of her sexe , by way of repetition , or exhortation : such is their practise . the pastor ( before hee is allowed of ) must disclaime his former calling to the ministry , as hereticall ; and take a new calling after their fantasticall inventions : and then hee is admitted to bee their pastor . the manner of disclaimeing is , to renounce hi● calling with bitter execrations , for the time that hee hath heretofore lived in it : and after his new election , there is great joy conceaved at his commission . and theire pastors have this preheminence above the civile magistrate : hee must first consider of the complaint , made against a member : and if hee be disposed to give the partie complained of , an admonition , there is no more to be said : if not ; hee delivers him over to the magistrate to deale with him , in a course of iustice , according to theire practise , in cases of that nature . of these pastors i have not knowne many : some i have observed ; together with theire carriage in new canaan : and can informe you what opinion hath bin conceaved of theire conditions , in the perticuler . there is one who ( as they give it out there , that thinke they speake it to advaunce his worth ) has bin expected to exercise his gifts in an assembly , that stayed his comming , ( in the middest of his iorney ) falls into a fitt ( which they terme a zealous meditation ) and was 4. miles past the place appointed , before hee came to him selfe , or did remember where abouts hee went. and how much these things are different from the actions of mazed men , i leave to any indifferent man to judge : and if i should say , they are all much alike , they that have seene and heard , what i have done will not condemme mee altogether . now , for as much as by the practise of theire church every elder or deacon may preach : it is not amisse to discover their practise in that perticuler , before i part with them . it has bin an old saying , and a true , what is bred in the bone , will not out of the flesh , nor the stepping into the pulpit that can make the person fitt for the imployment . the unfitnes of the person undertaking to be the messenger , has brought a blemi●h upon the message , as in the time of lewes the eleventh king of france ; who ( having advaunced his barber to place of honor , and graced him with eminent titles ) made him so presumptuous , to undertake an embassage to treat with forraine princes of civile affaires . but what was the issue ? hee behaved himselfe so unworthily ( yet as well as his breeding would give him leave ) that both the messenger and the message were despised ; and had not hee ( being discovered ) conveyed himselfe out of their territories , they had made him pay for his barbarous presumption . socrates sayes , loquere ut te videam . if a man observe these people in the exercise of their gifts , hee may thereby discerne the tincture of their proper calling , the asses eares will peepe through the lyons hide . i am sorry they cannot discerne their owne infirmities i will deale fairely with them ; for i will draw their pictures cap a pe , that you may discerne them plainely from head to foote in their postures that so much bewitch ( as i may speake with mo●esty , ) these illiterate people to be so fantasticall , to take ionas taske upon them without sufficient warrant . one steps up like the minister of iustice with the ballance onely , not the sword for feare of affrighting his auditory . hee poynts at a text , and handles it as evenly as hee can ; and teaches the auditory , that the thing hee has to deliver ; must be well waied , for it is a very pretious thing , yet much more pretious then gold , or pearle : and hee will teach them the meanes how to way things of that excellent worth : that a man would suppose , hee , and his auditory were to part stakes by the scale ; and the like distribution they have used about a bag pudding . another ( of a more cutting disposition ) steps in his steed ; and hee takes a text , which hee devides into many parts : ( to speake truly ) as many as hee list . the fag end of it hee pares away , as a superfluous remnant . hee puts his auditory in comfort , that hee will make a garment for them : and teach them how they shall put it on ; and incourages them to be in love with it , for it is of such a fashion as doth best become a christian man. hee will assuer them that it shall be armor of proffe against all assaults of satan . this garment ( sayes hee ) is not composed as the garments made by a carnall man , that are sowed with a hot needle , and a burning thread ; but it is a garment that shall out last all the garments : and ( if they will make use of it , as hee shall direct them ) they shall be able like saint george ) to terrifie the greate dragon error ; and defend truth which error with her wide chaps , would devoure : whose mouth shall be filled with the shredds , and parings , which hee continually gapes for under the cutting bourd . a third , hee supplies the rome : ●nd in the exercise of his guifts begins with a text ●hat is drawne out of a fountaine , that has in it no dreggs of popery . this shall proove unto you ( says hee ) the cup of repentance ; it is not like unto the cup of the whore of babilon , who will make men drunk with the dreggs thereof : it is filled up to the brim with comfortable joyce , and will proove a cordiall , a comfortable cordiall to a sick soule , ( sayes hee , ) and so hee handles the matter as if hee dealt by the pinte , and the quarte with nic and froth . an other ( a very learned man indeed ) goes another way to worke with his auditory ; and exhorts them to walke upright , in the way of their calling , and not ( like carnall men ) tread awry . and if they should fayle in the performance of that duety , yet they should seeke for amendement whiles it was time ; and tells them , it would bee to late to seek for help , when the shop windowes were shutt up : and pricks them forward with a freindly admonition , not to place theire delight in worldly pleasures , which will not last , but in time will come to an end . but so to handle the matter , that they may be found to wax better and better , and then they shall be doublely rewarded for theire worke : and so closes up the matter in a comfortable manner . but stay : here is one stept up in haste , and ( being not minded to hold his auditory in expectation of any long discourse , ) hee takes a text ; and ( for brevities sake , ) divides it into one part : and then runnes so fast a fore with the matter , that his auditory cannot follow him . doubtles his father was some irish footeman , by his speede it seemes so . and it may be at the howre of death , the sonne being present did participat of his fathers nature , ( according to pithagoras ) and so the vertue of his fathers nimble feete ( being infused into his braines ) might make his tongue outrunne his wit. well , if you marke it , these are speciall gifts indeede : which the vulgar people are so taken with , that there is no perswading them that it is so ridiculous . this is the meanes , ( o the meanes , ) that they pursue : this that comes without premeditation : this is the suparlative : and hee that does not approove of this , they say is a very reprobate . many vnwarrantable tenents they have likewise : some of which being come to my knowledge i wil here set downe , one wherof being in publicke practise maintained , is more notorious then the rest . i will therefore beginne with that and convince them of manifest error by the maintenance of it , which is this : that it is the magistrates office absolutely ( and not the minsters ) to joyne the people in lawfull matrimony . and for this they vouch the history of ruth , saying boas was married to ruth in presence of the elders of the people . herein they mistake the scope of the text . 2. that it is a relique of popery to make use of a ring in marriage : and that it is a diabolicall circle for the divell to daunce in . 3. that the purification used for weomen after delivery is not to be used . 4. that no child shall be baptised , whose parents are not receaved into their church first . 5. that no person shall be admitted to the sacrament of the lords supper that is without . 6. that the booke of common prayer is an idoll and all that use it , idolaters . 7. that every man is bound to beleeve a professor upon his bare affirmation onely , before a protestant upon oath . 8. that no person hath any right to gods creatures , but gods children onely who are themselves ▪ and that all others are but usurpers of the creatures . 9. and that for the generall good of their church , and common wealth they are to neglect father , mother and all freindship . 10. much a doe they keepe about their church discipline , as if that were the most essentiall part of their religion , tythes are banished from thence , all except the tyth of muit and commin . 11. they differ from us some thing in the creede too , for if they get the goods of one , that is without , into their hands ; hee shall be kept without remedy for any satisfaction : and they beleeve , that this is not cosenage . 12. and lastly they differ from us , in the manner of praying ; for they winke when they pray , because they thinke themselves so perfect in the highe way to heaven , that they can find it blindfould : so doe not i. chap. xxviii . of their policy in publik iustice. now that i have anottomized , the two extreame parts of this politique commonwealth the head & the inferior members , i will shew you the hart & reade a short lecture over that too ; which is iustice. i have a petition to exhibit to the highe & mighty mr. temperwell ; and i have my choise whether i shall make my plaint in a case of conscience , or bring it with in the compas of a point in law . and because i will goe the surest way to worke , at first , i will see how others are answered in the like kinde , whether it be with hab or nab , as the iudge did the countryman . here comes mr. hopewell : his petition is in a case of conscience ( as hee sayes . ) but see great iosua allowes conscience to be of his side : yet cuts him off ; with this answere : law is flat against him . well let me see another . i marry : here comes one master doubt not : his matter depends ( i am sure ) upon a point in law : alas what will it not doe , looke yet it is affirmed that law is on his side : but conscience ( like a blanket over ) spreades it . this passage is like to the procustes of roome mee thinks : and therefore i may very well say of them . even so by racking out the joynts & chopping of the head , procustes fitted all his guests unto his iron bedd . and if these speede no better , with whome they are freinds , that neither finde law nor conscience to helpe them : i doe not wonder to see mine host of ma-re-mount speede so ill , that has bin proclaimed an enemy so many yeares in new canaan , to their church and state. chap. xxix . hovv mine host vvas put into a vvhales belly . the seperatists ( after they had burned ma-re-mount , they could not get any shipp to undertake the carriage of mine host from thence , either by faire meanes , or fowle , ) they were inforced ( contrary to their expectation ) to be troubled with his company : and by that meanes had time to consider more of the man , then they had done of the matter : wherein at length it was discovered , that they ( by meanes of their credulity of the intelligence given them in england of the matter , and the false carecter of the man ) had runne themselves headlonge into an error : and had done that on a sodaine , which they repented at leasure : but could not tell which way to help it as it stood now . they could debate upon it ; and especially upon two difficult points , whereof one must be concluded upon . if they sent mine host a way by banishment , hee is in possibility to survive , to their disgrace for the injury done : if they suffer him to stay , & put him in statu quo prius , all the vulgar people will conclude they have bin too rashe in burning a howse that was usefull , and count them men unadvised . so that it seemes ( by theire discourse about the matter ) they stood betwixt hawke and bussard : and could not tell which hand to incline unto . they had sounded him secretly : hee was content with it , goe which way it would . nay shackles himselfe , ( who was imployed in the burning of the howse , and therefore feared to be caught in england ) and others were so forward in putting mine host in statu quo prius , after they had found their error , ( which was so apparent that luceus eies would have served to have found it out in lesse time ) that they would contribute 40. shillings a peece towards it ; and affirmed , that every man according to his ability that had a hand in this black designe should be taxed to a contribution in like nature : it would be done exactly . now ( whiles this was in agitation , & was well urged by some of those partys , to have bin the upshot ) unexpected ( in the depth of winter , when all shipps were gone out of the land ) in comes m● . wethercock a proper mariner ; and they said ; he could observe the winde : blow it high , blow it low , hee was resolved to lye at hull rather than incounter such a storme as mine host had met with : and this was a man for their turne . hee would doe any office for the brethren , if they ( who hee knew had a strong purse , and his conscience waited on the strings of it , if all the zeale hee had ) would beare him out in it : which they professed they would . hee undertakes to ridd them of mine host by one meanes or another . they gave him the best meanes they could , according to the present condition of the worke ; and letters of credence to the favoures of that sect in england ; with which ( his busines there being done , and his shipp cleared ) hee hoyst the sayles , and put to sea : since which time mine host has not troubled the brethren , but onely at the counsell table : where now sub indice lis est . chap. xxx . of sir christopher gardiner knight , and hovv hee spedd amongst the seperatists . sir christopher gardiner , ( a knight , that had bin a traveller , both by sea and land ; a good judicious gentleman in the mathematticke , and other sciences usefull for plantations kimistry , &c. and also being a practicall enginer ) came into those parts , intending discovery . but the seperatists love not those good parts , when they proceede from a carnall man ( as they call every good protestant , ) in shorte time had found the meanes to pick a quarrell with him . the meanes is , that they pursue to obtaine what they aime at : the word is there the meanes . so that when they finde any man like to proove an enemy to their church , and state , then straight the meanes must be used for defence . the first precept in their politiques is , to defame the man at whom they aime . and then hee is a holy israelite in their opinions , who can spread that fame brodest , like butter upon a loafe : no matter how thin ; it will serve for a vaile : and then this man ( who they have thus depraved ) is a spotted uncleane leaper : hee must out , least hee pollute the land , and them that are cleane . if this be one of their guifts , then machevill had as good gifts as they . let them raise a scandall on any , though never so innocent ; yet they know it is never wiped cleane out : the staind marks remaines : which hath bin well observed by one , in these words of his : stick candles gainst a virgin walls white back : if they 'l not burne yet at the least they 'l black . and thus they dealt with sir christopher : and plotted by all the wayes , and meanes they could , to overthrow his undertakings in those parts . and therefore i cannot chuse , but conclude , that these seperatists have speciall gifts : for they are given to envy , and malllice extremely . the knowledge of their defamacion could not please the gentleman well , when it came to his eare , which would cause him to make some reply , ( as they supposed ) to take exceptions at , as they did against faire cloath : & this would be a meanes , they thought , to blow the coale , and so to kindle a brand that might fire him out of the country too , and send him after mine host of ma-re-mount . they take occasion ( some of them ) to come to his howse when hee was gone up into the country : and finding hee was from home ) so went to worke , that they left him neither howse , nor habitation , nor servant , nor any thing to help him , if hee should retorne : but of that they had noe hope ( as they gave it out ) for hee was gone ( as they affirmed ) to leade a salvage life ; and for that cause tooke no company with him : and they , having considered of the matter , thought it not fit that any such man should live in so remoate a place , within the compas of their patent . so they fired the place ; and carried away the persons , and goods . sir christopher was gone with a guide ( a salvage ) into the inland parts for discovery : but , before hee was returned , hee met with a salvage that told the guide , sir christopher would be killed : master temperwell ( who had now found out matter against him ) would have him dead , or alive . this hee related ; and would have the gentleman not to goe to the place appointed , because of the danger , that was supposed . but sir christopher was nothing dismaid : hee would on , whatsoever come of it ; and so met with the salvages : and betweene them was a terrible skermish : but they had the worst of it , and hee scaped well enough . the guide was glad of it , and learnd of his fellowes that they were promised a great reward , for what they should doe in this imployment . which thing ( when sir christopher understood , ) hee gave thanks to god ; and after ( upon this occasion , to sollace himselfe ) in his table booke , hee composed this sonnet , which i have here inserted for a memoriall . the sonnet . wolfes in sheeps clothing why will ye , think to deceave god that doth see , your simulated sartity . for my part i doe wish you could , your owne infirmities behold , for then you would not be so bold , like sophists why will you dispute , with wisdome so , you doe confute , none but your selves : for shame be mute . least great jehovah with his powre , do come upon you in an howre , when you least think and you devoure . this sonnet the gentleman composed , as a testimony of his love towards them , that were so ill affected towards him ; from whome they might have receaved much good , if they had bin so wise to have imbraced him in a loving fashion . but they despise the helpe , that shall come from a carnall man ( as they termed him ) who ( after his retorne from those designes ) finding how they had used him with such disrespect , tooke shipping , and disposed of himselfe for england , and discovered their practises in those parts towards his majesties true harted subjects , which they made wery of their aboade in those parts . chap. xxxi . of mine host of ma-re-mount hovv hee played ionas after hee had bin in the whales belly for a time . mi●e host of ma-re-mount being put to sea , had delivered him , for his releefe by the way , ( because the s●ipp was unvitteled , and the seamen put to straight allowance , which could hold out , but to the canaries ) a part of his owne provision , being two moneths proportion , in all but 3. small peeces of porke ; which made him expect to be famished before the voyage should be ended , by all likelyhood . yet hee thought hee would make one good meale , before hee died : like the colony servant in virginea , that before hee should goe to the gallowes ) called to his wife to set on the loblolly pot , and let him have one good meale before hee went ; who had committed a petty crime , that in those dayes , was made a cappitall offence . and now mine host being merrily disposed , on went the peeces of porke , where with hee feasted his body , and cherished the poore sailers : and got out of them what mr. wethercock , their master purposed to doe with him that hee had no more provision : & along they sailed from place to place , from iland to iland , in a pittifull wether beaten ship ; where mine host was in more dainger ( without all question ) then ionas , when hee was in the whales belly ; and it was the great mercy of god that they had not all perished . vittelled they were but for a moneth when they wayd ancor , and left the first port . they were a pray for the enemy for want of powther , if they had met them : besides the vessell was a very slugg , and so unserviceable , that the master called a counsell of all the company in generall , to have theire opinions , which way to goe , and how to beare the helme , who all under their hand affirmed the shipp to be unserviceable : so that in fine the master , and men , and all were at their wits end about it : yet they imployed the carpenters to search , and caulke her sides , and doe theire best whiles they were in her . nine moneths they made a shifte to use her , and shifted for supply of vittells at all the islands they touched at ; though it were so poorely , that all those helpes , and the short allowance of a bisket a day , and a few lymons taken in at the canaries , served but to bring the vessell in view of the lands end . they were in such a desperat case , that ( if god in his greate mercy had not favoured them , and disposed the windes faire untill the vessell was in plimmouth roade , ) they had without question perished ; for when they let drop an anchor , neere the island of s. michaels not one bit of foode left for all that starving allowance of this wretched wethercock ; that if hee would have lanched out his beaver , might have bought more vittells in new england then he & the whole ship with the cargazoun was worth , ( as the passingers hee carried who vittelled themselves affirmed , ) but hee played the miserable wretch , & had possessed his men with the contrary ; who repented them of waying anchor before they knew so much . mine host of ma-re-mount ( after hee had bin in the whales belly ) was set a shore to see if hee would now play ionas , s● metamorphosed with a longe voyage , that hee looked like lazarus in the painted cloath . but mine host ( after due consideration of the premisses ) thought it fitter for him to play ionas in this kinde , then for the seperatists to play ionas in that kinde as they doe . hee therefore bid wethercock tell the seperatists , that they would be made in due time to repent those malitious practises , and so would hee too ; for hee was a seperatist amongst the seperatists as farre as his wit would give him leave ; though when hee came in company of basket makers , hee would doe his indevoure to make them pinne the basket , if hee could , as i have seene him . and now mine host being merrily disposed , haveing past many perillous adventures in that desperat whales belly , beganne in a posture like ionas , and cryed repent you cruell seperatists repent , there are as yet but 40. dayes if iove vouchsafe to thunder , charter and the kingdome of the seperatists will fall a sunder : repent you cruell schismaticks repent . and in that posture hee greeted them by letters retorned into new canaan ; and ever ( as opportunity was fitted for the purpose ) he was both heard & seene in the posture of ionas against thē crying repent you cruel seperatists , repent , there are as yet but 40. dayes if iove vouchsafe to thunder . the charter and the kingdome of the seperatists will fall a sunder : repent you cruell schismaticks repent ; if you will heare any more of this proclamation meete him at the next market towne , for cynthius aurem vellet . a table of the contents of the three bookes . the tenents of the first booke . chapter 1. prooving new england the principall part of all america and most commodious and fit for habitation and generation . chapter 2. of the originall of the natives . chapter 3. of a great martallity happened amongst the natives . chapter 4. of their howses and habitations . chapter 5. of their religion . chapter 6. of the indians apparrell . chapter 7. of their childbearing . chapter 8. of their reverence and respect to age . chapter 9. of their juggelling tricks . chapter 10. of their duelles . chapter 11. of the maintenance of their reputation . chapter 12. of their traffick and trade one with another . chapter 13. of their magazines and storehowses . chapter 14. of theire subtilety . chapter 15. of their admirable perfection in the use of their sences . chapter 16. of their acknowledgement of the creation and immortality of the soule . chapter 17. of their annalls and funeralls . chapter 18. of their custome in burning the country . chapter 19. of their inclination to drunckennes . chapter 20. of ther philosophicall life . the tenents of the second booke . chap. 1. the generall survey of the country . chap. 2. what trees are there and how commodious . chap. 3. what potherbes are there and for sallets . chap. 4. of the birds , of the aire and fethered fowles . chap. 5. of the beasts , of the forrest . chap. 6. of stones and mineralls . chap. 7. of the fishes and what commodity they proov● . chap. 8. of the goodnes of the country and the fountaines . chap. 9. a perspective to view the country by . chap. 10. of the great lake of erocoise . the tenents of the third booke . chap. 1. of a great legue made betweene the salvages and english. chap. 2. of the entertainement of master westons people . chap. 3. of a great battaile fought betweene the english and the indians . chap. 4. of a parliament held at wessaguscus . chap. 5. of a massacre made upon the salvages . chap. 6. of the surprizing of a marchants shipp . chap. 7. of thomas mortons entertainement and wrack . chap. 8. of the banishment of iohn layford , and iohn oldam . chap. 9. of a barren doe of virginea growne fruithfull . chap. 10. of the master of the ceremonies . chap. 11. of a composition made for a salvages theft . chap. 12. of a voyage made by the master of the ceremonies for beaver . chap. 13. a lamentable fitt of mellancolly cured . chap. 14. the revells of new canaan . chap. 15. of a great monster supposed to be at ma-re-mount . chap. 16. how the nine worthies of new canaan put mine host of ma-●e-mount into an inchaunted castle . chap. 17. of the baccanall triumphe of new canaan . chap. 18. of a doctor made at a commencement . chap. 19. of the silencing of a minister . chap. 20. of a practise to get a snare to hemper mine host of ma-re-mount . chap. 21· of captaine littleworths devise for the purchase of beaver , chap. 22. of a sequestration in new canaan . chap. 23. of a great bonfire made in new canaan . chap. 24. of the digradinge and creatinge of gentry . chap. 25. of the manner how the seperatists pay their debts . chap. 26. of the charity of the seperatists . chap. 27. of the practise of their church . chap. 28. of their po●icy in publick iustice. chap. 29. how mine host was put into a whales belly . chap. 30. how sir christopher gardiner knight speed amongst the sep●ratists . chap. 31. how mine host of ma-re-mount played jonas after hee got out of the whales belly . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a07832-e1200 vse of vegetatives . fish poysonous about the isle of sall. zona temperata , the golden meane . salt aboundeth under the tropicks . raine 40. dayes about august betw●ene cancer and the line . capt davis froze to death . groene land too cold for habitation . sir ferdinando gorges the originall cause of plantinge new england . the salvages dyed of the plague , new engl. is placed in the golden meane . new england 10. degrees neerer the line then ●ld england . the massachussets in the middel of new engl. the windes not so violent in new england . the natives have a mixed language . pasco pan greedy gutt . mona an island . cos a whetstone . pan the shepheards god. not to proceede from the tartar● . no part of america knowne to be neare tartary . why brutus left latium . two nations meetinge make a mixt language . daedalus the first that used sayles . icarus the second that used sayles . troy destroyed about sauls time . the loadstone in salomons time . five frechmen kept by the salvages . the plague fell on the indians . the livinge not able to bury the dead . 2. sam. 24. the indians make good lether . indians ingenious workemen for their garments . the modesty of the indian men . indians travaile with materials to strike fire at all times . the indians ashamed of their nakednesse . the women big with child , very laborious . children bathed to staine the skinne . age honoured among the indian● a salvage entertained a factor . an english man cured of a swelling how the salvages performe theire duells . trees marked where they performe a duell . a marriage . an ambassage sent from papasiquin●o to his sonne in law , a sachem . beads in stead of money . the name of their beads wampampeak . what care they take , to lay up corne for winter . they begg salte of th● english. they trade away beavers skinnes for corne . a beaver skinne with his tayle on of great estimecion . a subtile plot of a sachem . a salvage scared . a salvage that had lived 12. moneths in england , sent for an ambassador . a good opportunity of of traffick lost by the subtility of a sachem . the salvages have the sence of seeinge better then the english . salvages that will distinguish a spaniard from a frenchman by the smell of the hand . a d●are pursued by the view of the , foote , hee was found and killed . the beleefe of the salvages . the sonne called kytan . a salvage desired to have his sonn brought up to learne the booke of common prayer . their custom in burryinge . their manner of monuments . at burrials , they black their faces . the salvages fire the country twice a yeare . the salvag●s want the art of navigation they leade a happy life , being voyd of care . they make use of ordinary things , one of anothers as common . notes for div a07832-e4710 a famous country . their fountaines are as cleare as cristall . greate store of fowles , fish and turtle-doves . 1. oake . 2. ashe . 3. elme . 4. beech. 5. wallnut . 6. chestnuts . 7. pine. 8. cedar . 9. cypres . 10. spruce . the spruce of this country are found to be 3. & 4. fadum aboute . 11. alder. 12. birch . 13. maple . 14. elderne . 15. hawthorne . 16. vines . 1. plummes . 17. cherries 19. roses . 20. sassafras and 21. sa●saperilla . potmarioram , tyme , alexander , angellica , pursland , violets , and anniseeds , hunnisuckles and balme . swannes . geese ●ide , white , and gray . fethers pay for powther and shott . ducks pide , gray , & black teales greene and blew . widggens . simpes . sanderlings . cranes . turkies . pheisants . partridges bigger in body as those of england . quailes bigger in body as those in england . the larkes sing not . owles . the crowes smell & tast of muske in summer , but not in winter hawkes of fiue sorts . a lannaret . fawcons . goshawkes well shaped marlins small and greate . sparhawkes . a hunning bird , i● as small as a beetle . his bill as sharp as a needle point , and his fethers like silke . deare of 3. kindes . mose or red deare . mose or deare greater then a horse , the height of them 18. handfulles . they bringe forth thr●e faunes at one time . they make go●d l●ther of the hides of deare . the midling deare or fallow deare . trappes to catch the deare . the humbles was the doggs fee. roe bucks or rayne deare . wolfes pray upon deare . beaver . the beavers cut downe trees , with hi● fore teeth . beaver at 10. shill. a pound . in 5. yeares one man gott together . 1000. p. in good gold . the otter in winter hath a furre as black as iett . the luseran as bigg as a hound . the martin is about the bignesse of a fox . racowne . the foxes red and gray . the wolfes of diverse coloures . the skin of a black wolfe , a present for a prince . the beares afraid of a man. the salvages seeing a beare chase him like a dogg and kill him . muske-washe . porcupines . hedghoggs . conyes of severall sorts . squirils of three sorts . a flying squirill . snakes . the rattle snakes . mise . lyons alwaies in hot clymats , not in cold . marble . limestone . chalk . slate . whetstones . loadstones . ironstones . lead . black lead . read lead . boll . vermilion . brimstone . tinne . copper . silver . codd . 15. shipps at one time for codd . oyle mayd of the livers of the codd . a 100. basse sould for 5. p. mackarell are baite for basse. sturgeon . salmon . herrings . great plenty of eeles . smelts . shadds or allizes taken to dunge ground . turbut or hallibut . plaice . hake . pilchers . lobsters . oysters . mustles . clames . raser fish . freele . fresh fish , trouts , carpes , breames , pikes , roches , perches , tenches and eeles , foode and fire . noe boggs . perfumed aire with sweet herbes . of waters . the cure of melanc●lly at ma remount the cure of barr●nnesse . water procuri●g a dead sleepe . new engl. excels canaan in f●untaines . milke and hony supplied . a plaine paralell to canaan . the request for the nomination of new canaan . the soyle . the grouth of hempe . the aire . no cold cough or murre . the plenty of the land. windes . raine . the coast harboures , scituation . the nomination . fowle innumerable . multitudes of fish. the prime place of new canaan . canada , so named of monsier de cane . patomack . great heards of beasts as bigg as cowes henry ioseline imployed for discovery . the dutch have a great trade of beaver in hudsons river . the passage to the east-indies . the country of erocois as fertile as delta in aegypt . notes for div a07832-e10680 a salvage sent an ambassador to the english at their first comminge . the sachem feared the plague . court holy bread at pimmouth . the sachems oration . a spirit mooving the sachem to warre . the grand captaine makes a speech . the mine battaile . the feild wonne by the english. some lazy people . a lusty fellow . a poore complaint . edward iohnson a cheife iudge . maide a hainous fact . a fine device a wise sentence . to hange a sickman in the others steede . very fit iustice. a dangerous attempt . iestinge turned to earnest . good quarter with the salvages . a plott from plimmouth . salvages killed with their one weapons . newes carried . a revenge . the salvages call the english ●utthroates . the merchant with supply , a glosse upon the false text where two nations meet one must rule the other must be ruled or no quietnes . a machivell plot . the vaile . shipp and goodes confiscated . when every conspirator had his share the shipp delivered againe . bonds taken not to prosecute . report mr. weston was mad in new england . honest men in particular . brave entertainement in a wildernes . the meanes . booke learning despised villanous plots of knaves . prevented by discretion and discovered in drinke and discovered in drinke . the shallop billedged . two men of the company cast away swim to shore upon trees . a minister required to renounce his callinge . impatience confuted by example . new plimmouth presse money . the solemnity of banishment . a great happines comes by propagation . more childr●n in new canaan in 7. yeares , then in virginea in 27. delivered neare bussards bay . dead and buried . stenography one guift . oratory another guift . a great merchant a third guift . his day made a common prouerbe . trophies of honor . his long grace made the meat cold . the salvages betake the howse & take the corne. a dishonest tricke . a consenting tricke . the heathen more just , then the christians . two salvage guides conduct iohn , to neepenett alone . they take a note of , what was in the sa●k . mr. bubble must be found againe or else they shall be destroyed , not any thing diminished . shee cannot one the sodaine r●so●ve which dore to goe in all . a maypole . the man who brought her over was named samson iob. the maypole called an idoll the calfe of horeb , cor. mine host got out of prison . the captain tore his clothes . mine host got home to ma-re mount hee provides for his enemies . a parly , captaine shrimpe promiseth , that no violence should bee offered to his person . the worthies rebuked for their unworthy practises . mine host set upon an island without any thing to shift for himselfe . master ben : iohnson . a councell called . this caiphas that condemneth covetousnesse , and committeth it himselfe . the generall collection made . noe cost spared for the getting of a skillfull man the heape of gold . mine host a●rived againe in plimmouth . charter party treasor●r . warrants made by capt. littleworth in his name . mine host subscribed not . the patent . all consented but mine host. insteed of proffit , disproffit . commission for corne . mine hosts corne & goods carried away by violence . men that come to ridd the land of pollution . a courte called about mine host. a divellish sentence against him . the salvages repro●ve them . epictetus summa to●ius philosophice . an elder . iosua displeased . master temperwell . put it this w●y . good payement . blasphe●● an example for carnall men . notable pay . lamecharity lewes the ii sent a barber embassador . the embassage despise● a grocer . a taylor . a tapste● . a cobler . a very patorick . tenent . 1. ievves in america, or, probabilities that the americans are of that race. with the removall of some contrary reasonings, and earnest desires for effectuall endeavours to make them christian. / proposed by tho: thorovvgood, b.d. one of the assembly of divines. thorowgood, thomas, d. ca. 1669. 1650 approx. 358 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 93 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a94301 wing t1067 thomason e600_1 estc r206387 99865547 99865547 117792 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a94301) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 117792) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 92:e600[1]) ievves in america, or, probabilities that the americans are of that race. with the removall of some contrary reasonings, and earnest desires for effectuall endeavours to make them christian. / proposed by tho: thorovvgood, b.d. one of the assembly of divines. thorowgood, thomas, d. ca. 1669. [42], 136, [4] p. printed by w.h. for tho. slater, and are be to [sic] sold at his shop at the signe of the angel in duck lane, london : 1650. annotation on thomason copy: "may. 6.". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jews -early works to 1800. lost tribes of israel -early works to 1800. indians of north america -early works to 1800. 2007-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2007-06 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ievves in america , or , probabilities that the americans are of that race . with the removall of some contrary reasonings , and earnest desires for effectuall endeavours to make them christian . proposed by tho : thorovvgood , b. d. one of the assembly of divines . cant . 8. 8. we have a little sister , and she hath no breasts , what shall we doe for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for ? mat. 8. 11. many shall come from the east , and from the west , and shall sit downe with abraham , and isaac , and jacob in the kingdome of heaven . aethiopes vertuntur in filios dei , si egerint paenitentiam , & filii dei transeunt in aethiopes si in profundum venerint peccatorum : hieronym . in esai , london , printed by w. h. for tho. slater , and are be to sold at his shop at the signe of the angel in duck lane , 1650. to the honovrable knights and gentlemen that have residence in , and relation to the county of norfolk , peace , from the god of peace . when the glad tidings of the gospels sounding in america by the preaching of the english arrived hither , my soule also rejoyced within me , and i remembred certaine papers that had been laid aside a long time , upon review of them , and some additions to them , they were privately communicated unto such as perswaded earnestly they might behold further light ; being thus finished , and licenced also to walke abroad , as they were stepping forth , that incivility charged upon chrysippus occurred , that he dedicated not his writings to any king or patron , which custome presently seemed not onely lawfull , but as ancient as those scriptures where saint luke in the history of the acts of the apostles applies himselfe to theophilus , act. 1. 1. and saint iohn to the elect lady , so named , some thinke , or for her graces so entituled , i was easily induced to follow this fashion , and my thoughts soone reflected upon you , who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lovers of god , and choice men of your countrey . i may be censured for this high , generall , and ambitious dedication ; but i doe freely publish my own utter unworthinesse : t is true , my respects and love be very much to you all , and my native soile , yet in this i doe not drive any private designe , i looke beyond my selfe , at your honour , the honour of the nation , yea the glory of god , and the soule-good of many millions that are yet in darkenesse and out of christ ; by you is the following tract communicated to the world , i wish , and pray , that the designe bespoken in it may be cordially furthered by you , and all that read or heare thereof ; t is like you will finde in the probabilities so many iudaicall resemblances in america , that as it was said of old , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , either plato writes like philo the iew , or philo is become platonicke ; so the jewes did indianize , or the indians doe judaize , for surely they are alike in many , very many remarkable particulars , and if they bee iewes , they must not for that be neglected ; visible comments indeed they are of that dismall text , thou shalt become an astonishment , a proverbe , and a by-word to all nations , &c. deut. 20. 37. and so they are every where to this day : what more reproachfull obloquy is there among men , then this , thou art a jew ? oh the bitter fruits of disobedience ; and t is high time for us gentiles to lay up that example , in the midst of our hearts , pro. 4. 21. remembring alwaies , because of unbeliefe they were broken off , and , if god spared not the naturall branches , take heed lest hee spare not thee . rom. 11. 21. it was a suddaine sentence , tam viles inter christianos iudaei , ut inter mundum triticum mures , jewes are as bad and vile among christians , as mice in cleane wheate ; for glorious were their privileges , and we have a share in some of them , that last especially — of whom concerning the flesh christ came , who is god over all , blessed for ever , rom. 9. 4 , 5. and for another thing they have highly merited our regard — to them were commited the oracles of god , rom. 3. 9. the holy scriptures were concredited to them , and they have faithfully preserved them for us , and conveyed them to us : former times indeed found cause to exterminate them these dominions , i say nothing for such their reintroduction , which must be with sacred and civill cautions , that the svveet name of our dearest lord be not blasphemed , nor the natives robbed of their rights , but when will christians in earnest endeavour their conversion , if the name of jevv must be odious everlastingly ? i speak for their gospelizing , though some suspect they are never likely to come again under that covenant , as if the liber repudii , the bill of divorce mentioned by the prophet did put them away from god for ever , esa . 50. 1. as if they should return to their spouse no more , but that there is for them a time of love , and that they shall be grafted in , rom. 11. 23. is manifested afterwards upon scripture grounds ; and if the period of their wandering be upon its determination , and their recovery approching , how may wee rejoyce in the returne of that prodigall ? it is meet that wee should make merry and be glad , for our brother that was dead is reviving againe , luk. 15. 32. how should wee beg for them that god would poure upon them the spirit of grace and supplication , that they may looke upon him whom they have pierced , and mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne . zach. 12. 10. or if the lost tribes are not to be found in america , of whatsoever descent and origination the poore natives be , if they finde the lord christ , and the nov-angles be the wisemen guiding them unto their peace , great cause shall wee have to lift up the high praises of our god in spirituall exultation ; how should wee cast our mite into this treasury , yea our talent , our talents , if wee have them ? for certainely the time is comming , that as there is one shepherd , there shall be one sheepfold . io. 10. 16. it is true , our owne countrey in many respects stands in need of helpe , wee are fallen into the last and worst times , the old age of the world , full of dangerous and sinnefull diseases , iniquity is encreased , and if ever , if to any people , the saying of that torrent of tullian eloquence ( so ierome calls lactantius ) be applicable , it is to poore england , that is not onely in the gall of bitternesse , but in the very dregs of error and ungodlinesse , ideo mala omnia rebus humanis ingravescunt , quia deus hujus mundi effector ac gubernator derelictus est , quia susceptaesunt , contra quam fas est impiae religiones , postremo quia ne coli quidem vel à paucis deus sinitur . but , o my soule , if thou be wise , be wise for thy selfe , pro. 9. 12. and give mee leave to say to you as moses to his israell , onely take heed to your selves , and keepe your soules diligently , deut. 4. 9. make your calling and election sure , 2 pet. 1. 10. and because you are the children of faithfull abraham , command your children and families that they walke in the waies of the lord , gen. 18. 9. and let who will serve themselves , follow lying vanities , and set up their owne lusts ; let every one of us say and do as ioshua , i and my house will serve the lord , josh . 24. 15. and not onely serve the lord with and in our housholds , but in furthering the common good of others , and t is considerable god is pleased to owne publique interests , though in civill things with the name of his owne inheritance . but this is the sinne , this is the misery of these times , all seek their owne , not the things of iesus christ . even regulated charity may beginne at home , it may not , it must not end there , it is the onely grace that is sowne on earth , it growes up to heaven and continues there , it goes with us thither , and there abides to all eternity , and t is therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , greater then faith and hope , not from continuance onely , but its extensivenesse , it delights to be communicative , it reacheth an hand of helpe one way or other to every one that needs , though at never so great a distance ; after the cloven tongues as of fire had warmed the affections of the holy apostles , they had so much love to soules that they forgat their fathers house , discipled all nations , and preached the gospel to every creature , their line went through all the earth , and their words to the ends of the world , that former known world , the same spirit hath warmed the hearts of our countreymen , and they are busie at the same worke in the other , the new-found world ; for behold a white horse and he that sate on him had a bow , and a crown was given unto him , and hee went forth conquering , and to conquer ; so the lord christ shall be light to that world also , and gods salvation to the ends of the earth . britain hath woon the gospel-glory from all other countries , not onely imbracing it with the formost , as old gildas testifieth , but it was the first of all the provinces that established christianity by a law saith sabellicus , our lucius was the first christian king that annales make mention of , and venerable bede out of eutropius declareth that constantine the first christian emperour , was created to that dignity in this island , & sozom. l. 9. c. 11. saith that so were marcus & gratian also ; but constantine brought further honour to the nation & religion : for the saxon bede , and ponticus virunnius affirme expresly , that constantine was born in britaine ; after this , ingemuit orbis videns se totum romanum , all the world wondred after the beast , & groaned under the papall servitude , and our k. henry the eight was the first of all the princes who brake that yoke of antichrist : but neerer yet to our purpose ; the inhabitants of the first england , so verstegan calls that part of germany whence our ancestors came hither with the saxons and iutes , derive their christianity from iewry , ad nos doctrina de terra iudaeorum per sanctos apostolos , qui docebant gentes , pervenit , as that great linguist , learned , and laborious mr wheelocke hath observed , and translated out of the old saxon homilies , t is but just therefore lege talionis , that we repay what we borrowed , and endeavour their conversion who first acquainted us with the eternall gospell , and if it be probable that providence honoured this nation with the prime discovery of that new world , as is intimated hereafter , it is true without all controversie , that from this second england god hath so disposed the hearts of many in the third , new england , that they have done more in these last few yeares towards their conversion , then hath been effected by all other nations and people that have planted there since they were first known to the habitable world , as if that prophesie were now in its fulfilling ; behold , i will doe a new thing , now it shall spring forth shall ye not know it ? i will even make a way in the wildernes and rivers in the desart , &c. when our ancestors lay also in darkenesse and the shadow of death , gregory wrote divers epistles to severall noblemen and bishops , yea and to some kings and queenes of france and england , these sir h. spelman that famous antiquary , your noble countreyman , and of alliance to divers of you , calls epistolas britannicas , which are also mentioned afterwards ; in these he gives god thankes for their forwardnesse to further the worke of grace , and desires earnestly the continuance of their bountifull and exemplary encouragement of such as were zealously employed in that soule-worke , and that is one of the two businesses entended in the following discourse , which begs your assistance in your spheres , and cordiall concurrence to promote a designe of so much glory to the lord of glory . this is no new notion , or motion , all the royall charters required the gospellizing of the natives ; and in the beginning of this parliament there was an ordinance of lords and commons appointing a committee of both , and their worke was , among other things , to advance the true protestant religion in america , and to spread the gospell among the natives there ; and since , very lately , there is an act for the promoting and propagating the gospell of iesus christ in new-england . i wish prosperity to all the plantations , but those of new-england deserve from hence more then ordinary favour ; because , as by an edict at winchester , about eighth hundred yeeres since , king ecbert commanded this country should be called angles-land , so these your countreymen of their owne accord , and alone , were , and are , ambitious to retain the name of their owne nation ; besides , this england had once an heptarchate , and then your countrey was the chiefe of that kingdome called anglia orientalis , and these are the neerest of all the seven to you in name , nov-angles , east-angles ; i pray that you would be nearest and most helpefull to them in this most christian and gospel-like designe , which i leave with you , and two or three petitions at the throne of grace for you ; one is that of moses , yee shall not doe after all the things that wee do heare this day , every man whatsoever is right in his owne eyes , but that ye walk by rule and not by example ; this is an age much enclining to enthousiasmes and revelations ; men pretend to externall and inward impulses , but wee must remember , though wee had a voice from heaven , yet having the scriptures wee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure propheticall word , whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed , as unto a light , that shineth in a darke place , untill the day dawne , and the day starre arise in your hearts ; here is a comparison , even with an heavenly voice , which must vaile and submit to the written word , because poore mankind may easily be deluded by him , who among his many other wiles and depths can transform himself into an angel of light . againe , my prayer for you is , that in the wofull concussions and commotions of these daies , your selves may stand firme and unmoveable : you have seene the waters troubled , and the mountaines shaken with the swelling thereof , oh , that you may say , in and with holy davids sense , though an host should encampe against me , my heart shall not feare , though warre should rise up against me , in this will i be confident ; this ? and what is it , but ver . 1. the lord is my light and my salvation , whom shall i feare , the lord is the strength of my life , of whom shall i be afraid ; even heathens have said much and done much towards that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , magnanimity and patience , but christians have an higher prospect , they looke above the terrors of men , and they doe not feare their feare ; for as stephen through a showre of stones , they can see the heavens open and the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of god ; nihil crus sentit in nervo , si animus sit in caelo , they are not so much affected with what they feele , as with that they believe , because we walk by faith and not by sight . and oh , that these strange mutations may perswade us all , all the daies of our appointed time to waite , untill our change come , even that change which never , never can again be changed ; these are the last times and yet a little while , yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet a little , little while , and hee that shall come will come , and will not tarry , his fan is in his hand , and he will throughly purge his floore , and gather the wheate into the garner , but will burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire . the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement , for all faces shall then be unmasked , and every vizard shall be plucked off , the lord will then bring to light the hidden things of darknesse , and will make manifest the counsels of the heart , and then every one that hath done well , shall have praise of god. the lord god of our mercies fit you for his appointment , stablish you in every good word and worke , and keepe you from evill , that you may give up your account with joy , and not with griefe ; and now i commend you all , and all that love that appearing of our lord , unto the word of his grace , which is able to build you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified ; such is the serious and unfaigned devotion for you , of him who willingly subscribes himselfe , your most humble servant in our dearest lord , tho : thorowgood . jewes in america , or probabilities that the americans be jewes : from part. 1. six severall conjectures . generall introduction . chap. 1. 1. conjecture . their own acknowledgement . ch. 2. 2. rites and customes in both alike , common ceremonies such , chap. 3. and solemn . ch. 4. 3. their words and manner of speech , as the iewes , chap. 5. 4. their man-devouring . ch. 6. 5. they have not yet been gospellized . ch. 7. 6. their calamicies , as 28. deut. ch. 8. part 2. some contrary reasonings removed . 1. in the generall . ch. 1. 2. particularly , how , 1. the jewes should get into america . chap. 1. 2. so few empeople that great part of the world . ch. 3. 3. become so predigiously barbarous . chap. 4. part. 3. earnest desires for hearty endeavours to make them christian . 1. to the planters . 1. cause of their removall . chap. 1. 2. hope of the natives conversion . chap 2. 3. directions to it . chap. 3. 4. cautions about it . chap. 4. 2. to the english there . 1. in behalfe of the planters , aspersions wiped off . chap. 5. & 6. 2. towards the natives conversion . 1. motives . chap. 7. 2. helps . chap. 8. 3. encouragements from our countrymens pious endeavours there . ch. 9. 4. and the successe thereof upon the indians . ch. 10. the preface to the reader . bona domus in ipso veistbulo debetagnosci saith austin , the portall commonly promiseth somewhat of the house it self , and prefaces be as doors that let in the reader to the booke , and bespeake much of the intention of the writer ; you are in some measure prepared already by the foregoing epistle , with the forefront , and first page : marsilius ficinus said of his booke de triplici vita . esca tituli tam suavis quam plurimos alliciet ad gustandum , the title will invite some to further enquiry ; it is in mans nature to be well pleased with novelties , thence later times have had good leave to correct former mistakes . it was written with confidence long since , that the shee beares did licke their informe litter into fashion , that the young viper thrusts its dam out of the world to bring it selfe into it , and that the swan sings its owne dirige at his dying , all which be sufficiently confuted by after experiences , famous varieties of this sort be daily produced to view , those are curious enquiries into common errors by doctor browne . it was said of one contort in body , but of a fine spirit , animus galbae malè habitat , it was a bad house for so good an inhabitant ; many thought so and worse of richard the third , king of england , till those late endeavours to rectifie him and his readers . that geographia sacra is an exact and accurate worke , in respect of the subject and materials , the scattering of nations at the building of babel , and it may puzzle some mens thoughts , that hee should know so well the places of their dispersion so long since , and yet wee continue ignorant what is become of gods owne first people , which shall be recovered to him againe , and have not been missing so many yeeres . the trojans , though now no nation , live yet in the ambitious desire of other people , clayming from them their descent : the jewes , once the lords owne peculiar people , are now the scomme and scorne of the world ; florus calls their glory the temple , impiae gentis arcanum ; democritus another historian said they worshipped an asses head , every third yeere sacrificed a man , &c. others speake spightfull things of them , and their pettigree ; only the lacedemonian king , in that letter whereof you have a copy , 1 macab . 12. 20. &c. tells onias the high priest . it is found in writing that the spartans and jewes are brethren , and come out of the generation of abraham . the originall indeed of the jewes is assuredly knowne to themselves and all christians ; wee have no such evidence for any other people that have now a being ; there is nothing more in the darke to the inhabitants of the severall parts of this earth , then their owne beginnings , and t is thus in countries of along time knowne to each other , and yet in such disquisition they cannot affoord one another almost any light or help ; no wonder therefore that the originall of the americans is in such uncertaine obscurity , for their very name hath not been heard of much more than one hundred and fifty yeares , t is a wonder rather that so great a part of the world should be till then terra incognita , notwithstanding the ambition , curiosity , and avarice of mankind carried him into a greedy inquisition after all places and corners where men and beasts abode , or any commodity was to be found : hieronimus benzo in his nova novi orbis historia , so often hereafter mentioned , professeth , that above all things concerning the americans , his great designe was to finde out what thoughts they had of christians ; touching the countrey it selfe in the topography and other particulars , besides divers mentioned in the following discourse ; some have of late done excellently that way : that t is no part of my businesse , which , next to the desire of their conversion to christ , was , and is , to aske whence they came ; and that they be judaicall , i have laid together severall conjectures as they occu●●… in reading and observing , to stirre up and awaken more able inquisitors , to looke after the beginning , nature , civilizing , and gospellizing those people , and to cast in my poore mite towards the encouragement of our countreymen in such their pious undertaking ; and though some men have spoken meane things of them in reference to their labours that way , as if they had been negligent therein , such men consider not i feare , how long their countreymen have been wrastling with divers difficulties , and busily employing their minds and time in providing outward accommodations for themselves in a strange land , they remember not the naturall perversenesse of all mankind to spirituall things , nor with what counterworkes satan doth oppose the underminers of his principalities , nor how he hath broken the language of the natives into severall tongues and dialects to impede their conversion , nor how the novangles have themselves been broken into divers ruptures , lest they should be at leasure to further the enlargement of christs kingdome upon the spoiles and diminution of his ; this was in the purpose of their hearts at first , and now to their comfort they do abundantly see that the natives are a docible people , who for their contempt of gold & silver , and for some other reasons , have been deemed bruitish , and almost irrationall ; but to what is after written it may be mentioned in this place , that in mexico they were observed to be wise and politique in government , to the admiration of christians , yea they were not ignorant in those parts of letters and writing , though in a different fashion from others : acosta did observe , the jewes write from the right hand to the left , others from the left to the right , the chinois or east-indians write from the top to the bottom , & the mexicans from the bottome to the top , the reformed dominican in his new survey of the west-indies , tells of a town as he travelled , called amat titlan , a towne of letters , and of very curious artifices of their citizens , of goldsmiths worke and otherwise , their ingenuity , cunning and courage is marvelously manifest in their leading a whale as big as a mountaine , with a cord , and vanquishing him in this manner ; by the helpe of their canoes or little boats , they come neare to the broad side of that huge creature , oand with great dexterity leape upon his necke , there they ride as on horsebacke , and thrust a sharpe stake into his nosthrill , so they call the hole or vent by which they breathe , he beats it in with another stake as forcibly as hee can , the furious whale in the meane time raiseth mountaines of waters , and runnes into the deep with great violence and paine , the indian still sits firme , driving in another stake in o that other passage , so stopping his breath , then hee goes againe to his canoe , which with a cord hee had tied to the whales side , and so he paesseth to land ; the whale running away with the cord , leaps from place to place in much pame till hee gets to shoare , and being on ground , hee cannot move his huge body , then a great number of indians come to the conquerer , they kill the whale , cut his flesh in pieces , they dry it , and make use of it for food , which lasts them long , thus plainely verifying that expression , psal . 74. 14. thou breakest the heads of leviathan in pieces , and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wildernesse : when , or where , or by whom is this thus done , but by these ? who will not now desire , and willingly lend his helpe to cover their naked bodies , and cloath their more naked soules with the gospel , who , and who alone have so litterally fulfilled that scripture of our god ? but let me commend three other things to thy consideration , that thy affections may bee warmed towards thy countreymen , and they receive encouragement in the planting of themselves , and the gospel among the natives . first , they may be preparing an hiding place for thy selfe , whoever , whatever now thou art , thou mayst be overtaken by a tempest , and stand in need of a shelter , and where canst thou be better for sweetnesse of aire and water , with the fertility of the soile , giving two wheate harvests in one yeare in severall places , yea in some , three , saith p. martyr , and books generally speake of that land as of a second canaan : and for new-england you may believe the relation of a very friend there to his like here , who mutually agreed upon a private character , that the truth might be discovered without deceit or glozing , and thus he wrote to him whom he entirely loved . the aire of this countrey is very sweet and healthfull , the daies two houres shorter in summer , and two houres longer in winter then they be with you , the summer is a little hotter , and the winter , a little colder , our grounds are very good and fruitfull for all kind of corne , both english and indian , our cattell thrive much better here then in old england , fowle encrease with us exceedingly , wee have many sweet and excellent springs , and fresh rivers , with abundance of good fish in them ; of a very truth , i believe verily , it will be within a few yeares the plentifullest place in the whole world , &c. i might proclaime , saith lerius , the inhabitants of that land happy , meaning the natives , if they had knowledge of the creator ; so that as parents intending to marry their daughters well , extend themselves in what they may to encrease their portion , and make way for their preferment , our heavenly father hath dealt thus with these americans , enriching them with gold , silver , good aire , good water , and all other accommodations for use and delight , that they might be the more earnestly wooed and sought after . and yet further , as he commended his house offered to sale , that it had good neighbours , if thou beest driven thither , goe chearefully , for thou goest to thine owne countreymen , from one england to another , new england indeed , witnesse that experimented asseveration of him worthy of credit , who having lived in a colony there of many thousand english almost twelve yeares , and was held a very sociable man , speaketh considerately , i never heard but one oath sworne , never saw one man drunke , nor ever heard of three women adulteresses , if these sinnes be among us privily , the lord heale us , i would not be understood to boast of our innocency , there is no cause i should , our hearts may be bad enough , and our lives much better . and yet they have more abundantly testified their pious integrity in serious endeavours to propogate gospel-holinesse , even to those that be without , their godly labours christianizing the natives must be remembred to their praise , they have had long and longing preparative thoughts and purposes that way , and as saint paul once to his corinthians , 2. 6. 11. they have seemed to say o americans , our mouth is opened unto you , our heart is enlarged , you are not straightned in us , be not straightned in your owne bowels , and now for a recompence of all our endeavours to preach christ unto you , we aske no more , but be ye also enlarged with gladnesse to receive the lord jesus christ : their active industry in this kind with the successe is now famously visible in severall discourses , which whosoever shall read will be sufficiently contented in his spirituall and outward well-wishings to his friends , both of this nation and the natives , for the gospel runs there and is glorified : and here i crave leave to speake a word or two to the military reader , the late english american traveller , dedicating his observations upon his journeys of three thousand three hundred miles within the maine land of america , to the lord fairefax , speakes knowingly to his excellency , that with the same paines and charge that the english have been at in planting one of the petty islands , they might have conquered so many great cities , and large territories on the continent as might very well merit the title of a kingdom ; he shewes further , that the natives have not onely just right to the land , and may transferre it to whom they please , but that it may easily be wonne from the spaniards , and that for these three reasons among the rest . 1. the spaniards themselves are but few and thinne . 2. the indians and blackamoores will turne against them , and so will 3. the criolians , that is , the spaniards borne in america , whom they will not suffer to beare office in church or state ; looke westward then yee men of warre , thence you may behold a rising sunne of glory , with riches and much honour , and not onely for your selves , but for christ , whom you say you desire above all , and are delighted to honour : in yonder countries , that the following leaves speake of , non cedunt arma togae , the pen yeelds to the pike , the first place of honour is given to the profession of armes , and therefore in mexico the noblemen were the chiefe souldiers ; thus you may enlarge not onely your owne renowne , but the borders of the nation , yea the kingdome of the king of saints . we have all made covenants and professions of reformation at home , with promises to propagate the gospell of our deare lord among those that remaine in great and miserable blindnesse , how happy were it for them and us , if this england were in such a posture of holinesse and tranquility , that all opportunities might be imbraced to advance its territories abroad ; in the interim i could wish with the most passionate , and compassionate of all the holy prophets , oh that my head were waters , and mine eyes a fountaine of teares , that i might weep day and night for the sinnes , and for the slaine of the daughter of my people , oh that i had in the wildernesse , &c. ier. 9. 1. 2. our countrey is justly called our mother , whose heavy groanes under multiplied miseries be heard from all places , whose bowels doe not sympathize with her , and yerne over her , who is not unwilling or ashamed to gather riches or honour from her rents and ruine ; the heathen orator spake affectionately , our parents are dear to us , and so be our children , alliances and familiars , but the love of our countrey , comprehends in it and with it all other dearnesses whatsoever ; and in another place , omnes qui patriam conserverunt , adjuverunt , auxerunt , certum est esse in caelo , t is certaine they are all in heaven that have been lovers and conservators of their countrey ; and when heathenish babylon was the place of israels exile , they are commanded by god himselfe , to seeke the peace of the city whether they were carried , and pray unto the lord for it , jer. 29. 7. it is recorded to the honour of mordecai , that he sought the wealth of his people , esth . 10. 3. the contrary to this entailes ignominy to men and their posterity , by the book of gods own heral dry , esa . 14. 20. thou shalt not be joyned with them in buriall , because thou hast destroyed thy land , and slaine thy people , the seed of evill doers shall never be renowned ; for that judge judged righteously : in a civill warre there is no true victory , in asmuch as he that prevaileth is also a loser . but i returne , and reinvite to peruse these probabilities , and if they like not , because they are no more but guesses and conjectures , yet the requests i hope shall be listened unto , for they aime at gods glory and mans salvation , and nothing else ; and surely the poore natives will not be a little encouraged to looke after the glorious gospel of christ , when they shall understand that not onely the english among them , but wee all here are daily sutors for them at the throne of grace , so that we may say as paul to the romans , 1. 9. god is our witnesse , whom wee serve with our spirit in the gospel of his sonne , that without ceasing wee make mention of them alwaies in our prayers ; mr. elliot whose praise is now through all our churches , 2 cor. 8. 18. deserves publique encouragement from hence , besides those sprinklings of an apostolicall spirit received from heaven , by which in an high and holy ambition he preacheth the gospell where christ had not been named , rom. 15. 20. such another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , like-minded soule-lover is not readily to be found , that naturally careth for their matters , phil. 2. 20. regarding the indians as if they were his owne charge and children , and as god hath furnished him with ministeriall and spirituall abilities for the worke . i wish that he and his com-presbyters and companions in that labour , might be supplyed with all externall accommodations , to further the civilizing , and gospellizing of the americans . and now me thinks i heare thee say also , oh that the day breaking of the gospel there , might be the way of saints , even the path of the just , as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day , pro. 4. 18. and oh that all our nation here and there , would forbeare all other strivings , being ashamed and afraid lest their woefull quarrels be told in gath , and published in the streets of askalon , to the prejudice of the gospels progresse here and there and every where ; erasmus felt what he said of the differences in his time , tragaediae lutheranae mihi ipsi etiam calculo molestiores , and who laments not the wofull tearings of our nation ? who bewailes not to see the breakings of the sheepfold ? who mournes not to heare the strange bleeting of the flocks ? and what soule is not grieved for the great divisions of england ? and let me wish once more , oh that all who love the lord jesus in sincerity , would study to speake the same things , and that all would be perfectly joyned together in the same minde , and in the same judgement , 1 cor. 1. 10. converting all their tongue-combats , and pen-contentions into an earnest contending , that the faith once delivered to the saints ( jud. 3. ) might be preserved whole , holy , and entire among themselves , and be with like holinesse and integrity communicated to the indians , that doe now so much hunger and thirst after that righteousnesse of our most deare lord and master christ ; let us all with our tongues , purses , pens , counsels , and prayers , promote this worke of god with one shoulder and consent : there be among us here that have had this in their daily devotions more then twenty yeares , which is mentioned to no other end but from desire to call in thy helpe also ; i will take leave by commending to thy practice the imitation of learned and holy theod. beza in his daily prayer for the iewes , lord iesus thou dost justly avenge the contempt of thy selfe , and that ingratefull people is worthy of thy most severe indignation ; but , lord , remember thy covenant , and for thy names sake be favourable to those miserable wretches , and to us the most unworthy of all men , unto whom thou hast vouchsafed thy mercy , bestow this goodnesse also , that we may grow in thy grace , that we be not instruments of thy wrath against them , but rather , both by the knowledg of thy word , and by the examples of holy life , we may , by the assistance and vertue of thy holy spirit , reduce them into the right way , that thou maist once be glorified of all nations and people for ever , amen . an epistolicall discourse of mr. iohn dvry , to mr. thorowgood . concerning his conjecture that the americans are descended from the israelites . with the history of a portugall iew , antonie monterinos , attested by manasseh ben israel , to the same effect . sir , iam bound to thank you for the communication of your booke , which i have read with a great deale of delight and satisfaction ; for the rarity of the subject , and the variety of your observations thereupon , which you have deduced with as much probability to make out your theme , as history can afford matter : i did shew it to another friend of great judgement and ingenuity , who was so taken with it , that he said he would have it to be coppied out at his cost , if you would not publish it to the world , which hee and i have resolved to importune you to doe : for although at first blush , the thing which you offer to be believed , will seeme to most men incredible , and extravigant ; yet when all things are laid rationally and without prejudice together , there will be nothing of improbability found therein , which will not be swallowed up with the appearance of contrary likelyhoods , of things possible and lately attested by some to be truths : whereof to confirme your probable conjectures , i shall give you that information which is come to my hands at severall times in these late yeares , which you , ( if you shall thinke fit ) may publish to the world , as i have received them , which to the probability of your conjectures adde so much light , that if the things which i shall relate be not meere fictions ( which i assure you are none of mine , for you shall have them without any addition , as i have received them ) none can make any further scruple of the truth of your assertion ; but before i come to particulars , i shall tell you of some thoughts which are come upon this occasion into my minde , concerning gods way of dealing with mens spirits for the manifestation of his truth and wisdome to those that seeke after it ; and concerning the wonderfull contrivances by which he brings his counsell to passe beyond all mens thoughts : i have observed , and every one that will take notice must needs perceive , that the spirits of men in reference to spiritual matters , whether divine or humane ( by humane , i meane all matters of science and industry depending upon judgement and sagacity ) are distinguishable into two kinds , the one are stedfast to some principles , and the other are unstable ; this distinction in divine matters is clear , from 2 pet. 3. 17. jude , ver . 3 , 4 , 6 , 12 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 20 , 21. and in humane matters wee need none other proofe but daily experience . againe , these that are stedfast to their principles , will be found of two sorts ; some are led in an ordinary common way and rest therein , admitting of nothing further then what they have attained unto ; some ( though they doe not undervalue the ordinary waies which in their owne kinds are usefull and necessary , yet they ) aspire to something more then ordinary and rest not where they are , they believe that both in humane and divine matters , there is , as long as we are in this life , a plus ultra , and that we never ought to rest in seeking after the advancement of learning and the increase of knowledge , till wee shall come to see the father of lights face ro face ; the different inclinations of these three sorts of men in the world , leading them to different courses and straines in their proceedings , and these begetting divers encounters amongst them wherein they disagree , and know not how to right matters towards one another for mutuall content and edification , are the causes of all our strife and confusion in all affaires , as well of religious as of civill concernment ; nor is it possible to be free from the disorders and distempers , which make the life of mankinde uncomfortable in this kind , and full of vexation , till god hath removed those that fall away from their owne stedfastnesse out of the earth , which will not come to passe till hee hath filled the earth with the knowledge of the lord as the waters cover the sea ; till hee hath brought us all that are stedfast unto true principles , and that walke by rules , unto the unity of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of god , unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ : which things because they are clearely promised , wee may expect shall come to passe , but till then we shall be carried differently about with severall winds of doctrine , and ensnared in our owne ignorance by the cunning craftinesse of men who lie in waite to deceive ; for the unstable are either wickedly set to worke changes upon those that are setled for ends of their owne , or weakely carried up and downe through the uncertaine apprehensions of things differently represented unto them , sometimes one way and sometimes another ; so that between the motions of mens spirits subtilly unstable tending to unsettle others , and weakely stable susceptible of any unsettlement from others , all our changes and disorderly carriages , both in divine and humane affaires doe arise ; when either those that have no principles of truth to walke by , study lies to puzzle those that pretend to walke by rules , or those that have true principles vary from one another in their degrees of understanding , and in their manner of applying the same to advance knowledge , and to make discoveries of gods manifestation of himselfe ; for as these motions meet with one another in opposite courses , and men led thereby , stand by one another in disproportionat frames , or justle one another out of their places for contrary ends ; so all our confusions and revolutions of churches and states , and therein of scientificall straines , and of practicall undertakings , arise differently in the world : here then is a threefold diversity in acting , the changeable and moveable disposition of the one sort , is made to try the stability of the other two , and those that are setled in an ordinary way , are tryers to those that are led forth to something that is extraordinary ; and those that upon allowed principles do rationally bring forth something more then ordinary , try the ingenuity of the other two , how farre they love truth for it selfe ; so that each of these puts his neighbour to the triall of his property , and constraines him to manifest the nature of his way , how farre it is , or is not from god : and although every thing which is beyond the ordinary straine , is liable to be censured and contradicted by men of ordinary apprehensions . who condemne for the most part as extravagant and ridiculous whatsoever is not levell with their capacities ; yet i am inclined to believe , that there is alwaies something of god in all men , that are led forth by extraordinary motions , namely when their spirits doe not reject the common true principles , and yet are raised above them , to apprehend conclusions and inferences which are not common ; and when their affections are regularly constant to their workes , and their undertakings pursued with sobriety in the feare of god , then i conceive that god hath put upon them a speciall stampe and character of his vertue , by which he doth fit them for some designe and service whereunto he hath raised them . i have observed this in very many men of publike spirits , most commonly they have bin laught at by others for going out of the common road-way of acting ; whether to make good some opinions , which others never dreamt of , or to doe some businesse which others have thought impossibilities to be effected ; ( i say ) i have observed , that when they have been led forth with modesty , without selfe conceitednesse and vanity , and when they have prosecuted their enterprises with remarkable perseverance , that god hath made them one way or other remarkably instrumentall and usefull towards their generation for the advancement of his worke , which is the reformation of this world , and the restauration of all things by the kingdom of iesus christ , whereunto all extraordinary gifts , and the unusuall leadings forth of mens spirits are preparatives . i could instance in severall men which i have known , and doe know abroad and at home , of severall professions , whose studies and endeavours have been lookt upon as whimsies and extravagancies by the road-way-men of that profession ; and yet i am perswaded that they are led and acted by that spirit which leadeth the children of god in all truth ; and because other men otherwise rationall and observant , ( who though not altogether destitute of the spirit , yet are not raised above the ordinary pitch ) do not know the drift of the spirit of these ; therefore these are lookt upon by them as men of odde conceits : i have seen some of the great rabbies of our times , heretofore much scandalized at the proposals and undertakings of mr comenius ; but it hath pleased god to assist him so with grace , and support him with constancy in his way , notwithstanding many trialls and temptations ; that he hath been able during his ownelife , to see the usefulnesse of some of his endeavours , whereof a more full account will be given to the world very shortly . i could speake of others , whose attempts , though not so apparantly successefull during their life , yet no lesse usefull in their kind , and which in due time , will prove the grounds of great advantages and discoveries unto posterity , although in the generation where their lot is fallen to live , they have not been believed nor received . gods way to dispence grace is not according to outward appearances , and for this cause , the multitude doth not entertaine the instruments thereof with due esteem , nor the meanes by which it is offered to the world with respect , because they come in a homely dresse , and without the affectation of any shew ; neverthelesse wisdom at all times is justified by her children , and there take notice of her paths , and trace the counsell of god therein , for they can see that gods waies and counsels reach from end to end , and that he comprehends in his aime both that which is past , and that which is present , and that which is to come in future ages ; so that in the conclusion of all , he will make it appeare , that the unusuall motions of his servants , which the world have disesteemed and counted foolishnesse , have been the extraordinary worke of his spirit in them , whereby he doth convince the world of sinne , of righteousnesse , of judgement : of sinne , because the testimony which they bore to the truth was not received ; of righteousnesse , because they who served their generation faithfully with the righteous use of their talent in the midst of scorners , are justly taken away from an unthankfull generation and the evill day , to rest from their labours , that their workes may follow them ; and of judgement , because the selfe conceited pride and partiality of the wise and prudent of this world , shall be judged and condemned by the worke of his spirit , when he shall bring all the effects thereof together to make out his compleate designe against the world , and by the conjunction of the seemingly scattered parts which his servants have acted upon their stages , produce the new frame of a perfect scene , the catastrophe whereof shall make up a building fit for the kingdom of his son. i am fallen upon these thoughts , and acquaint you thus with them , partly to support mine owne spirit against the contradictions which i meet withall in the way wherein god hath set me , for the constant prosecution of peace and truth without partiality amongst my brethren ; partly to apologize for the drift of your spirit , whereby i perceive you have been led these many yeares in some of your studies ; for it is very evident to me , that you have sought after a matter , which to most men will seem incredible , rediculous and extravagant ; and to tell you the truth , before i had read your discourse and seriously weighed matters , when i thought upon your theme , that the americans should be of the seed of israell , it seemed to me somewhat strange and unlikely to have any truth in it ; but afterward when i had weighed your deduction of the matter , and lookt seriously upon gods hand in bringing into those parts of the world where the americans are , so many religious professors , zealous for the advancement of his glory , and who are possessed with a beliefe from the scriptures , that all the tribes of israell shall be called to the knowledge of jesus christ , before the the end of the world : and when i had recollected and laid together some other scattered and confused thoughts which at several times i have received , partly from the places of scripture , which foretell the calling of the jewes , and their restitution to their owne land , together with the bringing back of the ten tribes from all the ends and corners of the earth , partly from some relations which i had heard a few yeeres agoe concerning the ten tribes , which the jewes here in europe had given out ; and partly from the observations of gods way , which he seemes to make by all these changes , and the dissolution of the states and empires of the world , towards some great worke , and extraordinary revolution which may shortly come to passe : all which things when i had called to mind and represented unto my selfe , i was so far from derogating any thing from that which you have conjectured concerning the american indians ; that i beganne to stand amazed at the appearances of the probabilities which so many waies offered themselves unto me , to make out and confirme the effect of that which you have said : and then i begun also upon another account , to wonder at the strangenesse of gods conduct over your spirit , that he should have set you a worke twelve or more yeeres agoe , after the search of such a matter , by historicall observations , whereof then so few , and almost no footsteps at all were extant to be traced , and whereof now , of a suddaine , the world is like to be filled with such evidences , that it wil be an astonishment to all that shall heare of it , and lay it to heart ; and that all who have any ingenuity will be constrained to confesse , that indeed there is a god who ruleth in the earth , and that he hath ordered the affaires of the nations by an universal providence , to bring to passe his own counsels , and that the things which hee hath revealed by his word , should in the latter times be accomplished ; for to my apprehension , this will be the great benefit of these discoveries ; namely , that the mouths of atheists will be stopped , and convicted of irrationality and foolishnesse : for when it shall appear to all men undeniably , that the transmigration of nations , and the affaires of this world , have not been carried hitherto by meere chance , or by the craftinesse of humane counsels , or by force ; but by the wisdome of a supreame conduct , who hath ordered all things from the beginning towards an end which hath been foreknown , and to a designe foretold . ( i say ) when this shall appeare , and that in the midst of all these changes and confusions , there is a conduct over-ruling the force of man , and disappointing the councels of the crafty ; then the eyes of all men will be upon the lord , and god alone will be exalted in righteousnesse , and the holy one of israell in judgement : for seeing it is evident that the ten tribes of israell have been as it were lost in the world neare about the space of two thuusand yeeres , if now they should againe appeare upon the stage , first as it were in another world by themselves , and then afterward speedily come from thence hither to the land of their ancient inheritance , where they shall be joyned to their brethren the jews ( which is clearly foretold by the prophets shall come to passe ) if ( i say ) those things should now begin to come to passe , what can all the world say otherwise , but that the lords counsell doth stand , and that he hath fulfilled the words spoken by his servants the prophets concerning israel ; that although all the sinfull kingdoms of the nations shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth , yet that the house of jacob shall not be utterly destroyed , but shall be corrected in measure , for loe i will command ( saith god by the prophet ) and i will sift the house of israell among all nations , like as corne is sifted in the sieve , yet shall not the least graine fall upon the earth . these prophecies must needs be fulfilled , if there be a god in heaven who hath foretold them , and when he shall make this his word good unto israell , he will thereby make it undeniably apparent , that it was he himselfe and none other who did foretell it : and that it is also none but hee who brings the worke about beyond all humane appearances , according as he did foretell it : and by all this he will shew to all the world , that which he oft-times repeates by the prophet isaiah , that he alone is the saviour , and that there is none besides him , isa . 45. 5 , 6 , 15. till the end . the destruction then of the spirituall babylon by the restauration of israel , shall make out this to all the earth , that god alone is the lord over all , and the saviour of the people that put their trust in his name . now the appearances which offer themselves unto me , that these prophecies are towards their accomplishment , are many , which now i shall not insist upon , ( perhaps god will direct me to declare them in due season more fully then now i can intend ) but i shall onely mention that which i find to be a confirmation of your conjecture , leaving it to your owne discretion , what use you will make of it . first then i shall impart unto you some stories which i heard five or six yeeres agoe , when i was in the low countries , concerning the ten tribes ; and then i shall adde some information concerning the state of the iewes in our europaean and asiaatique worlds , which i have learned at other times by some providences which god hath offered unto mee ; and upon the whole matter i shall leave you to your further conjectures , by that which i shall guesse at . the first story which i heard was at the hague , a person of chief quality about the queen of bohemia , and one of her counsell , and a discerning godly man , and my speciall friend told me , that the jew ( a jeweller residing ordinarily at the hague ) whom i knew , had been there at court , and with great joy had told , that they of his nation had received from constantinople letters , bringing to them glad tidings of two speciall matters fallen out there ; the one was , that the grand seignior had remitted the great taxes which formerly had been laid upon the jewes of those parts , so that now they were in a manner free from all burthens , paying but a small and inconsiderable matter to that empire ; the other was , that a messenger was come unto the jewes who reside neere about the holy land , from the ten tribes , to make enquiry concerning the state of the land ; and what was become of the two tribes and the half which was left in it , when they were transported from thence by salmanasser . this messenger was described to be a grave man , having some attendance in good equipage about him . he told them that the people from which hee was sent were the tribes of israel , which in the daies of hosea the king , were carried captives out of their owne land by the king of assyria , who transported them from samaria into assyria and the cities of the medes ; but they being grieved for the tronsgressions which caused god to be angry with them , they tooke a resolution to separate themselves from all idolaters , and so went from the heathen where they were placed by salmanassar , with a resolution to live by themselves , and observe the commandements of god , which in their owne land they had not observed : in prosecuting this resolution , after a long journey of a yeere and six moneths , they came to a countrey wholly destitute of inhabitants , where now they have increased into a great nation , and are to come from thence into their owne land by the direction of god ; and to shew them that hee was a true israelite , hee had brought with him a scroule of the law of moses , written according to their custome . the gentleman who told me this story , as from the mouth of the jew , said that it brought to his mind fully ( by reason of the agreement of circumstances almost in all things ) the story which is recorded in the second booke of esdras , which is called apocrypha , chap. 13. ver . 40. till 50. which will be found a truth if that messenger came and made this narrative . this was the first story ; and not long after viz. within the space of five or six moneths , a little before i came from the low countries , i was told of a jew who came from america to amsterdam , and brought to the jewes residing there ▪ newes concerning the ten tribes ; that hee had been with them upon the border of their land , and had conversed with some of them for a short space , and seen and heard remarkable things whiles he stayed with them , whereof then i could not learn the true particulars ; but i heard that a narrative was made in writing of that which he had related , which before i went from holland last , i had no time to seeke after , but since the reading of your booke , and some discourse i have had with you about these matters , i have procured it from the low countries , and received a copie thereof in french , attested under manasseh ben israel his hand , that it doth exactly agree with the originall , as it was sent me , the translation thereof i have truly made without adding or taking away any thing ; and because i was not satisfied in some things , and desired to know how farre the whole matter was believed among the jewes at amsterdam , i wrote to manasseh ben israel , their chiefe rabbi , about it , and his answer i have gotten in two letters , telling me that by the occasion of the questions which i proposed unto him concerning this adjoyned narrative of mr. antonie monterinos , hee to give me satisfaction , had written insteed of a letter , a treatise , which hee shortly would publish , and whereof i should receive so many copies as i should desire : in his first letter dated novem. last , 25. he saies that in his treatise he handles of the first inhabitants of america , which he believes were of the ten tribes ; moreover , that they are scattered also in other countries , which he names , and that they keepe their true religion , as hoping to returne againe into the holy land in due time . in his second letter , dated the twenty three of december , he saies more distinctly thus : i declare how that our israelites were the first finders out of america ; not regarding the opinions of other men , which i thought good to refute in few words onely : and i thinke that the ten tribes live not onely there , but also in other lands scattered every where ; these never did come backe to the second temple , and they keep till this day still the jewish religion , seeing all the prophecies which speake of their bringing backe unto their native soile must be fulfilled : so then at their appointed time , all the tribes shall meet from all the parts of the world into two provinces , namely assyria and egypt , nor shall their kingdome be any more divided , but they shall have one prince the messiah the sonne of david . i do also set forth the inquisition of spaine , and rehearse divers of our nation , and also of christians , martyrs , who in our times have suffered severall sorts of torments , and then having shewed with what great honours our jewes have been graced also by severall princes who professe christianity . i prove at large , that the day of the promised messiah unto us doth draw neer , upon which occasion i explaine many prophecies , &c. by all which you see his full agreement with your conjecture concerning the americans , that they are descended of the hebrewes : when his booke comes to my hand , you shall have it god willing . in the meane time i shall adde some of my conjectures concerning the jewes which live on this side of the world with us in europe and asia ; these are of two sorts or sects , the one is of pharisees , the other of caraits , the pharisees in europe and asia are in number farre beyond the caraits , they differ from one another wheresoever they are , as protestants doe from papists ; for the pharisees , as the papists , attribute more to the authoritie and traditions of their rabbies and fathers , then to the word of god ; but the caraits will receive nothing for a rule of faith and obedience but what is delivered from the word of god immediately : and their name imports their profession , that they are readers of the text , or textuaries , for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you know when it relates to bookes and writings , is to be rendred . these two sects are irreconcilably opposite to each other , and as the papists deale with protestants , so do the pharisees with the caraits , they persecute and suppres them and their profession by all the meanes they can possibly make use of : nay as mr ritangle ( of whom i have all the informations which i know concerning the caraits ) tels me , the hatred of the pharisees is so fierce against their opposites the caraits , that they have anathematized them so , as never to be reconciled unto them ; insomuch , that it is counted unlawfull so much as to speake to any of them , or to any that belongeth unto them , but at the distance of foure cubits at least ; their bookes and all things belonging to them , are avoided as things abominable and to be abhorred ; nor will the pharisees , although the caraits should become penitent , and desire to be joyned to their congregations , and renounce their owne way , admit of them as a caraite reconciled unto them : but the caraite must first become a christian , a mahumetan , or an idolater , before he can be admitted to joyne with them , that it may never bee said that a pharisee was reconciled to a caraite , or that a caraite is become a pharisee . as their principles and affections are thus different , so are their opinions , and the course of their life extremely opposite ; the pharisees are full of superstitious imaginary foolish conceits , and thalmudicall questions and nicities in their sermons and bookes ; the caraits are rationall men that take up no doctrines but what the scriptures teach , by comparing one text with another : the pharisees have wild and extravagant fancies concerning the messiah and his reigne ; but the caraits have true grounds of spirituall and raised thoughts concerning the messiah and his kingdome , little different from that which the better sort of christians truly believe , and professe of these misteries . the pharisees in their sermons insist upon nothing but their traditions and ceremonies , and foolish curiosities ; but the caraits insist onely upon necessary and profitable duties , teaching the way of godlinesse and honesty , to bring men from the outward forme to the inward power and spirituall performance of divine worship . as concerning their course of life , the pharisees live every where by a way of trading & usury , which is destructive to those with whom they have commerce ; but the caraits abhor that way , as pestilent unto humane societies , and betake themselves to trades , and manufactures , to become husbandmen , and servants in the places where they live , and to serve as souldiers under the magistrate , who doth protect them . this being the state and difference of these two sects , ( as he who in asia and some part of europe hath been above twenty yeers conversant with them , and a doctor in their synagogues , hath informed me ) i shall acquaint you with my conjectures concerning the event of our present troubles in the world over all , and the revolution of the jewish state , which are these ; that it is not unlikely to me that the issue and effect of these changes which now are wrought , and afoot to bee wrought in the world , ( wherein the highest powers are shaken , and a generall distresse is brought upon all the nations of the earth ) will be a breaking of the yokes of tyranny and oppression , under which not onely the jewes every where groan , but with them most of the gentiles , or rather all of them that are under an arbitrary power of absolute potentates , and superstitious selfe-seeking teachers ; that the breaking of these yokes is already a great way advanced . first , in the easterne china empire by the invasion of the tartarians . secondly , in the northerne and easterne mahometane empire , by the changes brought upon , and likely to fall out in the ottoman house and line ; and by the liberty which of late hath been granted to the jewes , not onely from taxes , but of repairing to jerusalem , and having synagogues there , which heretofore was utterly prohibited . thirdly , in the westerne , which is called the roman or german empire , by these late troubles , and the assistance which the king of the north the swede , hath given to protestants to maintaine their liberty : all the power of these yokes must yet further be broken in the supreame and subordinate ministers thereof ; in respect of the whole bodies of these empires , and of the particular kingdomes and states which resort under the same ; for all nations by the light of naturall reason , but chiefely those , whom the gospel hath enlightned , and prepared in a measure , to apprehend the hope of the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god , will more and more every where resent their priviledge and right to a freedome , from which they have been restrained , by the mistery of iniquity in spirituall and corporall matters ; and when the grounds of righteous order , of impartiall love to mankinde , and of common preservation , shall breake forth at last , and be taken notice of in the midst of these confusions and great troubles which fall upon all sorts of men ; then the jewes will come and appeare in their owne ranke , and for their own interest , they will by others be respected ; for their interest will be upon the dissolution of the mahometan , to resist and oppose the spanish monarchy , that it may not propagate it selfe eastward , and southward , beyond the mediterranean sea ; and that the inquisition by which they have been so cruelly persecuted , may be every where abolished ; but above all things , kept out of the holy land and their beloved city jerusalem : if then there should be any transactions ( as it is said there is like to be ) between the ottoman house and the house of spaine about the holy land , the jewes who are now at some liberty there , and begin from all parts of the earth to lift up their eyes to looke thitherward , will quickely resent it , and finde their interest to be the enjoyment of their owne inheritance ; and to helpe them to it , they will finde assistance from all christians that are not slaves to superstition and tyranny , and that assistance and favour which by such christians will be given them , may in gods hand be a meanes to open the pharisee his eyes , to see somewhat in christianity , from which he hath been hitherto blinded , by reason of the prejudice which the idolatry of the papall sea , and the spanish inquisition hath begotten in him . as for the caraits , god hath so ordered it , that the greatest bodies of them are in the northerne parts of the world , by which the ten tribes , if ever they come to the holy land , are like to come ; there be some few in russia , some in constantinople , some in alcair , some in persia , and some in other places of asia and of africa ; but mr ritangle told me that their chiefe bodie is amongst the asiatique and european tartarians , who now appeare upon the stage as beginning to be conquerers . for besides that which they doe fully possesse in china , they have tasted somewhat of a victorious progresse of late in poland , and they are the next pretenders to the ottoman crowne , if the line faile , which is like to be : their rising and dissipation abroad from their owne centers to their circumferences towards neighbour nations , will weaken them at home ; and if then , when they are not strong within their owne bounds , and by their invasions have weakened their neighbours southward on ; god call the ten tribes to march toward the place of their inheritance : the caraits their brethren will be leaders of them on their way , and so their march may be , as manasseh ben israel saith , to make their rendezvous in assyria ; and on the other side , the jewes that are pharisees , may make their rendezvous from arabia and other neighbouring places , and out of all europe into egypt ; that so when the shunamite shall returne ( as it is said in the canticles , chap. 6. ver . 13. ) the world may looke upon her , and may see in her the company of two armies , which both shall look towards jerusalem . then will the great battaile of harmageddon be fought , whereunto all these troubles and changes are but preparatives : then shall the sword of the spirit , the word of god , prevaile mightily over the spirits of all men ; the two edges thereof on the right hand and on the left , will cut sharpe , and pierce to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit , and of the joynts and marrow , and to the discerning of the thoughts and intentions of the heart : and when this sword shall be thus powerfull in the hands of his saints , ( the true protestants with the one troope , and the true caraits with the other ) then shall be fulfilled the prophecie of the psalmist , that vengeance shall be executed upon the heathen , and punishments upon the people ; that their kings shall be bound with chaines , and their nobles with fetters of iron ; and that the honour due to all saints shall be given them , to be made executioners of the judgement written in the word of god against them . we know not how neare these things are at hand , let us therefore be watchfull , and put on the armour of light , to be ready , when the bridegroome comes , to goe with him in our wedding garment , having our lamps burning , and provision of oile , into the wedding chamber . and to this effect , the lord teach us to be diligent , to be found of him in peace , without spot and blamelesse , that in the midst of these fightings and confusions , we may not be found as many are , smiting their fellow servants , eating and drinking largely of the spoile of those that are spoiled , and being drunken with the passions of malice , entertained for the revenge of injuries , or of covetousnesse and ambition , prosecuted for self-interests : and with this prayer i shall commend you to the grace of god , and rest , your faithfull friend and fellow labourer in the gospel of christ . j. dury . st iames , this 27 ian. 1649 / 50. iewes in america , or , probabilities that the americans are jewes . chap. i. it hath been much , and many times , in severall mens thoughts , what genius devoted our countrey-men so willingly to forsake their friends , and nation , exposing themselves by voyages long and perillous to so many inconveniences , as are to be encountred with by strangers in a forraigne and unchristian land ; some were hastened by their dislike of church government ; other perhaps were in hope to enrich themselves by such adventures ; and 't is like , divers of them did foresee those epidemicall calamities , now for so many years oppressing this forlorne nation , following thereupon solomons counsell , a prudent man foreseeth the evill , and hideth himselfe , &c. prov. 22. 5. or else those pious soules by a divine instinct , might happily bee stirred up to despise all hazards , that the natives for their temporall accommodations might bee spiritually enriched by the english , and though this was little seen at first in the endeavours , at least the successe of many gone thither , yet who can tell but supreme providence might then dispose mens hearts that way , themselves not discerning that influence ; even as cyrus promoted the cause of the jewes , he knew not why , nor whence , esa . 45. 4 , 5. upon confidence that the gospell of christ shall be revealed in the midst of that yet most barbarous nation , the next desire was , if possible , to learne the originall of the americans , and by observations from printed books , and written letters , and by discourse with some that had travelled to , and abode in those parts severall years , the probability of that opinion as yet praeponderates , that the westerne indians be of jewish race . a r. verstegan proves the saxons to be germans , because their speech is alike , the names of persons and things sometimes agree , and the idols of them both are not different ; bodine b mentioneth 3 arguments ( b ) , by which the beginnings of people are discoverable , the faire and true dealing of historians , the comparing of language , with the description of the countrey , such helps have assisted also in this enquiry : grotius c conceiveth these americans to have come out of europe , passing from norway into iseland , thence by friesland into greenland , and so into estotiland , which is part of that western continent , hee is induced to that opinion from the names and words of places and things in both sounding alike : but io. de laet d abundantly disproves this conjecture , which yet the governor of the dutch plantation e there told mr. williams was his judgement : some others take them f to be a remnant of those canaanites that fled out of that land when the feare of israel approaching thither fell upon them , iosh . 2. 9. others thinke g it most probable , that they are tartars , passing out of asia into america by the straights of anian . emanuel de moraes h willingly believes them to be derived from the carthaginians and jewes ; from which latter that they be descended , these following conjectures are propounded to consideration . chap. ii. the first conjecture that the americans are jewes . the indians doe themselves relate things of their ancestors , a suteable to what we read of the jewes in the bible , and elsewhere , which they also mentioned to the spaniards at their first accesse thither ; and here the speech of myrsilus b occurred as observable : if we would know , saith hee , the antiquity and originall of a nation , there is more credit to be given to the natives and their neighbors , than to strangers , and caesar c concluded the britons to be gaules , because that was the affirmation of them both . p. martyr d tells at large , how muteczuma the great king of mexico in an oration made to his nobles and people , perswading subjection to the king of spaine , minds his countrey men , that they heard from their fore-fathers , how they were strangers in that land , and by a great prince very long agoe brought thither in a fleet , they boast their pedigree from men preserved in the sea by god himselfe , that god made one man , and one woman , bidding them live together and multiply , and how in a famine hee rained bread for them from heaven , whō in a time of drought also gave them water out of a rock : many other things , themselves say were done for them , such as the scriptures relate concerning the israelites at their comming out of aegypt , as , their peregrination many yeares , the oracles they received , their arke of bulrush , wherein vitzi-liputzli was included , of the tabernacle the ark e carried by foure priests , and how they pitched their tents according to its direction , and who seeth not saith malvenda f much probability that the mexicans are iewes , how could they else report the manner of their comming into the promised land ; they affirme there is one chiefe god , who hath been from all eternity , by whom the lesser gods were made , who became assistants in the fabrick and government of the world , as some of the g rabbins also called the angells con-creators with god , to whom the lord did say , let us make man in our image , &c. gen. 1. 26. the indians judge the sunne , moone and starres to be living creatures , a thing a so avowed in the jewish talmud h , shewing it to be a thing easie enough for the heavens to declare the glory of god , psalme 19. 1. seeing they have understanding soules as well as men and angels ; they i say of themselves , that they be strangers , and came from another countrey . m●●●…s k before named doth not onely averre that many learned men in brasile take the natives to be jewes , but that they themselves , taught by a most ancient tradition , acknowledge their fore-fathers to be of that linage ; and peter martyr l hath from them also such a kinde of assertion : and now whereas some conceive the ten tribes to be either shut up beyond the m caspian mountaines , whence they could not get out , though they begged leave of alexander the great , yet the way was made miraculously unpassable against them , as the same comester relateth : others suppose n them to be utterly lost , and if once so , 't is probable in the opinion of some that they are to be found in america ; o acosta acknowledgeth this to be the judgement of divers , to which he is not onely adverse himselfe , but endeavours to answer their arguments , as will be shewd hereafter ; to these conjectures of the natives , let this chapter bee concluded with the judgements of two others , that have reason for what they say , the first is p emanuel de moraes , forespoken of , affirming those of brasile to be judaicall : first , because those brasilians marrie into their owne tribe and kindred . secondly , their manner is also to call their uncles and ants , fathers and mothers . thirdly , they are given much to mourning and teares in their funerall solemnities : and last of all , they both have garments much alike . the next is master q r. williams , one of the first , if not the first of our nation in new england that learned the language , and so prepared towards the conversion of the natives , which purpose of his being knowne , hee was desired to observe if hee found any thing judaicall among them , &c. he kindly answers to those letters from salem in new england , 20th of the 10th moneth , more than ten yeers since , in hac verba . three things make me yet suspect that the poore natives came from the southward , and are jewes or jewish quodammodo , and not from the northern barbarous as some imagine . 1. themselves constantly affirme that their ancestors came from the southwest , and thither they all goe dying . 2. they constantly and strictly separate their women in a little wigwam by themselves in their feminine seasons . 3. and beside their god kuttand to the south-west , they hold that nanawitnawit ( a god over head ) made the heavens and the earth , and some tast of affinity with the hebrew i have found . chap. iii. second conjecture . the rites , fashions , ceremonies , and opinions of the americans are in many things agreeable to the custome of the jewes , not onely prophane and common usages , but such as be called solemn and sacred . common and prophane customes in both alike . 1 the indians a weare garments fashioned as the jewes , a single coate , a square little cloake , they goe barefoot : if you should aske a man of brasile what vestment would please him best , he would answer presently , b a long cloake the habit of the jewes , and this may seem no light consideration to such as minde seneca's c confidence , that the spaniards planted themselves in italy , for they have the same kind of covering on their heads , and shooes for their feet . 2 they constantly d annoint their heads , as did the jewes also , luk. 7. 46. 3. they doe not onely pride themselves with eare-rings e but their noses are borcd also , and have jewells hanging on them , which they call caricori , like that is read , esa . 3. 20 , 21. 4. in all india f they wash themselves often , twice or thrice in the day , and the women in brasile ten times saith lerius g and the jewes were frequent in this , mar. 7. 3 , 4. io. 2. 6. 5. they delight exceedingly in dancing , h men and women , yea and women apart by themselves ; and so they did in israell . exod. 13. 20. 1 sam. 21. 11 , 12. and thus especially after victories i and overthrows , of enemies , which is found also , iud. 11. 34. iud. 21. 21. 23. & 1 sam. 18. 6 , 7. 6. as the jewes were wont to call them fathers and mothers , that were not their naturall parents , so k the indians give the same appellation to unkle and aunts . 7. in america they eate no swines flesh l t is hatefull to them , as it was among the jewes , levit. 11. 7. esa . 66. 15. 8. they wash m strangers feet , and are very hospitall to them , and this was the known commendation of old israell . 9. the indians compute their times by nights n an use which laet o confesseth they had from the hebrews ; they reckon by lunary rules , giving the same name to their moneths they do to the moon , tona . 10. virginity is not a state praise-worthy among the americanes p and it was a bewaileable condition in iury , iud. 11. 37. 11. the natives q marry within their owne kindred and family , this was gods command to his people , num. 36. 7. 12. the indian women r are easily delivered of their children , without midwives , as those in exod. 1. 19. 13. they wash their infants newly born s and this you finde also , ezek. 16. 9. 14. in faeminine seasons they put their women in a wigwam by themselves , ( t ) for which they plead nature and tradition ; another writes expresly such kind u of purification they have as had the jewes . 15. the widdow marrieth w the brother of the deceased husband , which was also moses law , mat. 22. 24. 16. dowries for wives are given x by the indians , as saul enjoyned david , 1 sam. 18. 25. 17. the husband hath power y over the adulterous wife , to turne her away with disgrace , they have also other causes of divorce , as was in israel , mat. 8. 19. 18. they nurse their owne children , z even the queenes in peru , and so did the mothers in israel . 19. the husbands come not at their wives till their children be weaned , ( a ) such an use is read hos . ●8 . and at pera if they be forced to weane them before their time , they call such children ainsco , i. e bastards . 20. among the indians b they punish by beating , and whipping , and the sachims if they please , put offendors to death with their owne hands , and secretly sometimes send out an executioner , as mark 6. 27. 2 cor. 11. 25. 21. if a brasilian wound another , c he must be punisht in the same part of his body , and with death , if the other die , for they also answer an eye for an eye , &c. as the law was . deut. 24. 19. 22. when the master of the family dieth , he is buried in the middle of the house , d with his jewells , and other things he delighted in ; the spaniards were often made rich by such sepulchars , and iosephus e tells of much treasure laid up even in davids grave . 23. the indians are given much to weeping , f their women especially , and at burialls ; this was in fashion among the jewes . ier. 19. 17. famous for this they were among the old heathen . 24. balsamum g was peculiar to the jewish countrey , and thought to be lost long agoe saith pliny ; h if it were , t is now found againe in america . 25. their princes and governours whom they generally call sachims , sachmos , sagamos , i are no other but heads of families , as it was of old in israel . num. 7. 2. 26. the indians have their posts k and messengers that were swift of foot , whom they dispatcht upon their affaires , and they ran with speed , and such were among the jewes . 2 sam. 18. 24 , 26 , 27. chap. iv. sacred and solemne rites and customes alike . a costa a affirmes the americans to have ceremonies and customes resembling the mosaicall . 1. circumcision b is frequent among the indians , which some not observing , have thereupon denyed them to be judaicall , and io. de laet c is forced to acknowledge such venereous people have somewhat like to circumcision occasioned by their lasciviousnesse ; but daily d experience declareth that they have indeed upon them this judaicall badge . herodotus e averreth the colchi for this to be of the aegyptian race , and that the phenicians and syrians of palaestina learned from them that rite ; and though some have judged the tartars to be jewes , because circumcised , others f yeeld not to this , because they were mahometans by religion , and from them received that custome ; but these people have cut off their foreskinne time out of minde , and it cannot be conceived whence they had this ceremony , but that it is nationall . and though the fore mentioned g writer endeavours much to prove , that there is no circumcision among them , and that some other people be so handled , whom none yet ever imagined to be judaicall , but that of ier. 9. 26. is not so fitly i thinke cited for his purpose ; and grotius tells him h confidently , we have so many witnesses that the americans be circumcised , as it becomes not a modest man to deny it ; and among the rarities brought from those quarters , pancirollus i speakes of stony knives , very sharpe and cutting , and his illustrator k h. salmuth , shewes that the jewes of old did use such in their circumcisings , knifes of stone , which sacrament omitted fourty yeeres in their travell , is revived by gods command to ioshua 5. 2. make thee sharp knives , cultros petrinos ; arias montanus reads , cultros lapideos in the vulgar latine , but the septuagint doth not only mention those rocky knives , but adds , taken from a sharpe rocke , as if the allusion also were to christ , the rocke , that doth circumcise our hearts ; lerius l affirmes he saw some of those cutting stones or knives at brasil . 2. the indians worship that god m they say , who created the sun , moon , and all invisible things , who gives them also all that is good . 3. they knew of that floud which drowned n the world , and that it was sent for the sin of man , especially for unlawfull lust , and that there shall never be such a deluge againe . 4. it is affirmed by them o neverthelesse that after many yeers , fire shall come down from above and consume all . 5. they beleeve the immortality of the soule , and that there is a place of joy , p another of torment after death , whither they shall goe that kill , lie , or steale , which place they call popogusso , a great pit , like the expression , num. 16. 33. and rev. 19. 1 , &c. but they which do no harme shall be received into a good place , and enjoy all manner of pleasure . 6. the americans have in some parts an exact form of king , priest , q and prophet , as was aforetime in conaan . 7. priests are in some things among them , as with the hebrewes , r physitians , and not habited as other men , and in tamazulapa there be vestments kept like those aaroniticall robes of the high-priest . 8. the temples wherein they worship , s sing , pray , and make their offerings , are fashioned and used as with the jewes ; at mexico they were built foure square , and sumptuous , as ezek. 40. 47. 9. the priests have their chambers t in the temple , as the manner was in israel . 1 reg. 6 ▪ 7. 10. they had places also therein u , which none might enter into but their priests . heb. 9. 6 , 7. 11. in their worship of viracoche w , and the sun , &c. they open their hands , and make a kissing sound with their mouthes , as iob 31. 27. 12. they had almost continuall fire before their idols , and took great care lest the x fire before the altar should dye , they call that the divine harth , where there is fire continually , like that in leviticus 6. 9. 13. none may intermeddle with their sacrifices but the priests , y who were also in high estimation among them as they were among the jewes . 14. every noble-man in mexico z had his priest , as israel had the levites within their gates . 15. in their necessities a they always sacrificed , which done , they grew hopefull and confident . 16. they burnt incense , b had their censars , and cake oblations , as ier. 7. 18. 17. the first fruits of their corne c they offered , and what they gat by hunting and fishing . 18. at mexico and some other places d they immolate the bodies of men , and as the jewes of old , saith p. martyr , did eate of their beasts so sacrificed , they feed on mans flesh so offered . 19. in all peru they had but one temple , e which was most sumptuous , consecrated to the maker of the world ; yet they had foure other places also for devotion , as the jews had severall synagogues , beside that their glorious temple . 20. the idols of america f were mitred , in a manner , much as aaron was . 21. a yeare of jubile g did they observe , as did israel also . 22. lerius tells a story of them , h much like that of apocryphall bel , and the dragon , and his priests . 23. in their idoll services they i dance and sing , men and women , almost as miriam , with timbrells , exod. 15. 20. and then they offer bread , as it is in malac. 1. 7. 24. they have hope of their bodies k resurrection , and for that cause are carefull in burying their dead ; and when they saw the spaniards digging into sepulchers for gold and silver , the natives entreated them not to scatter the bones , that so they might with more ease be raised againe . 25. the indians make account the world shall have an end , but not till a great drought come l , and as it were a burning of the aire , when the sunne and moone shall faile , and lose their shining ; thence it is ▪ that in the eclipses of those two greater lights , they make such yellings and out-cries , as if the end of all things were upon them . chap. v. the third conjecture . the americans words and manners of speech , bee in many things consonant to those of the jewes , a seneca hath that other reason , perswading that the spaniards planted in italy , because they both speake alike ; and as volaterrane b for his countreymen , so some suppose the greeks long since mingled with the brittans , because we still have divers words of graecian idiome . for this reason c caesar judged the british to bee gauls , in that the cities of both the nations were called by the same names . giraldus cambrensis derives his countreymens originall from troy , because they have so many trojan names and words amongst them ; oenus , resus , aeneas , hector , ajax , evander , eliza , &c. and grotius d therefore imagines that the americans came from norway , because they have many words the same with the norwegians . it is then considerable to our purpose , how in this the jewes and indians be alike . 1. the aspirations of the americans have e the force of consonants , and are pronounced by them not as the latines and some other nations , but after the manner of the hebrewes . 2. the name of that great city mexico f is observed in sound and writing to come very neare unto that name of our deare lord , psalme 2. 2. meschico , and mexico in their language is a g spring , as of our master and messiah ; the day spring that from on high hath visited us . luk. 1. 78. 3. the ziims mentioned esa . 13. 21. and 34. 14. are h supposed to bee wicked spirits , deluding mankinde , as hobgoblins , fairies , &c. such are the zemes among the indians so often spoken of by i peter martyr , these they call the messengers of the great god ; every king among them hath such a ziim or zeme , and from them came those predictions constantly current among them , of a cover'd nation that should spoyle their rites . 4. acosta marvailes much k at the indians , that having some knowledge that there is a god , yet they call him not by any proper name , as not having any peculiar for him , a relique it may be of that judaicall conceit of the non-pronuntiable tetragrammaton . 5. t is very remarkable that escarbotus l tells , how he heard the indians often perfectly use the wvrd hallelujah ; at which hee marvailed the more , because hee could not at all perceive that they had learned it from any christian ; and this is with like admiration recorded m by the describer of nova francia . 6. in the island of st. michael or azores , which belongs to america , saith n malvenda , certaine sepulchers , or grave-stones are digged up by the spaniards , with very ancient hebrew letters upon them , above and below , thus above , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why is god gone away ; and beneath this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is dead , know god , which words seem to have a woefull enquiry of gods departure from them , with a comfortable declaration of his dying for them , together with an incitation to know him . 7. very many of their words are like the hebrew , which our novangles o have observed , and in the general attested : a more serious disquisition into their language would conduce much to finde out their descent , and helpe exceedingly towards their conversion ; and if it be said , the jewes were ever tenacious of their language , which p elias levita saith , they changed not in aegypt , but if they be now in america , all in a manner is lost . 't is fit then to consider , that in all nations , in two or three ages there is a great alteration in their tongues ; the words of the league between the carthaginians and romans in fifty yeares space , sayth q polybius , were so uncouth , and little knowne , that they could scarce bee understood ; and r keckerman sheweth , ( r ) that the german language in almost as short a time received the like mutation , and our saxon ancestors translated the bible into english as the tongue then was , but of such antique words and writing , that few men now can read and understand it , which waxing old , and hard , it was againe translated into newer words , saith arch-bishop s cranmer , and many even of those words are now strange and neasie to us ; in such suddaine change of language universally , wee need not wonder , that so little impression of the hebrew tongue remaines among them , if the indians be jewish ; but wee may marvaile rather , that after so many yeares of most grosse and cursed blindnesse , and having no commerce , nor converse with other nations , that any the least similitude thereof should be left . chap. vi. the sixth conjecture . this which followeth next , at first sight , will appeare a paradox rather than a probability , that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 americanorum , the man-devouring that is in america ; for what an inference may this seem to bee ; there bee carybes , caniballs , and man-eaters among them , therefore they be jewish ? but let it be considered , among the curses threatned to israel upon their disobedience , wee read levit. 26. 29. yee shall eate the flesh of your sonnes and of your daughters , &c. so deut. 28. 53. which predictions , according to common supposalls , seeme to be fully verified in the famine mentioned , 2 kings 6. 28. and lament . 4. 10. and those words are spoken of things then done and past ; but the prophet ezekiel , that lived about the same time , speakes in the future tense of some new , and till then unheard of calamity , but such as should bee common afterward ; i will doe in thee that i never did before , for in the midst of thee the fathers shall eat their sons , and the sons their fathers , &c. ezek. 5. 9 , 10. before indeed , and at the romans beleaguering ierusalem , women did eate their children , but there is no relation of fathers and sonnes devouring one another , though this be foretold , and as a thing easily to bee taken notice of , a iosephus in that last siege tells but of one woman eating her childe , and 't is like there was no other , because the whole city was astonish'd at the newes , and the seditious themselves did abhorre it ; yea and when the romans heard thereof in their campe , it exceeded credit at first , and their generall comforted himselfe against that most inhumane and hideous fact , by remembring he had often proffered them peace , and they had as often wilfully refused it ; but that prophet foretells an infelicity without parallel , both de praeterito , and de futuro ; i will doe in thee that i never did before , neither will i ever doe the like , verse 9. and it should be a publick and notorious calamity , for in the midst of thee the fathers should eate their sonnes , and their sons their fathers , ver. 10. words implying , yea expressing more than wee can read was done , either when the chaldees or romans begirt their city : and the glosse of st. ierome b strengthens this conjecture ; when the fathers , saith he , did eate the sonnes , or the sonnes their fathers , is not related in any history , and yet it was to be done openly in the midst of them , and as it were in the sight of the sunne . but if the jewes bee planted in that westerne world , we shall soone find the accomplishment of that prophecie from heaven , for c there be caniballs and man-eaters in great multitudes ; some whose trade is homo cupium , & homo capium , hungring and hunting after mans flesh , and devouring it , whose greedy bellies have buried millions of them , these carybes are scattered all the countrey over , the mauhacks are such , and so neare they are , or were to some of our d planters , that finding an englishman , they eate one part of him after another , before his face , while he was yet alive . if it be said , they eate none but strangers , or enemies , not fathers their sonnes , & à contra , f peter martyr removes that scruple , by affirming , if they want the flesh of foes and forraigners , they eate then one another , even their owne g kinred & allies , as he writes that added the centons to h solinus . if it be objected , those caniballs are of a different nature and nation from the rest , peter martyr answers that also , supposing all the inhabitants to bee of one stock , because they use all one and the same kind of bread , every where called maiiz , and their cymbae uni-ligneae , their canoes and boats are in all places alike , and as i those western nations generally call their boats canoes , and their bread maiiz , so their common word for wine is chichia , for swords macanas for kings caciques . and if the americans bee jewish , the spaniards have yet in another sense fulfilled that prediction of ezekiel , for their owne bishop k bartholomeus de las casas writes , how they tooke indians 10000 , sometimes 20000 abroad with them in their forragings , and gave them no manner of food to sustaine them , but the flesh of other indians taken in warre , and so christian-spaniards set up a shambles of mans flesh in their army ; children were slaine and roasted , men were killed for their hands and feet sakes , for those they esteemed the onely delicate parts : this was most hideous and most barbarous inhumanity , the tidings whereof was soone carryed through the land , and overwhelmed the inhabitants with horror and astonishment . chap vii . fifth conjecture . the people that have not yet received the gospell of jesus christ are jewes , but the americans have not yet been gospelized ; and here three things come to consideration . 1. all other nations at first received the gospell . 2. the jewes before the end of the world shall be converted . 3. these indians have not yet heard of christ . 1. as the scripture foreseeing that god would justifie the gentiles through faith , preached before the gospell unto abraham , saying , in thee shall all the gentiles be blessed , gal. 3 , 8. gen. 12. 2 , 3. 18. 8. in like manner the glorious gospell was soon conveyed to them , soon after the comming of christ , even before the death of the apostles ; holy david spake of this promulgation , when he said , psal . 19. 1. the heavens , i. e. the apostles did declare the glory of god , &c. for the fourth , their line is gone out into all lands , and their words into the end of the world , is applied by saint paul to this very purpose , rom. 10. 18. it was the command of their master , goe teach all nations , &c. mat. 28. 19. and preach the gospell to every creature , mar. 16. 15. and they gave hereto most willing obedience , which we must have believed , though it had not bin so exactly recorded in undoubted ecclesiasticall histories . there we read often a that they divided the world into 12 parts , every apostle accepting that which fell to his lot ; but first they compiled the creed , called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or collation , saith cassian , b who was chrysostomes scholar ; because that which was at large expressed in the severall volumes of the bible , was by them briefly contracted into that forme ; and to this he applieth that of the apostle , rom. 9. 28. a short worke we read it now , but of old it was rendred , verbum abbreviatum a short word , a short rule , to which all of them were to conforme their doctrine , and the fifteenth of iuly was afterwards , and is still celebrated by c some christians , in memory of their thus going to gospellize the world ; and it is called festum divisionis apostolorum : yea and the place is yet shewed to travellers at this day , d where they are said to assemble upon this occasion . very e many ancient writers , historicall and others , f agreeing with vigilius in this , authenticum symbolum quod apostoli tradiderunt ; and a little before he blameth some for venting such doctrines , as were neither g delivered by the prophets , nor had the authentique authority of the apostles creed , and yet suppose it dubious whether that symboll be indeed of apostolicall constitution ; and that they did not so divide the world to further their worke , which is so confidently avouched by the ancient , together with the countries where each of them had their portion ; yet we are sufficiently assured such was their commission , which they pursued with exactnesse and successe ; so that in their life time by their diligence the whole earth was enlightned : thus saint paul tell his romans , 1. 8. their faith was published through the whole world ; the same is said to the collossians also , 1. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in neither place , lest curiosity should restraine it to the roman world , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is the former expression , and the latter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the whole and every part of the world ; and is it not considerable , as the injunction was , preach the gospell to every creature , as was before remembred from saint marke , 16. 5. so saint paul avoweth that in his time it was preached to every creature , col. 1. 23. such was then the use of that word ; the name creature was especially given to man , the chiefe of all creatures below . and this is unanimously acknowledged by the next writers , ignatius h thought to be that little child called by christ mat. 18. 1. hath this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there i is one church which the apostles setled from one end of the earth to another in the bloud of christ , by their sweat and labour . tertullian k in the following century affirmes that the gospel in those very first times went beyond the roman monarchy , even to us britons ; and l eusebius sheweth how the doctrine of salvation by divine power and cooperation , was carried into all the world : and iulius firmicus maturnus m professeth that in his time 1300 yeeres since , there was no nation under heaven , east , west , north , or south , unto whom the sunne of the gospel had not shined ; and not onely in all the continent , but in every island saith greg. nissene ; thus n bernard also , and others ; for when the jewish fleece was dried up , all the world saith ierome o was sprinkled with that heavenly dew . 2. the jewes before the end of the world shall be converted to christianity ; this truth is to be found in the old and new testament , and hath bin the constant beliefe of the faithfull in every age . the children of israell shall remaine many daies without a king , and without a prince , &c. hos . 3. 4. yet ver. 5. afterward they shall convert , and seeke the lord their god , and david their king , i. e. christ the sonne of david the king of his church , thus zephan . 3. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. zach. 12. 10 , 11 , &c. and some predictions in that evangelicall prophet esay . saint paul applies to this very purpose , rom. 11. 26 , 27. from esa . 59. 20. & 27. 9. yea and our common master christ telleth us , ierusalem shall be trodden under foot of the gentiles , untill the time of the gentiles shall be fulfilled , luke 21. 24. so saint paul , when the fulnesse of the gentiles is come in , all israell shall be saved , rom. 11. 25. some by israell here would understand , israell according to the spirit , that is , the elect from all the nations : but all along the jewes and gentiles are spoken of as distinct people according to the flesh , so all israell shall be saved , that is , p a very great and numerous company , or many from every tribe , as we use to say genera singulorum , not singuli generum , or all the elect of them ; for when their heart shall be turned to the lord , the veile shall be taken away , 2 cor. 3. 16. ancient christians have subscribed to this ; in the end of the world saith ierome q the jewes receiving the gospel , shall be enlightned , thus augustine r , gregory s , bernard t , primasius u , this was , this is the common opinion of christians . coepitah his , defertur ad hos , referetur ad illos w nostrafides , & erunt submundi fine fideles . 3. the third consideration hath a twofold branch . 1. the americans have not , but 2. shall be acquainted with christianity : and to the first all are not of this mind that the indians have not heard of the gospell : for x osiander speaking of vilagagno , and his planting there in brasil , writes confidently , without doubt those people received the gospel of christ by the preaching of the apostles 1500 yeeres since , but they lost it againe by their unthankfulnesse ; and malvenda y allegeth some conjectures that christianity might have been among them , but these are so few , and so forced , that himselfe supposeth them rather satanicall suggestions , illusions , and imitations , than remembrances indeed of the gospell . there be z some records where every one of the apostles planted the faith of christ , in what nations and kingdomes , but they are all silent touching this part of the world , which indeed was not knowne till of late ; yea some a conceive , they had no being at all in former ages , and that there was not so much as land or earth in those places ; however questionlesse they be but of late discovery ; for though some b will have america to be those atlantique islands mentioned by plato , others that the phaenicians arived thither more than 2000 yeeres since , and some further improbable conjectures there be , 't is concluded neverthelesse by many judicious and observant men , that it was never heard of in this world , till c christopher columbus of genoa brought newes thereof about 1590. when then , or by whom should they be made christians ? is it credible there should be no records thereof in the annalls of any nation ? could so great a part of the world become christians , without any whispering thereof to any other ; is it likely that all gospel impressions should be utterly obliterate among them ? all the light thereof quite extinguished ? and not so much as the least glimpse thereof remaine ? as is also acknowledged by him d that hath written and observed so much of these nations . 2. seeing they were never yet enlightned , without question they shall be , for the gospell of the kingdome must be preached every where for a witnesse to all nations , mat. 24. 14. surely so large a part of the world shall not alwaies be forgotten : is it imaginable that the god of mercy , who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a lover of soules , wisd . 11. 23. should suffer so great a portion of mankind everto remaine in darknesse , and in the shadow of death ? is it credible or fit to be believed , that the wisdome of the father who taketh his solace in the habitable parts of the earth , and his delight is to be with the children of men , prov. 8. 31. should have no compassion of such an innumerable multitude of soules ? the earth was inhabited e by degrees , from the place where noahs ark rested they went as the sunne , from the east , and so planted themselves forward ; and the progresse of the gospell saith f eusebius , was in the same manner , and for this there is more than allusion in psal . 19. 5. compared with rom. 10. 18. that westerne part of the world was last inhabited , and it shall heare of christ also in due time , as certainely as there be people to receive him , for he shall be salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the last end of the earth , act. 13. 47. and the americans have a tradition among themselves , g that white and bearded nations shall subdue their countries , abolish all their rites and ceremonies , and introduce a new religion . chap. viii . the sixth conjecture . the americans calamities are suitable to those plagues threatned unto the jewes , deut. 28. such a comment upon that terrible scripture is not any where to be found , as among the indians , by this also it will appear probable that they be jews : and here three things shall be touched upon . 1. the jewes were a very sinfull people . 2. the indians were and are transcendent sufferers . 3. in that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 litterally , as was threatned to the jewes . 1. the jewes were grand offenders ; a galatinus mentions sonre of their enormous transgressions , with their ensuing vengeances . 1. the selling of ioseph into egypt , where themselves were kept afterward in an iron furnace , and dwelt a long time in an house of bondage . 2. their first rejection of the messiah , typified in david , 2 sam. 20. 1. which was punished by the assyrians . 3. the sacrificing of their owne children to idols , and murthering the prophets that deterred them from such abominations , he calls their third great offence , for which the babylonian captivity fell upon them . 4. their fatall and most grievous crime was the denyall of the holy one , and the just , with desire that a murtherer should be given them , act. 3. 14. and this brought upon them , first the tyranny of the roman conquest , and then all those hideous and horrid tribulations that presse and oppresse them to this day . 2. the natives of america have endured the extremities of most unspeakable miseries : they are a nation saith lerius b cursed and forsaken of god , and the men of spaine to their other cruelties added that most abominable reproach , these barbarians are c dogs , unworthy of christendome ; t is too true they were so used by them , as if they had bin such or worse , they did so weare them up with labour , that they became weary of their lives , the poore creatures chusing rather to die any kind of death , than to live under such bloody masters and monsters ; they scared the indians into woods , where the men and women hanged themselves together , and wanting instruments sometimes for such selfe execution , they helped one another to knit their long locks about the branches of trees , and so cast themselves downe headlong , their owne haires being their halters ; and thus many thousands of them ended their daies with most lamentable yellings and out-cries ; their intestine violences and injuries among themselves were woefull by rapine , warre , and sacrificings of one another , many d thousands of them have been immolated in one day at mexico ; but their sufferings by the spaniards exceed not onely all relation , but beliefe , and surely the savages could not have outstripped the spaniards in barbarous savagenesses , if those infidells had gotten the upper hand of these christians ; a very prudent cacique saith benzo e , that was neere an hundred yeeres old , reported freely , that when he was young , a very strange disease invaded those countrys , the sick commonly vomited many filthy wormes , such a wasting plague he said followed this calamity , that we feared none of us could survive it : and a little before your comming we of iucatana had two cruell battailes with the mexicans , in which above one hundred and fifty thousand were slaine , but these were all light and easie vexations , in respect of those terrible examples of intollerable insolence , avarice , and cruelty , exercised by your selves upon us ; thus he : we read , when the prophet of god foretold hazael , the evill bee should bring upon israel hazael said , is thy servant a dog that he should doe this ? 2 king. 8. 13. but the spaniards did more evill things to the indians , and shewed themselves with shame to be worse than dogs , witnesse that bloody bezerill , though not so bloody as his master didacus salasar f , who set that his mastiffe upon an old woman , employed by himselfe , as he feigned with letters to the governour , who seeing the cruell curre , by his more cruell masters setting on , with open mouth comming upon her , falls to the ground , bespeaking him in her language , sir dog , sir dog , i carry these letters to the governour , holding up to his view the seale , be not angry with me , sir dog , the mastiffe as decalmed by that begging posture and language , abates his fiercenesse , listes up his leg , and besprinkles the woman , as dogs use to doe at the wall : the spaniards that knew well his curstnesse at other times , saw this with astonishment , and were ashamed to hurt the woman , that so cruell a dog had spared . 3. the indian sufferings have runne so parallell with those threats , deut. 28. as if they had been principally intended therein also . was israel offending to be calamitous , in all places , towne and field , at home and abroad , &c. the poore indians g for their gold and labour , were by the spaniards hunted out of all places , corners and islands , as if the end of their discovery had been indeed to make a full end , and a totall devastation of the american nations . against the sinning jewes it was said , cursed shall be the fruit of thy body , &c. vers . 18. the pestilence shall cleave unto thee , &c. the lord shall smite thee with a consumption , &c. ver . 21 , 22 , 35 , 29. strange diseases have destroyed the natives , as the histories of those countries doe relate ; their cruell task-masters the spaniards , did so much overburthen them with load and labour , that the h cohabitation of man and wife did cease : seven thousand infants of cuba did perish in three moneths space , their mothers worne out with toyling had no milk to give them . the lord said , he would smite israeel with blindnesse , madnesse , and astonishment of heart , and thou shalt grope at noone day , as the blind gropeth in darknesse , &c. ver . 28. 29. and woefull indeed is the veile of ignorance that is come over the natives i ; they imagined the island hispaniola to be a living creature , eating and digesting like a monster : that vast sea-den or hollow place which they call guacca-jarima , is the voider of its excrements , a fancy like that antique fable of the demogorgon lying in the wombe of the world , whose breath causeth the flux and reflux of the sea : the darke part of the moone k they take to be a man throwne thither , and tormented for incest with his owne sister , whose eclipse they guesse to be caused by the sunnes anger ; those responsalls of the aires reverberation , which we call eccho , they suppose to be soules , wandring thereabouts . how were those poore creatures astonish'd , when they saw themselves torne by l spanish dogs , whose masters would borrow quarters of indians , men and women , for their hounds , and as commonly expose them to such a kind of death and buriall , as if men and women had bin made for dogs meate ? how were they affrighted when the feare of spanish cruelties provoked fathers , mothers , children , to hang themselves together ? that bishop knew of two hundred and more so perishing by the tyranny of one spaniard . no m marvaile therefore if when the fryer told hathuey , the cacique , of heavens happinesse , and the torments of hell , and hee understanding upon enquiry that the spaniards dying went to heaven , because they were christians , let my lot saith he fall in hell rather than with that most cruell people . god said of the jewes , they should be oppressed and spoyled evermore , ver . 29. thou shalt betroth a wife , and another shall lie with her , ver . 30. you shall be left few in number , though yee were as starres for multitude , &c. ver . 62. and these americans were made by the spaniards every where and every way miserable , without any helpe or reliefe : barthol , las casas upon fourty two yeeres sight of their suffering , sympathized so much with them , that he represented the same to king philip , in hope to obtaine for them some favour and mercy , but he little prevailed . one of them boasted of his care to leave as many indian women as he could with child , that in their sale he might put them off to his better profit : from n lucaios to hispaniola , about seventy miles , dead carkases were cast so abundantly into the sea , that they needed no other direction thither ; and wee know it for truth , saith hee , that countreys longer than all europe and a great part of asia , by horrid cruelties were destroyed , and more than twenty millions of the natives perished ; o yea in hispaniola alone , scarce one hundred and fifty , of two millions were left alive . in another place hee professeth their tyranny was so cruell and detestable , that in fourty six yeeres space they caused , he verily believed , more than fifty millions of them to pay their last debt to nature ; for i speak , saith hee , the truth , and what i saw : they dealt with the poore indians , not as with beasts , hoc enim peroptarem , but as if they had bin the most abject dung of the earth : and is this the way saith benzo to convert infidels ? such kindnesse they shewed to other places also , cuba , iamaica , portu ricco , &c. it was said against israell , cursed shall thy basket be , and thy store , ver . 17. the fruit of thy land , the encrease of thy cattle . ver . 18. all shall be devoured by enemies and other nations , &c. ver . 30 , &c. for very much is said of their suffering in riches and honour &c. and the spanish christians that brake into america shewed themselves so covetous of their treasure , that the natives with wonder said p surely gold is the spaniards god ; they broiled noble indians on gridirons , to extort from them their hidden wealth , giving no respect at all to their caciques or kings . memorable in q many respects is the history of attabaliba the great king of peru , who being conquered and captivated by francis pizarro , redeemed his liberty by the promise of so many golden and silver vessels , as should fill the roome where they were so high as one could reach with his hand , and they were to take none away till he had brought in the whole summe ; expecting thereupon according to covenant his freedome and honour , he dispatched his officers and servants with great care and diligence , and did faithfully performe his bargaine , in bringing that vast heape of treasure together ; but they resolve neverthelesse most impiously to murder him , though with many arguments and tears he pleaded for his life , desiring sometime to be sent unto caesar , then expostulating with them for their perfidiousnesse and falsehood , but neither words nor weeping , nor their owne inward guilt could mollifie those hard hearts , they sentence him to death by a rope , and the cruell execution followed ; but r benzo observed a miraculous hand of vengeance from heaven upon all that gave consent thereto : so that as suetonius s records of caesars stobbers , nullus corum sua morte defunctus est , every one of them found that consultation and contrivance fatall ; almager is hanged , didacus his sonne is slaine by vacca de castro , the indians kill iohn pizarro at cusco , who fell upon fryar vincent also of the green valley , and slew him with clubs in the isle puna , ferdinandus pizarro was sent into spain , where he consumed his daies in a prison , gonsallus pizarro was taken by gasca and hewen in pieces , and francis pizarro that was the president , and gave judgement , died an evill death also , being slaine by his owne countrey men in that strange land ; so just was god in avenging so perfidious a regicide and king-murder , so ominous was their presumption against the honourable , vile swine-herds sentencing so great a king to so foule a death : those , are his words , in whom , and his interpreter t , he that please may read further , those murderers were base in birth and life , and they instance in despicable particulars . it were endlesse to mention all the parallels that the spaniards have drawne upon the poore indians , according to the threats of god upon the sinning jewes , deut. 28. 43 , the stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high , and thox shalt come downe very low . 48. thou shalt serve thine enemy in hunger , and thirst , and nakednesse , and in want of all things , and he shall put a yoake of iron upon thy necke till he have destroyed thee . 59. the lord will make thy plagues wonderfull , &c. 61. and every plague which is not written in this law will the lord bring upon thee , untill thou be destroyed . their kings and caciques were no more regarded by them than the meanest , they enthralled all the natives in most woefull servitude and captivity ; their sufferings have bin most wonderfull , such as the book of the law hath not registred , nor any other record ; they spared no age nor sex , not women with childe ; they laid wagers who could digge deepest into the bodies of men at one blow , or with most dexterity cut off their heads ; they tooke infants from their mothers breasts and dash'd their innocent heads against the rockes ; they cast others into the rivers with scorne , making themselves merry at the manner of their falling into the water ; they set up severall gallowses , and hung upon them thirteen indians in honour they said of christ and his twelve apostles : and yet further the same bishop mervailes at the abominable blindnesse and blasphemy of his countrymen , impropriating their bloudy crimes unto god himselfe , giving him thanks in their prosperous tyrannies , like those thieves and tyrants he sayth spoken of by the prophet zachary , 11. 5. they kill , and hold themselves not guilty , and they that sell them say , blessed be the lord , for i am rich . and now if all these parallels will not amount to a probability , one thing more shall be added , which is the dispersion of the jewes , t is said , the lord shall scatter thee among all people , from one end of the earth , even to the other , &c. deut. 28. 64. the whole remnant of thee i will scatter into all winds , ezek. 5. 10 , 12 , 14. & zach. 2. 6. i have spread you as the foure winds of heaven . now if it be considered how punctuall and faithfull god is in performing his promises and threats mentioned in the scripture of truth , wee shall have cause to looke for the jewes in america , one great , very great part of the earth ; esay had said , 1. 8. the daughter of syon shall be left as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers , and as helena u found it in her time , pomorum custodium an apple-yard ; so w cyrill affirmeth in his daies it was a place full of cucumbers ; ieremies prophecies of babylons destruction , even in the circumstances thereof , are particularly acknowledged and related by xenophon x , the lord had threatned to bring a nation upon israell swift as the eagle flieth , deut. 28. 49. iosephus y saith this was verified in vespatians ensigne , and the banner of cyrus was an eagle z also , as the same xenophon relateth ; and if the jewes bee not now , never were in america , how have they been dispersed into all parts of the earth ? this being indeed so large a portion of it ; how have they bin scattered into all the four windes , if one of the foure did never blow upon them ? much more might be said of their sufferings from the spaniards , whom the barbarous indians thereupon counted so barbarous and inhumane , that they supposed them not to come into the world like other people , as if it were impossible , that any borne of man and woman should be so monstruously savage and cruell ; they derived therefore their pedigree from the wide and wild ocean , and call'd them a viracocheie , i. e. the foame of the sea , as beeng borne of the one , and nourished by the other , and poured upon the earth for its destruction . b acosta indeed gives another interpretation of that word in honour of his nation , but other c writers unanimously accord in this ; and d benzo confidently averreth , that the conceit and judgement of the indians touching the originall of the spaniards , is so setled in them , that none but god himselfe can alter their minds herein ; for thus saith hee they reason among themselves , the winds tumble downe houses , and teare trees in peeces , the fire burnes both trees and houses , but these same viracocheies devoure all , they turn over the earth , offer violence to the rivers , are perpetually unquiet , wandering every way to finde gold , and when they have found it , they throw it away at dice , they steale , and sweare , and kill , yea and kill one another , and deny god : yea these indians in detestation of the spaniards , he saith , doe execrate and curse the sea it selfe for sending such an intractable , fierce , and cruell a generation into the earth : but thus have wicked sinnes drawne woefull punishments , threatned to the jewes , and suffered also by these americans , wherein the more hath bin spoken , not onely to deter all christians from such inhumane barbarities , but to provoke the readers every way to compassionate such transcendent sufferers , the rather because as canaan of old was emanuels land , hos . 9. 3. the holy land , zach. 2. 12. and the jewes were gods peculiar people , so these surely are either a remnant of israell after the flesh , or else god will in his good time incorporate them into that common-wealth , and then they also shall become the israel of god. part second . some contrary reasonings removed , and first in the generall . chap. i. there be some that by irrefragable arguments , they suppose , evince and overthrow all conjectures that the americans be jewes : apocryphall esdras in historicalls may be of some credit , and that sentence of his by many is applyed to this very purpose ; and these very people , the ten tribes led away captive by salmanasar , tooke this counsell among themselves , that they would leave the multitude of the heathen , and goe forth into a farther countrey , where never man dwelt , that they might there keepe their statutes , which they never kept in their owne land , and they entred into euphrates , by the narrow passages of the river , for through that countrey there was a great way to goe , namely of a yeere and an halfe , and the same region is called arsareth , &c. 2 esdr . 13. 40. &c. a acosta is of opinion that these words thus produced by many , make in truth against this conjecture , and that for two reasons . 1. the ten tribes went so farre to keepe their statutes and ceremonies , but these indians observe none of them , being given up to all idolatries : and is this at all consequent , such was their purpose , therefore the successe must be answerable ? is it likely they should be so tenacious in a farre and forraigne land , that never kept them in their owne , as the next words expresse ? his second argument is of like force , for t is not said , that euphrates and america be contiguous , or places so neere one the other , muchlesse that the entries of that river should stretch to the indies ; but hee tells of a very long journey taken by them , suitable to the places of their removall , and approach , which was to a countrey where never man dwelt , and what countrey could this be but america ? all other parts of the world being then knowne and inhabited : besides there hath bin a common tradition among the jews , and in the world , that those ten tribes are utterly lost ; in what place are they then like to be found if not in america ? for they shall be found againe . some conjectures that they came from norway , and be of that nation , have bin mentioned , with the improbability also thereof ; and now lately t. gage sets forth his new survey of the west indies , his long abode there , and diligent observation of many , very many remarkable passages in his travells ; there i hoped to read somewhat of their originalls , and finde him b affirming that the indians seeme to be of the tartars progeny , his reasons are , 1. quivira and all the west side of the countrey towards asia is farre more populous than the east next europe , which sheweth these parts to be first inhabited ; but if the meaning be , the nearer tartary the more populous , therefore they came from thence , its falls in with the third reason . 2. their barbarous properties are most like the tartats of any ; this argument militates with more force for their judaisme , to which many of their rites be so consonant , both sacred and common , as hath been said . and thirdly the west side of america , if it be not continent with tartary , is yet disjoyned by a small straite ; but the like may be said of some other parts , that they be or may have been neer some other maine lands , and so by that reason of some other race and extract . 4. the people of quivira neerest to tartary , are said to follow the seasons and pasturing of their cattell like the tartarians ; this particular , a species of the generall , delivered in the second reason , is there glanced upon , but all he saith of this nature , and others with him , are so farre from weakening our conjecture , that they may be embraced rather as friendly supports thereunto , if others have guessed right that conceive the tartars also themselves to be jowes . mathew paris c , no meane man in his time , was of that opinion ; in his famous history he mentions it as the judgement of learned men in that age , it is thought the tartars , quorum memoriaest detestabilis , are of the ten tribes , &c. yea and of latter times dr fletcher d a neere neighbour to them while he lived among the russes as agent for queen elizabeth , supposeth the same , and giveth divers probable arguments inducing him thereto : the names of many townes in tartary the same with those in israell , tabor , ierico , chorasin , &c. they are circumcised , distinguished into tribes , and have many hebrew words among them , &c. for hee addeth other probabilities ; yea and the same m. paris e shewes that the jewes themselves were of that mind , and called them their brethren of the seed of abraham , &c. there was another transmigration of them when vespatian destroyed ierusalem ; their owne , and other histories speake little thereof : it might be well worthy the endeavours of some serious houres to enquire after the condition of that nation since our most deare saviours ascension ; a strange thing is reported by themselves , and of themselves , and with such confidence f that t is in their devotion . it saith when vespatian wan ierusalem , he gave order that three ships laden with that people might be put to sea , but without pilot , oares , or tackling , these by windes and tempests were woefully shattered , and so dispersed , that they were cast upon severall coasts ; one of them in a countrey called lovanda , the second in another region named arlado , the third at a place called bardeli , all unknown in these time , the last courteously entertained these strangers , freely giving them grounds and vineyards to dresse , but that lord being dead , another arose that was to them , as pharaoh to old israell , and he said to them , he would try by nabuchodonosors experiment upon the three young men , if these also came from the fire unscorch'd , he would believe them to be jewes , they say adoni-melech , most noble emperour , let us have also three daies to invoke the majesty of our god for our deliverance , which being granted , ioseph and benjamin two brothers , and their cosin samuell , consider what is meet to be done , and agree to fast and pray three daies together , and meditate every one of them a prayer , which they did , and out of them all they compiled one which they used all those three daies and three nights ; on the morning of the third day one of them had a vision upon esa . 43. 2. which marvelously encouraged them all : soone after a very great fire was kindled , and an ininnumerable company of people came to see the burning , into which they cast themselves unbidden without feare , singing , and praying till all the combustible matter was consumed , and the fire went out ; the jewes every where published this miracle , and commanded that this prayer should be said every monday and thursday morning in their synagogues , which is observed by them to this day saith buxtorsius : in this narration if there be any truth wee may looke for some confirmation thereof from america . but that there be no jewes in those parts , io. de laet endeavours otherwise to evince ; as 1. they are not circumcised , therefore not jewes ; but their circumcision hath been made so manifest , that this reason may well be retorted ; they are circumcised , therefore they be jewes . againe the indians are not covetous , nor learned , nor carefull of their antiquities , therefore they are not judaicall ; in which allegations if there be any strength , it will be answered in the examination of those three following scrupulous and difficult questions . 1. whence and how the iewes should get into america . 2. how multiply , and enpeople so great a continent , so vast a land . 3. how grow so prodigiously rude and barbarous . chap ii. answer to the first quere , how the jewes should get into america . the jewes did not come into america , as is feigned of ganimed a , riding on eagles wings , neither was there another arke made to convey them thither , the angels did not carry them by the haires of the heads , b as apocryphall habakuk was conducted into babylon , these were not caught by the spirit of the lord and setled there , as saint philip was from ierusalem to asotus , act. 8. 5. they were c not guided by an hart , as t is written of the hunns , when they brake in upon the nearer parts of europe d , procopius reports of the maurisii , an african nation , that they were of those gergesites or jebusites spoken of in the scriptures , for he had read a very ancient writing in phaenician characters thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. we are they that fled from the face of the destroyer iesus the sonne of nave ; and so the septuagint names him , whom wee call the sonne of nun , and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formerly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not in those daies of such odious signification : it may be said these might passe from the parts of asia into lybia by land , but the jewes could not so get into america , which is thought by some to be very farre distant on every side from the continent ; e acosta therefore supposeth the natives might come at first by sea into that maine land , alledging some experiments to that purpose , but in the next chapter he judgeth it more probable , whosoever the inhabitants be , that they travelled thither by land ; for though some few men happily by tempests , might be cast on those shores , yet it is unlike , so large a part of the earth by such mishaps should be replenished . f. cotton ( f ) , it seemes was puzled with this scruple , therefore in his memorialls he propounded to the daemoniaque that interrogatory , quomodo animalia in insulas , &c. quomodo homines , how got men and other creatures into those islands and countries . acosta g subscribes at length to the sentence of st. austin h for the entrance of beares , lions , and wolves , that they arrived thither , either by their owne swimming , or by the importation of curious men , or by the miraculous command of god , and ministration of the angels , yet his i finall determination is , and he lived seventeen yeeres in that countrey , america joyneth somewhere with some other part of the world , or else is but by a very little distance separated from it . and it may yet be further considered , the scituation of countries is much altered by tract of time , many places that were formerly sea , are now dry land saith strabo k , a great part af asia and africa hath bin gained from the atlantique ocean , the sea of corinth was drunk up by an earthquake , lucania by the force of the water was broken off from italy , and got a new name ; sicily saith l tertullian , the sea gave unto the m earth the island rhodes ; pliny n mentions divers places , islands long since , but in his time adjoyned to the continent , and the sea hath devoured many townes and cities , that were anciently inhabited ; that vallis silvestris as the latin translation renders , gen. 14. 3. or of siddim , i. e. laboured fields , as t is in hebrew , was certainely a vaile of slime-pits in the daies of abraham and lot , ver . 10. which very place about foure hundred yeeres after , was a sea , the salt sea , ver . 3. between thera and therasia an island suddenly appeared , saith o eusebius , and the sea perhaps hath broken into some places , and of one made a double island ; all ages and nations tell of the water and the earth , how they gain one from the other : and thus some p have conjectured , that our brittaine since the floud , was one continent with france , for the distance between them , at callis and dover is but small , about twenty foure miles , and the cliffes on both sides are like each other , for length and matter , equally chalk and flinty , as if art , or suddaine violence had made an even separation . thence hollinshead writes confidently , because lions and wild bulls were formerly in this island , that it was not cut from the maine by the great deluge of noah , but long after ; for none would replenish a countrey with such creatures for pastime and delight . and if these be no more but conjectures that america was once united to the other world , or but a little divided from it , time and the sea two insatiable devourers have made the gap wider : but the question is not in what age , before , or since the incarnation of our lord the jewes tooke their long journey , and planted there ; but how the way was passable for them : malvenda q speakes confidently that they might come into tartary , and by the deserts into grotland , on which side america is open ; and mr brerewood r assures us that the north part of asia is possessed by tartars , and if it be not one continent with america , as some suppose ; yet doubtlesse they are divided by a very narrow channell , because there be abundance of beares , lions , tigers , and wolves in the land , which surely men would not transport to their owne danger and detriment , those greater s beasts indeed are of strength to swimme over sea many miles , and this is generally observed of beares : and t herrera saith , the inhabitants of the west indies came thither by land , for those provinces touch upon the continent of asia , africa , and europe , though it be not yet fully discovered , how , and where the two worlds be conjoyned , or if any sea doe passe between them , they are straites so narrow , that beasts might easily swimme , and men get over even with small vessells ; our countrey man nich. fuller u gives in his suitable verdit for the facile passing into columbina , so he calls it from the famous first discoverer , saying , from other places they might find severall islands not farre distant each from other , and a narrow cut at last through which passengers might easily be conveyed ; and acosta w tells that about florida the land runs out very large towards the north , and as they say joynes with the scythique or german sea ; and after some other such mentionings , he concludes confidently , there is no reason or experience that doth contradict my conceit , that all the parts of the earth be united and joyned in some place or other , or at least , approach very neere together , and that is his conclusive sentence . it is an indubitable thing , that the one world is continued , and joyned with the other . chap. iii. answer to question 2. how such a remnant should enpeople so great a part of the world . the whole countrey of jewry , whence wee would have it probable that the americans came , is not above one hundred and sixty miles long , from a dan to beersheba , and the breadth is but sixty miles , from ioppa to iordan , in st. ieromes account , who knew it so well ; and how some few colonies , as it were removing from thence should multiply into such numbers , that so large a countrey should be filled by them , is a scruple that hath troubled some considering men . america in the latitude of it is b is foure thousand miles ; and bishop casa's c hath said already , that the spaniards in his time had forraged and spoyled countries longer then all europe , and a great part of asia ; it seemes incredible therefore that the incommers , who were but few in comparison , as a little flocke of kids , should so marvelously spread into all the westerne world ; for the americans before that spanish devastation , filled all the countrey . but this will not seeme so difficult , if former examples be taken into consideration ; d some have made speciall observation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as had many children ; t is much that acosta e writes of one of the inguas or kings of peru , that hee had above three hundred sonnes and grandchildren ; t is more that philo iudeus f tells of noah the patriarke , who lived , hee saith , to see twenty foure thousand proceeding from him , all males , for women were not numbred . we use to say , rome was not built in one day ; and indeed eutropius g speaking of the empire of that city , saith , at first none was lesse , but in its increment it exceeded all others by many degrees , so that he who reades the story thereof , reads not the acts of one people , but of all nations saith florus h ; yea and seneca i looking on rome in its minority , and her immense magnitude afterward , is amazed thereat ; this one people saith he , how many colonies did it send into all provinces , he writes of numerous encreases from other cities also , as athens and miletus , but it will be nearer to our purpose to observe , how small the number of israell was at his first discent into egypt , how short a time they tarried there , what cruell waies were taken to stop their encrease , and yet how much , and how marvelously they multiplied , and then it will not be strange , that a farre greater number , in a longer time should or might grow into such vast multitudes . and for the first t is most certaine , all the soules of the house of iacob which came into egypt were seventy . gen. 46. 27. t is true also , though not to all so manifest , that the time of their abode in egypt was about two hundred and fifteen yeers , and not more ; at first appearance indeed it seems to be otherwise , because wee read , exod. 12. 40. the sojourning of the children of israell who dwelt in egypt , was foure hundred and thirty yeeres , but the septuagints addition is here remarkable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they dwelt in egypt and in the land of canaan , they and their fathers , foure hundred and thirty yeeres , and this is one of those thirteen mutations that the seventy interpreters made ; when at king ptolomes appointment they translated the scripture into greeke , which they said was done rightly by them , for israell was indeed in egypt but two hundred and ten yeeres , which collection they make from k the numerall letters of that speech of iacob . gen. 42. 2. ו / 6 ד / 4 ר / 200 and there be many impressions in the scripture , evidencing that their abode in egypt was according to this computation . saint paul first taught this high point of chronology , where and how the account must begin , namely at the time when the promise was made to abraham , for the law was foure hundred and thirty yeeres after , gal. 3. 16 , 17. god bidding abraham get out of his owne countrey , &c. gen. 12. 1. makes a covenant with him , ver . 2. 3. and abraham was then seventy five yeeres old , ver . 4. isaac is borne twenty five yeeres after , gen. 21. 5. iacobs birth is sixty yeeres after that , gen. 25. 26. iacob was one hundred and thirty yeeres old when hee went downe into egypt , gen. 47. 28. which together make two hundred and fifteen yeeres , and two hundred and fifteen yeeres after they came all out of egypt ; for when the foure hundred and thirty yeeres were expired , even the selfe same day departed all the hosts of the lord out of the land of egypt , exod. 12. 41. the computation of suidas l in the margent is consonant hereunto ; and how these seventy in the space of two hundred & fifteen yeers did encrease , is next to be declared , which is also plainly expressed , ver . 37. they tooke their journey from rameses to succoth , about six hundred thousand men on foot , beside children , so great a multiplication of so few in so short a time , may easily convince the possibility of a far greater augmentation from a beginning so vastly different , and the continuance so much surmounting . the spaniards first comming into america was about the yeere one thousand foure hundred and ninety : the great dispersion of the jewes immediately after our saviours death at the destruction of ierusalem , was more then fourteen hundred yeeres before , and their former importation into the city of the medes was seven hundred and fourty yeeres before that ; if therefore upon either of the scatterings of that nation , two thousand or fourteen hundred yeeres , or lesse then either number be allowed for the encrease of those that were very many before , such multitudes will not be miraculous : besides , in all that time no forraign power did breake in among them ; there were thence no transplantations of colonies , no warres did eate up the inhabitants , but such light battailes as they were able to manage among themselves , in all that long time they did encrease and multiply without any extraordinary diminution , till that incredible havocke which was made by the spanish invasions and cruelties . chap. iv. answer to the third quaere , about their becomming so barbarous . if such a passage through tartary , or some other countrey for them were granted , and the probability of so numerous multiplication acknowledged , the perswasion will not yet be easie , that jewes should ever become so barbarous , horrid and inhumane , as bookes generally relate of these americans . villagagno a writing of the brasilians to master calvin , speakes as if he had bin uncertaine at first whether he were come among beasts in an humane shape , so stupid he found them and sottish beyond imagination : but here every reader may take occasion to bemoane the woefull condition of mankinde , and into what rude , grosse , and unmanlike barbarities we runne headlong , if the goodnesse of god prevent us not . wee marvaile at the americans for their nakednesse , and man-devouring , we cannot believe the jewes should be given over to such barbarity : but in our own nation the inhabitants were anciently as rude and horrid , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith herodian , the britons knew not the use of apparell , lest their cloathing should hide the severall formes and figures of beasts and other creatures which they paint , and imprint upon their bodies ; and hierome saith , when he was a young man , he saw the scots , gentem britannicam humanis vesci carnibus , and that even here of old were anthropophagi , is averred by diodorus siculus , and strabo . and to what hath bin said of the jewes formerly , shall here be added . it seemes strange to us if they be jewes , they should forget their religion , and be so odiously idolatrous , although after so many yeeres ; but , if the scripture had not spoken it , could it have bin believed of this very people , that they should fall so often into such foule offences , as , if circumstances be considered , have no parallell . israel , when but newly delivered out of egypt , by many signes and wonders , with severall evident and miraculous impressions of gods majesty and power ; yet in six moneths space all is forgotten , they make unto themselves a god of their owne , attributing unto it all their deliverance , and say , these be thy gods o israrael which brought thee out of the land of egypt . exod. 32. 4. which base idoll of theirs had not it s nothing , till they were all come out safe thence ; who can sufficiently wonder that those very people who saw and heard those terrible things mentioned , exod. 19 , & 20. which forced them to say but a while before to moses , talke thou with us , and wee will heare , but let not god talke with us , least wee die , exod. 20. 19. yea god himselfe seems to admire at this , and for this to disowne them , telling moses , thy people which thou hast brought out of the land of egypt , they are soon turned out of the way , &c. exod. 32. 8. it may seeme past beliefe any of iacobs race should be so unnaturall as to devoure one another , as is frequent among these indians ; and would it not bee as much beyond credit , if the scripture of truth , dan. 10. 21. had not asserted it , that these sonnes of iacob in former times when they had priests and prophets among them , and the remembrance of gods justice and mercy was fresh in their minds , that they should then offer their sonnes and daughters unto devills , psal . 106. 36. as they did in the valley of hinnom , 2 king 23. 10. smiting b on the tabrets while their children were burning , that their cry could not be heard ; t is not impossible therefore that the jews should be againe overwhelmed with such savagenesses and inhumanity ; nor improbable neither , if to what hath bin said three other things be added . 1. the threats of god against them upon their disobedience , deut. 28. where be words and curses sufficient to portend the greatest calamity that can be conceived to fall upon the nature of man , as hath already bin in severall things declared ; and m. paris c so answers the objection , that the tartars are not jewish , because they know nothing of moses law , nor righteousnesse , &c. if when moses was alive , saith he , they were so stubborne and rebellious , and went after other gods , they may be now much more prodigiously wicked , even as these americans , being unknowne to other people , confounded also in their language and life , and god so revenging their abominations . 2. the ten tribes in their owne land were become extreamely barbarous , renouncing all almost they had received from moses , ezek. 36. 17. & 2 king. 17. their captivity is mentioned , and the sinfull cause thereof , more then abominable idolatries ; and they were not onely guilty of wicked , but even of witlesse impieties : god forbad them to walke after the customes of the nations , deut. 4. 8. and yet , as the heathen in all their cities , they built high places , making images and groves upon every high hill , and under every green tree , and made their sonnes and daughters to passe through the fire , using witchcraft and enchantment , &c. 2 king. 17. 8 , 9. this was their religion and wisdome while they were in their own countrey , and they were no better in the land of their captivity ; for it may be , they had not there the books of the law , nor any prophets among them , because t is said againe and againe , they left the commandments of their god. and if it seeme unlikely , that the jewes being in america should lose the bible , the law , and ceremonies , then let the prophesie of hosea be remembred , where t is foretold , that the children of israel shall remaine many daies without a king , and without a prince , and without a sacrifice , and without an ephod , and without a teraphim , hose . 3. 4. yea and before that time there was a lamentable defection of religion in israell . while they were in their owne land , for a long season they were without the true god , and without a reading priest , and without law , 2 chron. 15. 3. yea and as chrysostome d affirmes that the book of deuteronomy had been lost along time among christians , and was lately recovered from dust and rubbish a little before his daies ; so t is most certaine that in iosiahs reigne , hilkiah the priest found the booke of the law in the house of the lord , which when the king heard read unto him , hee was astonisht , as at a new and strange thing , and rent his clothes , 2 king , 22. 8. &c. and this was the booke of the law of the lord given by moses , 2 chro. 34. 14. which was then little knowne or regarded among them , ver . 24 , 25. &c. but thirdly , the stupor and dulnesse of israell was even admirable , when our saviour came into the world , for they give no credit to their owne prophets read in their synagogues every sabbath , the shepherds publish what they received from the angells concerning christ , luk. 2. 17. simeon proclaimes glorious things of jesus , and they will not heare , ver . 25. wise men came from the east to ierusalem enquiring and discoursing , but still they apprehend not ; yea they shut their eyes against all the marvailes that christ performed among them , such as would have convinced not onely tyre and sidon , but even sodome and gomorrha : the heavenly sermons of the sonne of god wrought upon stones , harlots , publicans and sinners , but those jewes remaine inflexible against all , and at his death they still continue seared and stupified ; the veile of the temple is rent , the earth did quake , the stones were cloven asunder , and the graves did open , but their hearts are shut up still ; yea and at his resurrection there was a great earthquake , the angel of the lord comes downe from heaven , his countenance is like lightning , for fear of him the keepers become as dead men , christ riseth againe in glory , and the watch shew the high priests all these things , they are hereupon convinced , but they will not b● convinced ; for they take counsell together , and with mony hire the souldiers to say , the disciples stole away his body while they slept ; if it be therefore well considered of what dark & darkned condition the israelites were in these times , how many yeeres have passed since , what meanes they have had to increase their rudenesse and incivility , and irreligion ; no way , commerce , or means left to reclaime them , it will not seem so strange if they be wholly barbarous , seeing also the vengeance of god lies hard and heavy upon them for their injustice done to his sonne , nam crucifixerunt e salvatorem suum & fecerunt damnatorem suum , saith st. austin , they crucified their saviour , and made him their enemy and avenger . it is no marvaile then , supposing the americans . to be jewes , that there be so few mentionings of judaicall rites and righteousnesse among them ; it may be , and is , a wonderfull thing rather , that any footstep or similitude of judaisme should remaine after so many ages of great iniquity , with most just divine displeasure therupon , and no possibility yet discerned how they should recover , but manifest necessities almost of praecipitation into further ignorance , grossenesse and impiety ; the losse of which their customes and ceremonies , in so great a measure , in time may prove advantagious towards their conversion , seeing they cannot be obstinate maintainers of mosaicall ordinances , the love and liking whereof and adhesion to them , was ever a prevailing obstacle to the knowing jewes , and that is a consideration tending directly to the last part , and particular , and will helpe , i trust , to encourage us who are already desirous , not to civilize onely the americanes , 〈◊〉 even to gospellize and make them christian . part third . humble desires to all , for hearty endeavours in all , to acquaint the natives with christianity . chap. i. to the planters , and touching the cause of their removall hence . this discourse will be directed to the english planted there , and our selves at home ; concerning the former , three or foure things may be minded . 1. cause of their removall . 2. hope of the natives conversion . 3. directions to it . 4. cautions , and some other additions . deep considerations , without doubt , and mature , were in those that hence transplanted themselves into that other part of the world , but quo jure , by what right and title they could settle in a forraigne land was surely none of their last enquiries . io. bodin a reckons five reasons why colonies may be planted in other regions . 1. expulsion from their own native countrey . 2. increase of inhabitants upon a land . 3. want of necessaries at home , and unseasonable times . 4. desire to preserve and enlarge their owne territories . 5. favour to prisoners and captives . the ampliation of the kingdome of christ was expected here as a motive in vaine ; but i finde it elsewhere among our novangles , and it shall be mentioned in due place : for those are causes why men goe out of their owne land , but for the jus and right of setling in another they say nothing . when the bishop de las casas had set forth his tract of the spanish cruelties committed in the indies , some guilty persons he supposeth suborned doctor sepulveda , the emperours historian , to undertake their patronage , which he did in an elegant and rhetoricall discourse , endeavouring to prove , that the spanish wars against the indians were just and lawfull , and that they were bound to submit unto the spaniards , as ideots to the more prudent ; but he could not obtaine leave to print a booke so irrationall and unchristian . their more plausible plea is , that columbus was first employed by them to discover some of those parts ; but the same offer was before tendred to this our nation , and the king thereof ; yea and the english were as early in that very designe as the portingales , for our b chronicles shew that sebastian gabat or cabot , borne at bristol , was employed by king henry the seventh , and he with some london merchants , adventured three or foure ships into those new-found lands , anno one thousand foure hundred ninety eight ; and it cannot be doubted , but they had made some former sufficient experiments , before that their so confident engagement : thence t is affirmed by others c , that the english were there before columbus , and about the yeere d one thousand five hundred and two , three of those natives were brought unto the king , they were cloathed in beasts skinnes , did eate raw flesh , spake a language none could understand , two of those men were seen at the court at westminster two yeeres after , cloathed like englishmen . but wee of this nation have yet a more ancient claime , three hundred yeeres before columbus , in the time of henry the second , anno dom. one thousand one hundred and seventy ; when madoc ap owen gwineth did not onely discover the countrey , but planted in some part of mexico , and left monuments of the brittish language , and other usages , taken notice of by the spaniands , since their arrivall thither . mr. herbert e in his travailes doth not onely remember this , but sheweth it to have bin mentioned by many worthy men of late , and ancient times , as cynwic ap greue , meredith ap rhice , gul. owen , lloyd , powell , hackluit , davis , broughton . and purchas . l. 4. c. 13. p. 807. but yet more particularly , dr donne f allowes that as a justifiable reason of mens removall from one place to another , publique benefit ; interest reipublicae ut re sua quis bene utatur , every one must use his private for the common good : and if a state may take order that every man improve what he hath for the benefit of the nation where he lives , then , interest mundo , all mankinde may every where , as farre as it is able , advance the good of mankinde in generall , which not being done by the natives there , others are bound , at least have liberty to interpose their endeavours , especially , when by divine providence one land swells with inhabitants , and another is disempeopled by mutuall broiles , infectious diseases , or the cruelty of invaders , all which have helped to sweepe away the americans , while the english in the meanetime did multiply in such manner and measure , as they could scarcely dwell one by another ; and because man is commanded more than once to bring forth , multiply , and fill the earth , gen. 1. 28. 9. 1. he may well therefore , and justly looke abroad , and if he finde convenient and quiet habitation , he may call the name of that land rehoboth , because the lord hath made him roome , gen. 22. 26. that is also a lawfull cause of setling in other lands , when a right therein is acquired by purchase , as abraham bought of ephron the field of machpelah , gen. 22. 17. and thus paspehai h one of the indian kings sold unto the english in virginia land to inhabit and inherit ; and when mr williams of late i called upon our planters in new england to be humbled for making use of the kings patents , for removing hence , and residing there , he is well answered among other things , that they had those lands from the natives by way of purchase and free consent . againe , the territories of strangers may be possessed upon the donation and fore-gift of the naturall inhabitants , as abimelech said to abraham , behold the land is before thee , dwell where it pleaseth thee , gen. 20. 15. and pharaoh said to ioseph , in the land of goshen let thy father and brethren dwell , gen. 47. 5 , 6. so in virginia king k powhatan desired the english to come from iames town , a place unwholsome , and take possession of another whole kingdome , which he gave them ; thus the surviving l indians were glad of the comming of the english to preserve them from the oppression of the next borderers ; and surely divine providence making way , the care of emprovement , the purchase from the natives , their invitation and gift , some , or all these , may satisfie the most scrupulous in their undertaking , or else what will such our inquisitors say to maintaine the right of their owne inheritances ? the english invaded the britons the ancient inhabitants of this island , and crowded them into the nooke of wales , themselves in the meane time taking possession of the fat of this land , by what right , or by what wrong i dispute not , saith m crantzius ; but such in those daies were the frequent emigrations of people to seeke out new habitations . to these that other expression of the eloquent deane n may be added , accepistis potestatem , you have your commissions , your patents , your charters , your seale from that soveraigne power upon whose acts any private subject in civill matters may rely ; and though our forenamed country-man seemeth to slight the pattent of new-england , as containing matter of falsehood and injustice , that o imputation also is sufficiently removed by mr cotton in that his answer before mentioned . and yet further , the desire and endeavour to plant christianity there , will fortifie the former reasons , and sufficiently vindicate the transplantation of people , this p seales the great seale saith that doctor , authorizeth authority , and justifies justice it selfe , and christians may have learned this from our deare master christ , who coasted the countrey , and crossed the seas q saith chrysologus , not to satisfie humane curiosity , but to promote mans salvation ; not to see diversities of places , but to seeke , and finde , and save lost mankinde . and if such be the aime of our nation there , we may with more comfort expect and enjoy the externalls of the indians , when wee pay them our spiritualls , for their temporalls , an easie and yet most glorious exchange , the salvation of the salvages , to the hope of the one , the like sound of the other may give encouragement ; but that is the next consideration . chap. ii. hope of the natives conversion . saint paul enforced himselfe to preach the gospell where christ was not yet named , rom. 15. 20. such is the condition of that forlorne nation , a good subject to worke upon , and if so good an end be propounded , the successe by divine blessing will be answerable : and though the countrey hath been knowne more than a century of yeeres to christians , yet those that came first among them , minded nothing lesse than to make them such . benzo a relates abundantly how the spaniards laid the foundation of their endeavours in bloud , their fryers and religious persons at first instigating them thereto . that christian king indeed gave them leave to subdue the caniballs , but they destinate all the nations to bitter bondage , proceeding therein with so much rigour and severity , that the dominicans are constrained at length to complaine thereof to the pope paul the third , imploring from him a bull for the reinfranchisement of the indians , which they obtained , and brought into spaine , and presented it to charles the fifth , who made them free to the griefe and losse of some of the grandees , whose wealth and grandour consisted most in slaves ; they were most prodigiously libidinous b also , contracting upon themselves most foule and pernicious diseases , that loathsome lust first brought into this world , the filthy and infectious contagion , now so much spoken of . their covetousnesse was notorious also , the indians scorned them for it , and for their sakes abominated the name of christianity ; and when they tooke any c of the spaniards , they would bind their hands , cast them upon their backs , and poure gold into their mouths , saying , eate , o christians , eate this gold : yea their lives were generally so odious , and opposite to godlinesse , that the same writer professeth , their scandalous conversation deterred the americans from the gospell ; they did indeed teach some children of their kings and nobles , to read , and write , and understand the principles of christianity , which they acknowledged to be good , and wondered that the christians themselves so little practised them ; and thus one of them bespake a d spaniard , o christian thy god forbids thee to take his name in vaine , and yet thou swearest upon every light occasion , and forswearest ; your god saith , you shall not beare false witnesse , and you doe nothing else almost but slander , and curse one another ; your god commands you to love your neighbour as your selfe , but how are the poore injured by you ? how doe you cast them into prison , and fetters , that are not able to pay their debts ? and you are so farre from relieving needy christians , that you send them to our cottages for almes , spending your meanes and time in dice , thefts , contentions , and adulteries : he tells also of an indian prince , that was very apt and ingenious , he attained to a very good measure of learning and knowledge in religion , and was hopefull above others in both ; but about the thirtieth yeere of his age , he deceived the expectation of friends , and became extremely debauched and impious , and being blamed for his bad change , his excuse was , since i became a christian i have learned all this , to sweare by the name of god , to blaspheme the holy gospell , to lie , to play at dice ; i have gotten a sword also to quarrell , and that i may be a right christian indeed , i want nothing but a concubine , which i intend also shortly to bring home to my house ; and benzo further addes , when himselfe reprehended an indian for dicing and blaspemy e , hee was presently answered , i learned this of you christians , &c. and if it be said , benzo was an italian , and laies the more load upon the spaniards , as no friend to that nation , bartholomeus de las casas f one of their owne , and a bishop also , is as liberall in telling their faults , as hath been in part mentioned already ; the natives indeed are capable and docible , but these other tooke no care to lead them unto godlinesse , either by word or example ; but this , saith that spanish bishop , was the manner of their gospelizing them ; in the night they published their edict , saying , oyee caciques and indians of this place , which they named , wee let you all know , that there is one god , one pope , one king of castile , who is the lord of these lands , come forth therefore presently and doe your homage , and shew your obedience to him ; so in the fourth watch of the night the poore indians dreaming of no such matter , men women and children were burnt in their houses together : he affirmeth againe , they regarded no more to preach the gospell of christ to the americans , than if they had bin dogs , and their soules to perish with their bodies ; he tells further of one colmenero , who had the soule-care of a great city , being asked what he taught the indians committed to his charge , his answer was , he cursed them to the devill ; and it was sufficient if he said to them , per signin santin cruces , by the signe of the holy crosse . the spanish instruction then , it is evident , was the natives destruction , and not so much a plantation as a supplantation , not a consciencious teaching , but a lion-like rather devouring of soules ; their errors may warne and rectifie us , yea and sharpen our edge , seeing these poore indians be not indocible , and shall be converted ; and be they jewes or gentiles , as there is much rudenesse and incivility among them , so many hopefull things have bin observed of them ; and as aristotle said of the humane soule at its first immission , it was a new planed table , the americans in like manner saith p. martyr g , are capable , and docible , mindelesse of their owne ancient rites , readily believing and rehearsing what they be taught concerning our faith ; acosta h declares them not onely to be teachable , but in many things excelling many other men , and that they have among them some politique principles admired by our wisest statists ; their naturall parts and abilities were visible in that their whale-catching and conquest mentioned i already , yea they are saith benzo k , very apt to imitate the fashion of the christians ; if wee kneele at our devotion , they will kneele also ; if wee reverently lift up our hands or eyes at prayer , they will do the like : lerius l writeth severall observable things , of their aptnesse and capacity , that they be quickely sensible of their owne blindnesse , easily deterred from lying and stealing ; they told us , m saith he , that very long agoe , they could not tell how many moones since , one came among them cloathed and bearded like unto us , endeavouring to perswade us unto another kinde of religion , but our ancestors would not then heare ; and if wee should now forsake our old usages , all our neighbours would scorne and deride us ; hee found them of tenacious memories , if they heare but once one of our names , they forget them no more : and as hee walked in the woods upon a time with three of those brasilians , his heart was stirred up to praise god for his workes , it was in the spring of the yeere , and bee sang the hundred and fourth psalme , one of them desired to know the reason of his joy , which when he had mentioned , with the meaning also of the prophet , the indian replyed , oh mayr , so they call the french , how happy are you that understand so many secret things , that are hidden from us ! and when the natives of virginia o heard mr harriot speake of the glory of the great god , shewing them his booke , the bible , many of them touched it with gladnesse , kissed , and embraced it , held it to their breasts , and heads , and stroaked their bodies all over with it , and in p guiana they desired captaine leigh to send into england for instructors , and one of them was so well taught , that he professed at his death , he died a christian , a christian of england . but the q sunne-rising of the gospel with the indians in new england , with the breaking forth of further light among them , and their enquity after the knowledge of the worlds saviour , &c. hath been abundantly discovered by our brethren there of late , to our very great rejoycing , and for the encouragement of them and others . to what hath been said , let me adde what some r suppose they read foretold concerning the americans accesse to christ , out of philip. 2. 10. at the name of iesus every knee shall bow , of things in heaven , things on earth , and things under the earth , i. e. heavenly things , saints already converted , earthly , such of the knowne world as the apostles were then labouring to gospellize , under the earth , that is , the americans which are as under us , and as antipodes to us , and live as it were under , beneath , in the lower parts of the world ; for it is not like hee should speake of the corporally dead , their bodies not being under , but rather in the earth , & inferi , infernus , doe not alwaies meane hell , and the place of the damned , but the regions as under us sometimes , that be opposite to us , as that epistle , said to be brought by a winde from the upper to the nether world , had those words first , superi inferis salutem , wee above the earth wish health to them under it ; and thus the captive indians s told the english planters : wee therefore seeke your destruction , because wee heare you are a people come under the world to take our world from us . others finde their conversion praefigured in that threat , mat. 25. 30. cast the unprofitable servant into utter darknesse , those tenebrae exteriores , outward darknesses t are regiones exterae , the outer and forraigne nations in the judgement of remigius ; and some conceive the same to be fore-signified by the prophet obadiah , ver . 20. the captivity of ierusalem shall possesse the cities of the south . i. e. of america , so situate , or , the dry cities , that countrey being much under the torrid zone ; acosta u confidently applyeth thus this text , as some others doe that of esa . 66. 19. fredericus lumnius w in his booke devicinitate extremijudicii , findes or makes divers other scriptures look this way , upon that ground , three sorts of people should be in the church of christ at severall times , jewes formerly , christians now , and these indians afterwards ; he citeth hilary thus understanding that parable of the talents , the possessor of five is the jew , hee that had two talents is the gentile , then knowne , hee that received one , a people all carnall and stupid ; and according to this triple time of the church , and order of believers , hee expoundeth other scriptures , zach. 13. 8. mat. 13. 3. and the three watches , luk. 12. 38. and craving pardon of his rashnesse , or rather fidei nescientis mensuram suam , of his faith not knowing its owne measure , hee further allegorizeth the former parable , the jewes had one talent , the ancient and present christians two , law and gospell , and the servant to whom five talents were given , by which hee gained other five , is the indian and american nation , last in time converted , and called after others into the vineyard ; but it shall be more abundant in obeying the gospell , more fervent in charity , more zealous of good workes , and therefore malvenda x will have those to be the dry cities before mentioned out of obad. ver . 20. because they shall so much thirst after the gospell ; for that younger sister of the foure , saith y one of her friends in this england , is now growne marriageable , and daily hopes to get christ to her husband by the preaching of the gospel . comines z said of the english that they were much addicted to , and taken with prophecies and predictions , i believe that is incident to all nations , some even among these have foretold of the mutation of their rites , and religion , as hath b●●… mentioned , and in reference to their gospelizing a a divine and propheticall poet hath printed his thoughts hereof in severall particulars . religion stands on tiptoe in our land , ready to passe to the american strand ; when height of malice , and prodigious lusts , impudent sinning , witchcrafts , and distrusts , the markes of future bane , shall fill our cup vnto the brim , and make our measure up ; when sein shall swallow tiber , and the thames . by letting in them both pollute her streames ; when italy of us shall have her will , and all her calendar of sins fulfill , whereby one may foretell what sins next yeer shall both in france and england domineer , then shall religion to america flee , they have their times of gospell even as wee : my god , thou dost prepare for them a way , by carrying first from them their gold away , for gold and grace did never yet agree , religion alwaies sides with poverty ; wee thinke wee rob them , but we thinke amisse , wee are more poore , and they more rich by this ; thou wilt revenge their quarrell , making grace to pay our debts , and leave our ancient place , to goe to them , while that , which now their nation but lends to us , shall be our desolation , &c. here is a sad prognosticke for this england , but a joyfull calculation for america , longing , thirsting america ; and if such be their ripenesse and desire , wee should also make haste to satisfie them , the harvest there is great , and the regions are already white thereto ; the laborours indeed are few , t is more then time that the lord of the harvest were more earnestly intreated to send , to thrust forth labourers into this harvest : they that have gone into those parts have not all had a care of this , the harvest of soules : it was indeed the profession of villagagno , and the purpose surely of peter richiers , and will. charter pastors , and others from geneva , anno , one thousand five hundred fifty six , to publish the gospel there , and they were very serious therein , yea and lerius , b one of them , believes they had bin successefull also , if that apostate governour had not become a most cruell persecutor of the reformed religion in that strange land , where he most barbarously murthered three of those his owne countrey men , and the aforesaid lerius piously took care that their martyrdom should be commemorated by io. crispin in his history ; and though these were not so happy in that holy attempt , others have not been , will not be discouraged in such a worke ; a worke worthy of the choicest diligence of those that professe the glorious gospel in sincerity , who have had also many and manifold experiments of divine favour in their severall preservations , directions , and accommodations ; and because their friends ( with praise to god , and thanks to them for what is done and declared already ) desire to know more of those their pious and blessed endeavours , let me adde a third consideration , wishes of furtherance and direction in such great and gracious employments , which shall be , i hope , and pray , as a spurre to more able advisers to bring in every one somewhat or other towards the erecting of a tabernacle for our god in america . chap. iii. directions towards the conversion of the natives . some give violent counsell here , presuming they find it in that parable , luk. 14. 23. compell them to come in ; but judicious a austin calls this amoris , non timoris tractum , not a force of feare , but of love , producing the example of a sheepe following the shepherd holding a green bough in his hand ; and t is the sentence of a serious historian b among the gentiles , such are worthy of pitty not hatred , that erre from the truth , for they doe it not willingly , but being mistaken in judgement , they adhere to their first received opinions ; and the saints in the first times never thought outward compulsion a fit meane to draw on inward assent . the evangelicall prophet foretold this , they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the lord , esa . 65 last . and our most deare lord himselfe saith , the sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives , but to save them , luk. 9. 56. saint iames derives the pedigree of that wisdome which hath bitter envying and strife , though it be but in heart , though it may rejoyce and thinke highly of it selfe , yet its parentage is from that cerberus of iniquity , the world , the flesh , and the devill , jam. 3. 15. but regenerated saints delight surely in that wisdome which is from above , and that is first pure , then peaceable , gentle , easie to be intreated , full of mercy , &c. jam. 3. 17. full of mercy , no roome therfore for violence and cruelty ; and the holy men of the next ages were children of this wisdome . 't is not religion , saith tertullian c , to compell religion , which ought to be introduced by perswasion , not force ; for even sacrifices of old were expostulated from willing mindes ; our church hath nothing to doe with murther , and bonds . d athanasius never committed any man to a goaler , saith hee himselfe in his apology ; and againe , the truth is not to be preached with swords , and darts , and armies , but by reason and arguments , which finde no place among them whose contradiction is requited with suffering , banishment , and death : the ancient christians abound with mentionings of this kind ; it is said indeed of e charles the great , that conquering the saxons , he commanded them to embrace christianity , and that he dealt in such a manner with the hungarians , and some others ; yea and though there be that speake the like of constantine , yet eusebius f writeth confidently , he wished all , commanded no man to be a christian , and for this orosius g commends him , that he shut up the pagan temples , but offer'd no violence to mens persons . the devill indeed , because he is no friend to truth , comes with axes and hatchets , but our saviour is gentle , and with a sweet voice saith , open unto me my sister , my love , &c. cant. 5. 2 , 5. and if they open , he enters , if not , he departeth , saith athanasius in the fore-cited place . foure things did especially assist in the first coverting of people to christ , besides those miraculous helps ; and if they be now conscienciously practised , god will shew himselfe mervellous in his blessing . 1. language , the necessity thereof was visible in those cloven tongues as of fire , the history whereof wee read act. 2. 1. &c. men must learne the speech of the natives , that dealing by interpreters must needs be difficult , tedious , and not so successefull ; meinardus h of old first gained the tongue of the livonians , and then became an happy instrument of their conversion ; and i chrysostome did the like with the scythians ; and the french colony k propounded and promised the same course at their first planting in america , as they certified mr calvin in their letters ; and the english in l virginia labouring to bring the natives to christianity , were woefully impeded therein by the ignorance of their language , which defect in themselves they did both acknowledge and bewaile . 2. labouring in the word was required and practised , mat. 28. act. 20. 18. and passim preachers should be appointed with all diligence to instruct the indians ; for men are begotten to christ by the word of truth , jam. 1. 18. the iberians m received the first inckling of the gospell by a christian maid-servant that was a captive among them ; and they sent afterwards unto constantine the emperour for preachers ; the old indian told the spanish priest n complaining of their aversenesse to the gospell , the lawes of christ wee confesse are better than ours , but wee cannot learne them for want of teachers , wherein he spake the truth , the very truth saith acosta , to our very shame and confusion . 3. the piety and holinesse of those apostolicall christians was exceeding and exemplary , by which as well as by their preaching they woo'd and wonne kingdomes and people to christianity ; their enemies could find no other fault in them , but that that they were christians : our deare masters generall command was universally practised , the light of their holy lives did shine to gods glory , and the benefit of others ; thus victor vticensis o sheweth that caprapicta was converted as well by the piety and godlinesse , as by the preaching of the africans ; as on the other side the impiety of the spaniards deterred the americans from the gospell . 4. blessing was fetched downe from heaven by prayer , this was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , their only worke in a manner , prayer and ministration of the word , act. 6. 4. thus p socrates reporteth , that after seven daies fasting and supplication the burgundians were christianized ; so crantzius q tells of those northern nations that by prayer and preaching they prevailed to bring many other people to christ : if men doe now worke with these tooles , the building will goe up apace , the foundation being laid in the honour of god by the conversion of those that yet remaine in the shadow of death . ; in all which some furtherance might be found , by knowing and observing the dispositions , fashions , and customes of the natives , which would also in a good measure be understood by serious converses with them , and by severall bookes that from severall places upon severall occasions have been written of them ; and to all let be added studious industry , that some indian children be taught christianity , and trained up to such abilities that they may have skill to instruct their own countrey men . it was gregories counsell to further the conversion of our countreymen here , they should buy english children and youths of seventeen or eighteen yeeres , that might be educated in gods service , and helpful this way . the franciscan that had been so many yeeres among them , and learned two of their languages , and used much diligence in this worke in his way , told benzo r , that of necessity such a course must be taken to gospellize them , all other endeavours would be fruitlesse and labour in vaine ; and that writer s sheweth how those of peru were well contented to deliver their young ones to be taught in christianity ; and surely their fathers and countrey-men would sooner listen unto them than unto strangers . and in all these the good counsell of the holy apostle must be remembred , walke wisely toward them which are without , colos . 4. 5. not onely in watchfulnesse and care to prevent all dangers from them , but in the most pious wisdome of winning soules , prov. 11. 30. by setting before them in practise also the examples of every grace and vertue , with the perfect hatred of all vice and ungodlinesse ; and let me have favour here to commend 3 or 4 cautions . chap. iv. cautions . 1. take heed and beware of cruelty , the god of mercy hates nothing so much , saith a theophilact as unmercifulnesse ; the badge of christ is clemency , his livery love ; by this it shall be knowne that you are my disciples , saith our deare master himselfe , if yee love one another , ioh. 13. 35. other mens followers were known by their garments and colours , but charity and love made the first christians famous over all the old heathen world , but in the new world the spaniards die was not so black as bloudy , and the indians called them b yares , i. e. devills , so little humanity , as they conceived , was visible among them . the same bishop , when he made an whole book of the spanish cruelties which he saw executed by them on the indians , protesteth it was his opinion , that hee scarce mentioned one of a thousand of their tyrannies ; and more than once or twice he averreth , that they allwaies grew from bad to worse , and exceeded themselves in their diabolicall doings . nothing is more odious to this day than their name in those countries ; for where ever the spanish christians displayed their banners saith benzo c , they imprinted upon the natives by their horrid cruelties , eternall monuments of implacable hatred towards them ; but the faire , civill , and gentle deportment of our nation to the natives , hath already wonne much upon them , as is acknowledged by a d forraigne pen. 2. take heed and beware of covetousnesse , t is our sweet saviours own ingeminated command , luk. 12. 15. happy shall the natives be , and we also , if they find our conversation without covetousnesse , heb. 13. 5. that they may see and say , the englishmen seeke not ours , but us , and us , not to make us slaves to themselves , but fellow servants to christ our common master ; they saw the spaniards so guilty of this e evill , that they conceived them to adore no other god but gold , the observation of which fetched from f benzo that pious exoptation , i wish to god , saith hee , wee were no more addicted to earthly things than they , the name of christian would be glorious were it not for our covetousnes ; the spaniards indeed tell faire stories , some of them , as if their sole desire had been to christianize the natives , when indeed all their endeavour was to satisfie their lust and avarice ; and acosta g himselfe cannot deny but that his countreymen did commit many great outrages for gold and silver ; but where those metalls were not to be found , they made no stay , continued not in such places ; and benzo h is large in producing their frequent and suddaine removes upon this occasion , and he tells that the bracamorians are unsubdued by the spaniards to this day , not so much because they are a warlike people in their kind , but especially by reason of their poverty and indigence . 3. take heed and beware of complying with them in any of their rites and ceremonies , if we intend they should indeed come out of egypt , let not an hoofe be left , as exod. 10. 25. let them have christian religion purely , without blinding or blending ; the wisdome of the flesh must not here be heard , wee must listen to no other but the counsell of the spirit . it was l good advice the godly bishop and martyr hooper gave to king edward the sixth and his honourable privy councellors , as yee have taken away the masse from the people , so take from them her feathers also , the altar , vestments , and such like as apparell'd her : there hath not doubtlesse , been any one thing so powerfull in begetting and maintaining doctrinall quarrells in christendome , as the unhappy complication with nations and people in some of their supposed tollerable rites at their first approaching to christianity ; the pagans of old , saith rhenanus m , were relieved by the mutation of some things in their religion , whose universall abolition had irritated , if not totally scared them from us ; and acosta n concurres with him in this matter , even in reference to the indians : how this policy prevailed at first in the church was long ago observed , and it became the lamentation of latter times , when men were more tenacious of humane superstructures , than of the fundamentalls laid by jesus christ , the shell and shadow of gentile ceremony is yet more carefully hunted after by the man of rome , than the most solid and substantiall truths of the gospel ; pitty it is , that sense and eyedazlelings should prevaile more than divine verities , that abundance of good things should breed surfets , and yet it will ever be thus , where there is want of care and spirituall exercise at home , and but cold endeavours to promote piety and godlinesse abroad . 4. take heed and beware of all and every ungodlinesse , not onely for your owne sakes , but that the sweet name of our god be not blasphemed among the nations , rom. 2. 24. holy examples are a nearer way to righteousnesse than verball precepts and instructions ; the indians may , even without the word , be won to the truth by a godly conversation , as st. peter speaketh in the like case , 1 pet. 3. 1. a corrupt life is a violent argument perswading to evill ; the americans were scared from christianity by the scandalous iniquities of the spaniards . the evil example of one ungodly christian did more hinder the indians conversion , than an hundred of their religious could further it , * he saith it , who saw what he spake , for they are verily perswaded that of all the gods in the world , the spaniards god is the worst , because hee hath such abominable and wicked servants . benzo i tells of a confabulation himselfe had with an old indian , who in serious discourse said unto him , o christian ! what kind of things be christians , they exact mayz , honey , silke , an indian woman for a concubine , they require gold and silver , christians will not worke , they dice , blaspheme , &c. when i replyed , evil christians onely doe such things , not such , as be good , his answer was ready , but where are those good christians ? i could never yet see one of them ; and not this american onely , but a franciscan fryer publickly affirmed , that not a priest , nor monke , nor bishop in all india , was worthy of the name of a good man ; didacus lopez k in his epistle to the bishop of guattimala , saith , the christians were so prodigiously wicked , that they were odious not onely to heaven and angells , but even to the earth , and devills ; doe you believe saith hee , the indians will become christians , when your selves are not so but in name onely , and in title ? surely those silly nations will sooner be perswaded to good by the example of one daies conversation , than by an whole yeers preaching ; for to what purpose doe wee strew among the people odoriferous roses with our tongues and language , if we sting and vex them in the meane time with the thornes of our wicked doings . but our countrey men take care to follow the aforementioned injunction of the holy apostle , col. 4. 5. they walke righteously , or as in our old english it was , in right wisenesse , so they called righteousnesse , towards them without ; and so their charter on earth , as well as those letters patents from heaven , wills that the english be so religiously , peaceably , and civilly governed , as their good life and orderly conversation may winne and incite the natives of the countrey to the knowledg and obedience of the onely true god and saviour of mankinde , and the christian faith , which in our regall intention and the adventurers free profession , is the principall end of this plantation . and let these words be understood , as awakenings to those of our nation there , and our selves also , that wee all labour mutually , and from our hearts , to propagate the gospell there , because wee , who eate every man of his owne vine , and of his owne figtree , and drinke every man water out of his own cisterne , esa . 36. 16. should witnesse our thankfulnesse unto god , for these favours , by sympathizing affections towards our brethren there , and the natives . chap. v. to the english here , and first in behalfe of the planters there . they should have our hearts and love for many reasons , how many felicities did they forsake , both of the right hand , and of the left , in respect of estate , friends , and the comfort of their owne native soile ? it was said by the prophet , weepe for him that goeth out , for hee shall returne no more to see his owne countrey , jer. 22. 20. besides , that dulcis amor patriae , how many hazards did they runne into by dangerous and tedious sea-voyages ? they were exposed to divers certaine inconveniences , not only in regard of externalls , change of aire , diet , &c. but change of men especially , having little security , because they were in daily dread of indian trechery , which might then fall upon them , when they supposed it most remote ; they have also left more roome at home , of which wee were wont to have more need than company , which encreased so fast , that wee were ready to extrude one another ; and by them we have more strength abroad , because transplanted colonies a be domestique fortifications , though they have been invented sometimes , and used to abate popular undertakings , but i meane it in the roman interpretation , the nations where they fix , are reduced by degrees to their fashions , lawes , and commands : yet some have unnaturally followed those our countrey men with reproaches , accounting them so base , as not worthy to be set with the dogs of their flocke , as one to them applyed that of job 30. 1. to the westerne plantation indeed , at first men of meane condition generally resorted , but soon after people of better ranke followed ; divers of good families , and competent estates went into virginia , and setled in some islands thereabouts , but because those of new-england pretended more to religion than the rest , they are more loaden with uncivill language , but most injuriously ; for the transplanting novangles were many of them severally eminent , some of noble extract , divers gentlemen descended from good families ; their first charter mentions three knights , among other men of worth ; and it seemes their example , or somewhat else was like to prevaile with many others of no meane condition , so that eleven of the then privy counsell directed their letters in december , one thousand six hundred thirty foure , to the warden of the cinque ports , taking notice that severall persons went over with their families , and whole estates , forbidding subsidy men , or of the value of subsidy men to be imbarqued without speciall licence and attestation of their taking the oaths of supremacy and allegiance , submission also to the orders and discipline of the church of england : and three yeeres after , viz. one thousand six hundred thirty seven , a proclamation issued from the king to the same purpose , and in the same words . others instead of affections and hearts , sling darts after them , and say , they are gone out from us indeed , but they were not of us , 1 joh. 2. 19. neither liking our doctrine nor governement . yet surely they differ not at all from us in religion , witnesse our owne confession and their profession ; and for the first , our learned men have continually acknowledged the puritans to consent with them in doctrinalls , archbishop sands b in his sermon before queene elizabeth more than once asserteth this , we have here saith he , to praise our god , that in publique doctrine touching the substance of religion wee all agree in one truth , the greater pitty it is we should so much dissent in matters of small importance , in rites and circumstanees ; the puritanicall errors did not at all oppose any part of our religion , but it continued most sound even to the dying day of that most renowned princess , saith he that c analysed our thirty nine articles , and so printed them by authority ; and king iames d averreth the like of his scottish puritans , we all god be thanked agree in the grounds , and after his reception of this crowne , hee calls e the english puritan a sect rather than a religion ; and in his declaration against vorstius f hee joyneth his churches of great britaine with those of france and germany , opposing them all against vorstius , bertius , and the arminians ; notwithstanding the disciplinarian quarrell saith g bishop andrewes , we have the same faith , the cardinall is deceived , or deceiveth , in using the word puritans , as if they had another religion differing from that publiquely professed , and this hath been the unanimous asseveration of english bishops , and other learned divines , as were easie abundantly to declare . but themselves have spared us that labour , by their constant acknowledgement thereof ; mr. rogers h in his forecited analysis , produceth their owne writings to this purpose , and what one of them can be named that refused subscription to those 39 articles in reference to matters of doctrine ; mr. browne t is thought , went as farre astray as any here , yet i have seen his owne i hand declaring at that time his allowance of all those synodicall articles ; and lest any should imagine the novangles differing from us in dogmaticall truths , besides many , very many printed bookes testifying their concurrence with us herein , beside divers private letters , that subscribed by the governour and principall assistants sufficiently manifests their judgement and affection , wherein they desire to be accounted our brethren , and implore our prayers ; adding , howsoever our charity may have met with some discouragements through the misreport of our intentions , or through disaffection , or indiscretion of some among us , for wee dreame not of perfection in this world , yet would you be pleased to take notice of the principall and body of this company , as those that are not ashamed to call the church of england our deare mother , and cannot part from her without teares in our eyes , but shall ever acknowledge that such part and hope as we have obtained in the common salvation , we received it in her bosome , and sucked it from her breasts , &c. from south-hampton . iohn winthrop , governour . rich : saltonstall . tho : dudly , &c. chap. vi. there is another in jaculation that hath gone current among many , that the puritane of old and new-england is antimonarchicall , the former is sufficiently cleared by that bishop , who hath left this testimony , a presbyterio lis est cum episcopis , cum rege nulla est , or if that be not enough , king iames b in this is an irrefragable assertor , the puritans do not decline the oath of supremacy , but daily take it , never refused it ; and the same supremacy is defended by c calvin himselfe . and in new-england mr. williams d seemed in other things to be extravagant , yet thus he writes to this point : for the government of the common-wealth from the king , as supreme , to the inferiour and subordinate magistrates , my heart is on them , as once deborah spake : and as the governours and assistants doe themselves take the oath of allegiance , so they have power by their charter to give the same to all that shall at any time passe to them , or inhabite with them ; but , tempora mutantur , and it may be t is with them , as with us , & nos mutamur in illis . and t is further said , that their ecclesiastique government , is not onely opposite to the ancient episcopacy of the land , but to the discipline of the other reformed churches , even that which the covenant calleth for : it may be worth our consideration , that as there was a time when forraigners reformed were not so opposite to our bishops , but those divines e thought well of them , willingly-gave to them titles of reverend fathers , and illustrious lords ; and in their publique convenings , f spake of that government with good respect , and the valedictory epistle of mr. cotton , to the then bishop of lincoln , full of respective expressions , is yet to be seen , so the bishops then were not such antipresbyterians , caecus sit , saith g bishop andrewes to p. moulin a presbyter , qui non videat stantes sine ea ecclesias , ferreus sit , quisalutem cis neget , nos non sumus illi ferrei , let him be blind that seeth not churches consistent without such an hierarchy , let him be accounted iron-hearted that shall deny them to be in a way of salvation , we are not such iron-hearted men , yea and severall reformed congregations of severall nations have not onely been tollerated , but much refreshed under the bishops of london , norwich , winchester , &c. these times have widened all differences every where , even among such as are or should be one in covenant ; how are disaffections increased , divisions heightened , which have not only wofully abated christian love , but miserably augmented iniquities of all sorts ? many being scrupulously curious about mint and annis , having little respect in the meane time to faith , righteousnesse , and the more weighty things of the law ; and here may be taken up the lamentation of erasmus h , bemoaning himselfe exceedingly , that he had in bookes cryed up , libertatem spiritus , liberty of the spirit , which i thinke this age would call liberty of conscience , i wished thus saith hee , a diminution of humane ceremonies , to that end , that divine truths and godlinesse might be enlarged , nunc sic excutiuntur illae , ut pro libertate spiritus succedat effraenis carnis licentia , and he doth justly call it carnall licenciousnesse , for the spirit of our god , gal. 5. 20. names contentions , seditions , heresies , &c. workes of the flesh , which being but lately sowne , have strangely growne up and multiplyed , so that a forraigne penne hath to englands shame printed it thus to the world , i anglia his quatuor annis facta est colluvies , & lerna omnium errorum , ac sectarum , nulla à condito orbe provincia tam parvo spatio tot monstrosas haereses protulit atque haec , episcoporum tempora intra sexaginta annos non nisi quatuor sectas protulerunt , & eas plerunque in obscuro latentes , &c. for i had rather bewaile than reveale the nakednesse of the nation , i had rather stirre up my owne soule and others to piety , and peace , oh , when will men lay aside all bitternesse , and wrath , and anger , and clamour , and evill speaking , with all malice ; and instead thereof be kinde one to another , tender-hearted , forgiving one another , as god for christs sake forgave you , ephes . 4. 32. i wish there were a law to forbid all needlesse disputes , i wish that it and those other severall lawes were put in execution impartially , so that all men by all meanes were provoked to godlinesse , that would preserve from every error , for god is faithfull that hath promised , if any man will doe the fathers will , he shall know the doctrine whether it be of god , joh. 7. 17. hearty endeavours for holinesse in our owne persons , and those related to us , would take away the occasions of many unkind controversies , for the kingdome of god is not meate or drinke , this or that government , or any such externalls , no further then they serve to promote righteousnesse and peace , and joy in the holy ghost , rom. 14. 17. and this is the best way to shew our obedience unto christ , for hee that in these things serveth christ is acceptable to god , and approved of men . ver . 18. when our countreymen planted themselves first in america , the name of independency was not knowne ; hee indeed that lately hath wrote k of the state of the churches in england , drawes so the scheme that our novangles are thus become independents , but with the epithete of orthodox . schema sectarum recentium , puritani presbyteriani , angli . scoti . erastiani , sive colemaniani . independentes , sive congregationales . orthodoxi novo-anglici , londinenses . pseudo-independentes , sive fanatici . anabaptistae , quaerentes , antinomi , & mille alii . and for our novangles it cannot be denyed , but many of them well approve the ecclesiastique government of the reformed churches , as of old , communi presbyterorum consilio ecclesiae regebantur , they desire it were so now ; and some of them in new england are amazed at the manner of our gathering of churches here : thus one writeth l that had bin a long time a pastor among them ; what more ungodly sacrilege , or man-stealing can there be than to purloine from godly ministers the first borne of their fervent prayers , and faithfull preachings , the leven of their flocks , the encouragement of their soules , the crowne of their labours , their epistle to heaven ? if men will needs gather churches out of the world as they say , let them first plough the world , and sow it , and reape it with their owne hands , & the lord give them a liberall harvest . he is a very hard man that will reape where he hath not sowed , and gather where he hath not strowed , mat. 24. 25. and if i mistake not , such kind of unkind and hard dealing was practised here in england even in popish times , what meanes else that canon among the saxon councells m , vt sacerdotes aliorum parochianos ad se non alliciant , how like this lookes to that i leave to the judgement of others , but these be the words of that rule , let no presbyter perswade the saithfull of the parish of another presbyter to come to his church , leaving his owne , and take to himselfe those tithes ; but let every one bee content with his owne church and people , and by no meanes doe that to another , which he would not should be done to himselfe , according to that evangelicall saying , whatsoever yee would that men should doe unto you , doe yee the same to them ; but whosoever shall walke contrary to this rule , let him know hee shall either lose his degree , or for a long time be detained in prison . i shall by and by speake more to this on their behalfe , now adde onely , that as many in new england approve of the discipline of the other churches reformed , and some of them sufficiently dislike the way and manner of our church gathering here , so all of them have now seen by experience the necessity of synods : for in their great storm of late that was so like to wracke all , the meanes to settle it was as strange as the disease , so he writes that was an eye , and eate witnes , they that heretofore slighted synods , and accounted of them as humane inventions , and the blemish of those reformed churches that made use of them , are now for the preservation of themselves enforced to make use of that meanes which in time of peace they did slight and contemne ; the synod , saith he , being assembled , much time was spent in ventilating and emptying of private passions , but afterwards it went on and determined with such good successe , that in token thereof , hee saith , wee keepe a solemne day of thanksgiving , as there was cause , and the two men most different in opinion , were selected for the publike exercise , wherein they behaved themselves to admiration , the acts and conclusions of the synod , &c. i would further aske , if the independent government , so farre as it is congregationall , be not as rigidly presbyterian as any ; sure i am , unkinde they are not to the other presbyterians , mr winslow is an irrefragable testis herein , who mentions some there that are in that way , and knowne to be so , yet never had the least molestation or disturbance , but have and finde as good respect from magistrates , and people , as other elders in the congregationall way ; yea divers gentlemen of scotland , that groaned under the late pressures of that nation , wrote into new england to know whether they might freely be suffered to exercise their presbyteriall government , and it was answered affirmatively they might ; and yet further none of them here or there , that continue true to their first principles , differ at all in fundamentalls and doctrine from the other presbyterians , and t is not unlike , but when god shall enlarge their borders , they will finde it needfull to approach yet neerer to the way of other reformed churches in their discipline : and there is of themselves , that upon observation of their former very great danger , have left their judgement , with which i will conclude this chapter : an excellent way they have , meaning their ecclesiastique government , if pastors and people would ever be of one opinion , but when they shall come to be divided into as many opinions , as they are bodies , what will the sequell be ? and i see little probability of subsistence , where independency yeelds matter of divisions , but no meanes to compound them . chap. vii . to our selves , in behalse of the natives towards their conversion . it is the unfeigned desire of every pious soule , that god would please to guide and blesse some holy and happy hand , in taking up the differences that are growne up among those that are named by the sweet name of christ , that all who love the lord jesus in sincerity , would also sincerely love one another ; that mutuall forces were conjoyned to promote the glory of our common master , not onely every man in his owne person , family , place , and countrey , but by apprehending all opportunities to publish the eternall gospell of our lord even to those other ends of the earth . gregory the great a did willingly encourage himselfe in his desire to christianize our ancestors the saxons from hints of his owne observation , for seeing children of beautifull feature offered to sale in the market at rome , as then the manner was , hee sighed within himselfe , and said , when he understood they were not christians , alas that the prince of darkenesse should possesse such faire and lightsome countenances ; enquiring further after their names , angles , they have angels faces indeed said hee , and t is meet all diligence be used that they be as the angels of god in heaven ; when hee asked of what province they were , it was answered deiri , or deira , for so was then that b seventh kingdome called , northumberland , in the time of the saxons , dei ira eruti saith hee , being made christians they shall be delivered from the wrath of god ; and upon demand , hearing that their kings name was aelle , he said allelu jah , and praises to god must be sung there : in this worke if that may be any invitation , we have the like allusions , the whole countrey is called the new world in the generall , and particularly there is new spaine , new france , new netherland , new scotland , new england , why should not there be solicitous endeavours that all the natives of that new world , should be made a world of new creatures ; and if upon occasion and enquiry the inhabitants be called barbarians , such were we our selves in the common acceptation of the word , being neither jewes nor greekes ; if salvages , t is a name of hope that they are a salvable generation , and shall in due time be partakers of the common salvation ; their complexion indeed is darke and duskish , as t is made after birth , but their soules are the more to be pittied , that yet bee in a farre more unlovely hue , even in the suburbs of that darkenesse , that blacknesse of darknesse , which is so terrible to thinke of : it was gregories desire that hallelu-jahs should bee sung to and for the english , then heathen , the christian english may observe and wonder at that very word of frequent use among the indians , as hath already been mentioned ; finally there is a constellation or starre , called the crosse , peculiar to that countrey , saith acosta c , and it is so named because foure notable starres make the forme of a crosse , set equally , and with good proportion , a good omen i wish it may be , and that a starre may leade them also to their saviour , that christ may be made knowne to them , and his peace through the bloud of his crosse , col. 1. 20. to which employment wee have likewise other perswasions , besides what hath been formerly sprinkled here and there . 1. the necessity of the poore natives require this care , who stand so much in need of spirituall bread , and so few prepare to breake it to them , they yet walke in the vanity of their minde , having their understanding darkned , being alienated from the life of god through the ignorance that is in them , &c. eph. 4. 17. &c. and the lesse sensible they be of their owne forlorne condition , the more sollicitous should others be to acquaint them therewith , together with the way of their deliverance . when d austin the monke came hither among the saxons to preach the gospell , king ethelbert opposed him not , but said i cannot so easily forsake my owne religion , and embrace theirs that is new ; yet seeing these strangers are come so farre and bring that to us which they esteem most excellent , wee will use them kindly , they shall want nothing for their work : and surely were the americans but a little civiliz'd , they would by degrees understand their owne miserable estate , and themselves would then bespeake further enlightning ; yea this is already in some of their fervent desires , e as hath been intimated also formerly . 2. christians have a care of this for christ their masters sake , good subjects wish the ampliation of their soveraignes honour , and how glad should wee bee when the kingdome of darknesse is empaired , and there be continuall accresses to the kingdome of gods deare sonne , col. 1. 14. t is our daily prayer , hallowed be thy name , divulged , and made glorious all the world over , wee cannot better improve our interest and power , then by being active & industrious instruments thereof ; wee endeavouring as much as wee may that the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdomes of the lord , and of his christ , revel . 11. 15. non est zelus sicut zelus animarum f , this zeale for soules carries in the wombe thereof glory to god , and honour to the zealots themselves , dan. 12. 3. and unutterable comfort and benefit to them that are warmed thereby , iam. 5. 20. and their debtors in this verily we are , if the words of another apostle be with a little mutation applyed hither , for if wee be made partakers of their carnall things , our duty it is also to minister unto them in spirituall things , rom. 15. 17. 3. the severall patents to severall planters call for this endeavour , such was that first granted to the virginians by king iames , it intended principally the propagation of the christian faith ; the like is to be read in the patents and confirmations made by him and king charles to others . and in the beginning of this parliament , that honourable committee of lords and commons were appointed chiefely for the advancement of the true protestant religion , and further spreading of the gospell of christ among the natives in america . yea and in the charter to mary-land , the pious zeale for the spreading of the gospel is first mentioned , and what ever suggestions be made , or aimes otherwise , there is a speciall proviso against the pr ejudice , or diminution of gods holy and truly christian religion , and the allegiance due to the kings majesty , his heires , and successors ; it is not well then if romish designes have been mannaged there , injurious to religion , and offensive to our other plantations , but herein stands the force of this motive , the mutuall and interchangeable pact and covenant of donor and receiver is in all those charters and patents the conversion of the natives . 4. i finde another encouragement from a doctor lately lapsed into popery g , yet professing his willingnesse to returne upon protestants successes this way ; for he deemes it improbable , that ever they should convert any nation , or so much as any one single person , except some poore wretch or other , whom feare or gaine will drive , or draw to any thing ; but if ever the historicall relation of gods wonderfull workings upon sundry of the indians , both governours and common people , in bringing them to a willing and desired submission to the ordinances of the gospell , and framing their hearts to an earnest enquiry after the knowledge of god the father , and jesus christ the saviour of the world ; i say if ever those discourses come to the doctors view , hee may once againe change his minde , how ever the happy progresses of our countrey men in that worke , if they be knowne and well considered of by the papists themselves , they may be carried to admiration , expectation , and it may be further . 5. the honour of our nation may be another argument to this undertaking , that as to charlemaine of old h the saxons owe their christianity , and those of phrysia , dithmarse and holsatia , the vandalls also and hungarians : it will be glorious for the chronicles and annalls of england , that by the meanes of this nation the nansamonds were brought to the true and saving knowledge of jesus christ , and so were the sasquehannockes , wicomesses , conecktacoacks , massachuseuks , mouhacks , aberginians and others ; thus will the renowne of the english name and nation , ring over all the westerne world. gregory complaines more then once , that those angles our ancestors were willing to become christians , but the priests of france refused to give help and instruction . the britons also refused to joyne with austin here in his preaching to the saxons , not out of pride and contempt as beda i reporteth , but for that those people , invited hither as friends , became their onely enemies , driving them from their possessions , which themselves invaded as their owne , but these indians give harbour to our nation , whose faire and free accomodating of our countrey men hath fully purchased to themselves all the spirituall favour wee and they are able to afford them , of which , when they also become sensible , honour will redound to this england , not onely from ours there , who professe truly , if they prosper , we shall be the more glorious , but the natives enlightned by us will returne hither the tribute of their abundant thankfulnesse . and that every one of us may be cordiall coadjutors of our countrey men in this most glorious undertaking , let me endeavour to warme the affections of the english there , and at home , by proposing a trafficke in a threefold stock for the promotion of this designe . chap. viii . further helpes to this worke . the first of these is already going , the stocke of prayers , both hence and thence on that behalfe to heaven , and not now in a vision , as to st. paul once , there stood a man and prayed him , saying , come over into macedonia and helpe us , act. 16. 9. but the natives begin to be really sensible of their spirituall necessities , and call earnestly for that bread , and our countrey men desire the assistance of their brethren here in many respects , all their letters earnestly bespeak us in this , and o that we did heartily answer them in our constant and fervent prayers , in reference to this worke . there was indeed of late a generation of men , though extreme lovers of that lethargy , yet forgate to be in charity with all men , they were content in their letany to pray it would please god to have mercy upon all men , yet deemed it piacular to pray for the novangles ; the directory guides otherwise , even by name advising to prayers for those plantations in the remote parts of the world. 2. this worke would be much prospered by a stocke of wise and constant correspondence mutually betwixt old and new england in regard of this businesse , what progresse is made in the worke , what meet to bee done for its furtherance , &c. such communication of counsells would marvelously encourage and quicken the americans conversion . the french were spoiled of this help and intercourse from brasil , by the governour a villagagno's apostacy to popery , and t is not credible , but if the poore indians were made to understand that all the nation of england were thus solicitous with god , and among themselves , in all industrious endeavours to recover them from their sinfull and lost condition by nature , but they would looke up also , and in earnest cooperate with them , and say also it may be , as was in the precedent chapter mentioned of our saxon king , who said , those preachers should be kindly dealt with , and want nothing for their worke ; yea somewhat like to this was long since spoken of by b colonchi one of the princes of peru , when he was invited to be a christian , his answer was , sir i am old and unfit to forsake the rites and lawes of my ancestors , but take my children as you will , and teach them what you please , they are young , and can more easily apply themselves to your customes , and instructions . 3. and a stock of money must be remembred , which in some sense , is as it were the soule of this worke ; the poet said truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ if wee meane the indians shall be gospellized , they must first be civilized , who are yet a very wild olive , both by nature and life , they must bee weaned from idlenesse , and hunting , and nakednesse , they must be perswaded to labour , planting , learning , arts , and manufacture , that they may get cloathing , they must be taught to build for their owne habitations , for meeting houses or churches on the lords dayes , schooles must be erected for instruction of their youth at other times , books of all kinds , tooles and instruments of all sorts must be provided , many and necessary materialls towards this structure may be easily mentioned , but are not so easily purchased : if our countrey men there have for their owne comfort and subsistance , t is little lesse then a miracle , all things considered , and a wonderfull mercy , it cannot be expected , that they should be able to adde considerable supplie towards all the forenamed particulars , and other emergent needfull occasions , though there be that can beare them record , that to their power , yea and beyond their power , they are willing of themselves as the apostle said of his macedonians , 2 cor. 8. 3. i crave leave therefore to pray every christian reader with much entreaty to take upon him the fellowship of ministring to this worke , that you may abound in this grace also , that i may use to you the same holy apostles words ; chrysostome d desirous to plant the gospel in phaenicia , stirred up many godly men , and devout women , by their liberality to contribute towards those endeavours . yea and here let it be remembred , that as gregory commends queen brunechild of france , and queen adilberga of kent , for their charitable furtherance of this worke , the gaining of soules , the first gospellizing of our saxon ancestors ; so some pious christians among us of both sexes , have shewed much bounty this way , encouraging and exampling others : the spanish bookes relate strange things of their zeale in this kinde , and one e whom wee may credit tells us , that america hath foure arch-bishops , thirty bishops , and many other houses as they call them of religion , and if it be said their lot fell into the golden part of that world , and out of their superfluities they might well spare very much , t is very much indeed , and yet t is f somewhat more that the same writer observeth how the king of spaine maintaines the lists and bonds of missionaries , priests , fryers and jesuits , that are continually transported into america , hee provides for every of them ten yeeres , and that to this day , and shall the children of this world in this also be wiser then the children of light , luk. 16. 8. shall they be enlarged for the promoting of themselves , and their abominable superstitions , and shall not wee be as forward in that which directly aimes at the glory of christ and the good of souls , as st. paul saith of his thessalonians , that they were examples to all that believed in macedonia and achaia , 1 thes . 1. 7. i trust the liberality of some will invite and open the hands of many to be very forward in this worke , for the administration of this service , will not onely supply their wants , but will be abundant also by many thanksgivings unto god , 2 cor. 9. 12. and i hope to heare once of a liberall collection and benevolence to be advanced in every parish and congregation of the land , to be put into safe hands , and such profitable employment , as may indeed further the reering up of a christian tabernacle in america . and while these papers were thus in their framing , an act , before mentioned , for propagating the gospell of iesus christ in new england , declareth much forwardnesse towards a nationall contribution in reference to this worke , and the disposall thereof to be according to the desires of those that have bin most industrious that way , and good care , i trust will be taken that the monies run into the right channel ; and for the better gale and conduct , the two universities cambridge & oxford , have affectionately expressed their christian longings that this soule-businesse may obtain all possible furtherance , in their letters to their reverend and deare brethren the ministers of the gospell in england and wales , the divines of london are desired also in their sphere cordially to act in this common cause of the gospel , that no obstruction be left in the way of this most glorious endeavour , why should any then bee straightned in their owne bowells , why should not all learne willingnesse to this worke , by reading , considering , and practising what we find the old jewes did in a like case , exod. 35. chap. ix . the novangles religious care to advance piety and learning . it hath been laid and left at the doores of those whom some call independents here in this england , that they have shewed little love to others going astray , and that their zeale hath been wanting against those blasphemies and heresies that have manifestly dishonoured the most sweet and holy name of god , father , son , and spirit . our booke tells us of a a good man in former times when hee was accused of lust , pride , &c. he said , i confesse i am a sinner , and i beseech you pray for me , but when they laid heresie to his charge , his heart was hot within him , his zeale was inflamed , and hee said , haereticus non sum , & hoc vitium nulla patientia possum aut vole dissimulare , hoeresis enim separat hominem a deo , & adsociat diabolo : alienatus a christo non habet deum , quem oret propeccatis suis . t is not for me to judge any , every one shall stand or fall to his owne master , rom. 14. 4. but i would remember my selfe and others of his zeale , who said b fateor in causa fidei etiam vitam negligendam ; i finde this grace very warme and working in our novangles , for whom i have some few words more to mention in this particular , that my readers may be invited to thinke well of them , to doe well to them , and for them , or for the poore indians rather , or rathest for christ himselfe , who shall have honour from us all , if wee all by communication of counsells , prayers , purses , and every other way endeavour the furtherance of their conversion to our lord jesus ; and to procure our cordiall conjunction with our brethren there in this , i shall transcribe some things out of their owne late printed booke of the lawes and liberties concerning the inhabitants of massachusets , by which their love to truth , godlinesse , peace , and learning will be evident , together with their liberall and enlarged care to propagate the eternall gospell of our lord among the natives . at the title of haeresie , c this is the preface . although no humane power be lord over the faith and consciences of men , and therefore may not constraine them to believe or professe against their consciences , yet because such as bring in damnable heresies , tending to the subversion of the christian faith , and the destruction of the soules of men , ought duly to be restrained from such notorious impiety , it is therefore ordered and decreed by this court : that if any christian within this jurisdiction shall goe about to subvert and destroy the christian faith and religion , by broaching or maintaining any damnable heresie , as denying the immortality of the soule , or the resurrection of the body , or any sinne to be repented of in the regenerate , or any evill done by the outward man to be accounted sinne , or denying that christ gave himselfe a ransome for our sinnes , or shall affirme that wee are not justified by his death and righteousnesse , but by the perfection of their owne workes , or shall deny the morality of the fourth commandement , or shall endeavour to seduce others to any the heresies aforementioned , every such person continuing obstinate therein after due meanes of conviction shall be sentenced to banishment . 1646. and before d having said , that the open contempt of gods word , and the messengers thereof is the desolating sinne of civill states , &c. it is therefore ordered , and decreed , that if any christian , so called , within this jurisdiction , shall contemptuously behave himself towards the word preached , or the messengers thereof — either by interrupting him in his preaching , or by charging him falsely with any error , which he hath not taught , or like a son of korah cast upon his true doctrine , or himselfe , any reproach — every such person or persons ( whatsoever censure the church may passe ) shall for the first scandall be convented and reproved openly by the magistrate at some lecture , and bound to their good behaviour , and if a second time they breake forth into the like contemptuous carriages , they shall either pay five pounds to the publique treasury , or stand two houres openly upon a blocke or stoole foure foot high on a lecture day with a paper fixed on his breast , written in capitall letters , an open and obstinate contemner of gods holy ordinances , that others may feare and be ashamed of breaking out into the like wickednesse . 1646. there be some in this england that account it piety and religion to speake evill of christs ministers , and cast off his ordinances ; now blessed of god from heaven and earth be our novangles , magistrates , ministers , and people that have so seasonably witnessed against these abominations . they are great lovers of peace and government , these therefore be their words in another place ; e for as much as experience hath plentifully & often proved that since the first-rising of the anabaptists about an hundred yeeres past they have bin the incendiaries of common-wealths , and the infectors of persons in maine matters of religion , and the troublers of churches in most places where they have been , and that they who have held the baptizing of infants unlawfull , have usually held other errors or heresies together therewith ( though as heretiques use to doe they have concealed the same untill they espied a fit advantage and opportunity to vent them by way of question or scruple ) and whereas divers of this kinde have since our comming into new-england appeared amongst our selves , some whereof , as others before them , have denyed the ordinance of magistracy , and the lawfulnesse of making warre , others the lawfulnesse of magistrates and their inspection into any breach of the first table , which opinions , if connived at by us , are like to be increased among us , and so necessarily bring guilt upon us , infection and trouble to the churches , and hazard to the whole common-wealth : it is therefore ordered by this court and authority thereof , that if any person or persons shall either openly condemne or oppose the baptizing of infants , or goe about secretly to seduce others from the approbation , or use thereof , or shall purposely depart the congregation at the administration of that ordinance , or shall deny the ordinance of magistracy , or their lawfull right , or authority to make warre , or to punish the outward breaches of the first table , and shall appeare to the court willfully and obstinately to continue therein , after due meanes of conviction , every such person or persons shall be sentenced to banishment . 1644. and that wee may discerne how worthy they are that wee should doe all the good wee can for them , for they love the nation where they inhabite , and are very serious in preparing them for one husband , to present them a pure virgin unto christ , 2 cor. 11. 2. severall therefore are their decrees in order to their conversion . f 1. every towne shall have power to restraine all indians from prophaning the lords day . 1633. 1639. 1641. 2. the english shall not destroy the indians corne , but shall help them to fence in their grounds . 3. considering one end in planting these parts was to propagate the true religion unto the indians , and that divers of them are become subjects to the english , and have engaged themselves to be willing and ready to understand the law of god ; it is therefore ordered and decreed , that such necessary and wholesome lawes which are in force , and may be made from time to time , to reduce them to civility of life , shall be once in the yeer ( if the times be safe ) made knowne to them , by such fit persons as the generall court shall nominate , having the helpe of some able interpreter . 4. considering also that interpretation of tongues is appointed of god for propagating the truth ; it is therefore decreed that two ministers shall be chosen every yeer , and sent with the consent of their churches ( with whomsoever will freely offer themselves to accompany them in that service ) to make knowne the heavenly counsell of god among the indians , and that something be allowed them by the generall court to give away freely to those indians whom they shall perceive most willing and ready to be instructed by them . 5. they decree further that no indian shall at any time powaw , or performe outward worship to their false gods , or to the devill , and if any shall transgresse this law , the powawer shall pay 5 l. the procurer 5 l. &c. 1646. their love to learning also is meet to be remembred , and encouraged , wherein they have g observed a chief project of that old deluder satan to keepe men from the knowledge of the scriptures , as in former times keeping them in an unknowne tongue , so in these latter times by perswading from the use of tongues , that so at least the true sense and meaning of the originall might be clouded with false glosses of saint-seeming deceivers , and that learning may not be buried in the graves of our forefathers in church and common wealth , the lord assisting our endeavours , it is therefore ordered by this court and authority thereof , that every township encreasing to the number of fifty housholds , shall appoint one within their towne to teach all such children as shall resort to him , to write and read , whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children , or by the inhabitants in generall by way of supply , as the major part of those that order the prudentialls of the towne shall appoint , and where any town shall encrease to an hundred families or househoulders , they shall set up a grammer school , the masters thereof being able to instruct youth so far , as they may be fitted for the university , and if any town neglect this above a yeere , every such towne shall pay five pound per ann . to the next such schoole , till theyshall performe this order . 1647. and an academy or university is not onely in their aime , but a good while since they had more than begun well , and therefore wee read these words in another h part of their lawes , whereas through the good hand of god upon us there is a college founded in cambridge in the county of middle sex , called harvard college , for incouragement whereof this court hath given the sum of four hundred pounds , and also the revenue of the ferry betwixt charles towne and boston , and that the well ordering and mannaging of the said college is of great concernment ; it is therefore ordered by this court , &c. then follow directions for the president and commissioners to establish orders and dispose gifts , &c. 1636. 1640. 1642. mr. coleman that was erastianly principled , preached publikely that except some other way be found to keepe up learning , our universities will be but uselesse places , and learning it selfe an unnecessary thing ; for under this notion of independency , weavers and tailors may become pastors , so that if some stop be not , the issue may be , that one may binde his sonne apprentice to a cobler , and at seven yeeres end he may go out a free minister , &c. but our brethren of new england wee see have other principles and practises , and notwithstanding that they went out as exiles hence , m extra anni solisque viam — yea as iacob of old with his staffe onely passed over iordan , and suddenly became two bands , gen. 32. 10. these ventured upon the wide and wild ocean with poore and small provision , and how great how many are the mercies that our god hath shewed unto his servants there , that they are not onely furnished themselves with necessaries of all sorts , and have made large steps in an academicall way , having acts , degrees , and commencements according to the commendable fashion of england , as their own words are ; the theses at their commencements disputed upon have been printed severall yeeres at cambridge in new england , and thence dispersed here ; but they have also industriously furthered by their godlinesse , gentlenesse , and good orders , the conversion of a miserable people that have lien so long in darkenesse . to warme the affections of the english here , to raise all our hearts and endeavours to joyne all possible forces here and there in this soule-worke , the next chapter is added . chap. x. the successe of the novangles in gospellizing the indians . the reader here shall have a breviate inviting him to peruse those larger discourses , printed on purpose to raise our hearts in lifting up the high praises of god , that hath given this grace unto men . first treatise . foure of the english , having sought god , went among the indians , octo. 28. 1646. to make knowne the things of their peace , they were conducted into the principall wigwam of waaubon , their chiefe minister of justice , who like another cornelius , act. 10. 24. had called together many men , women , and children to hear and learne , they began with prayer in english , not for want of language , but to shew them the duty was sacred , and that wee might agree together in the same heart-sorrowes for them , even in that place where god was never wont to be called upon : it was an affecting spectacle , after prayer , to see a company of forlorne outcasts diligently attending upon the word of salvation , which in the space of an houre and a quarter discovered to them the grounds of religion , repeating , expounding , and applying the ten commandements , then preaching jesus christ the onely meanes of recovery from sinne and wrath , perswading them to repentance for severall sinnes which they live in . wee next asked them if they understood what was spoken , which they affirmed with many voices , and then wee desired to know if they would propound any questions to us , for their further satisfaction , and this they did , but not such curiosities as some others of them had done before , as , what was the cause of thunder , of the ebbing and flowing of the sea , of the wind : no , the wisdome of god directed them to aske , how wee may come to know iesus christ ? one of them after wee had answered , said , hee was praying in his wigwam to christ that hee would give him a new heart , but another indian interrupted him , saying , hee prayed in vaine , because christ understood not what indians speake in prayer , as not being acquainted with their language , his question therefore was , whether iesus christ did understand the prayers of indians ? another demanded , if english men were once so ignorant of christ as themselves ? and how can there be an image of god , seeing it is forbiden in the second commandement ? if the father be bad , and the child good , will god be offended with that child ? for t is said in the second commandement , hee will visit the sinnes of the fathers upon the children ? how is all the world become so full of people , being all were once drowned in the floud ? wee then asked them three questions . 1. if they did not desire to see god , and if they were not tempted to thinke there was no god , because they could not see him ? some of them replyed they did indeed desire to see him , but we had taught them that could not be , yet they believed , though their eyes could not see him , hee was to be seen with their soules within . 2. wee asked if it were not strange to them there should be but one god , yet this god should be in massachusets , conectacut , quimipenik , in old england , in this wigwam , in the next , every where ? it is strange one of them said , as all else is we hear preached ; yet they thought it might be true that god was so big every where . 3. whether they did not finde something troubling them within after the commission of sinne , as murther , adultery , theft , lying , &c. they confest the trouble , but could not tell what to say to it , he therefore that first spake to them concluded with a dolefull description ( as far as his language permitted ) of the trembling condition of every soule that dies in sinne , and shall be cast out of favour from god. having thus spent three houres , wee asked them if they were not weary , they said no , wee resolved to leave them with an appetite ; the chiefe of them seeing us conclude with prayer , desired to know when wee wou'd come againe , wee appointed the time , gave the children some apples , and the men what was at hand , they asked more ground to build a towne together , which wee liked well , and promising our furtherance for them at the generall court , wee departed with many welcomes from them . november 11. 1646 , wee came againe to the same wigwam , there was a greater concourse , and seats provided for us , wee began againe with prayer in english , and then catechized the younger sort , wee asked them onely three questions in their own language . 1. who made you and all the world ? 2. who shall save you from sinne and hell ? 3. how many commandements hath god given you to keepe ? the preacher then proceeded , wee are come to bring you good newes from the great god , and to shew how evill men may come to be good , and be happy while they live , and goe to god when they die ; then in familiar descriptions hee set forth god to them in his glorious power , goodnesse and greatnesse , shewing what his will was , and what he required , even of the indians , in the ten commandements , and how angry god was for any sinne , yet that hee sent christ to die for their transgressions , and to pacifie god by suffering in their roome , if they did repent and believe the gospell , and that hee would love the poore indians if now they sought god , threatning wrath against all such as stood out and neglected so great salvation , &c. in hearing these things about sinne , and hell , and christ , one of them shewed much affliction , desiring to conceale his griefe ; about an houre thus spent , wee desired them to propound some questions , and the first was by an old man , if it were not to late for such an old man as hee to repent and seeke after god ? which cleared , 2. they demanded , how the english came to differ so much from the indians in knowledge , seeing at first they had all one father ? 3. being satisfied in this also , they said , how may wee come to serve god ? which being answered , their fourth question was , why the sea water was salt , and the land water fresh ? and their fifth , if the water be higher then the earth , why did it not overflow it ? a philosophicall answer was given to this , and they conferred much among themselves about these questions , but night hasting wee desired them to proceed , thereupon one of them said , if a man hath committed adultery , or stollen goods , and the sachim doth not punish him , and hee restore the goods , is not all well , will no punishment come from god , as if restitution made god amends ? this answered , wee asked two things . 1. what doe you remember of that spoken to you the last time wee were here ? after some speech among themselves , one of them said , they did much thank god for our comming , and the things they heard were wonderfull to them ; then secondly wee said , do you believe the things we tell you , and that god is musquantum , i. e. very angry for the least sinne in your thoughts , or words , or works ? they said yes , and we spake further of the terrors of god against sinners , and his mercy to the penitent , seeking after christ ; night being almost come , considering the indians desired to know how to pray , and thought that christ did not understand their language , one of us therfore prayed in their tongue above a quarter of an houre , divers of them holding up eyes and hands , and one of them hung downe his head , with his rag before his eyes , which when hee had wiped , hee held up his head againe , yet such was the power of god upon his heart , that hee hung downe his head againe , covered his eyes , wiping them and weeping abundantly , till prayer was ended , then hee turned to a corner of the wigwam , and wept more by himselfe , which one of us perceiving , spake encouraging words , hee then wept more and more ; when he came out of the wigwan , wee spake to him againe , hee then fell into more abundant weeping , like one deepely affected , so as wee could not forbeare weeping over him also ; wee departed greatly rejoycing for such sorrowing . and while i am transcribing this , i know not whether first , to pitty the poore natives in their spirituall distres , or sympathize with the english in their holy compassion , or praise god more for discovering to the indians their lost condition by n●ture , or that hee hath made our countreymen so industrious in recovering them out of it ; however i cannot but remind my reader of the relators observations hereupon , at least some of them . 1. that none of them slept sermon , nor derided gods messengers ; woe to those english that are growne bold to doe that which indians will not , heathen dare not . 2. there is need of learning in ministers , who preach to indians , much more preaching to gracious christians , these had sundry philosophicall questions which could not have bin answered without some knowledge of the arts ; worse than indian ignorance hath blinded their eyes , that renounce learning as an enemy to gospel ministeries . at a third meeting it did appeare that the indians notwithstanding discouragements from other indians , did encrease in their desires after the word , and propounded more questions . what is the meaning of the word humiliation , so often heard of by them in our churches ? 2. what a spirit is ? 3. whether they should believe dreames ? 4. how the english know god so much , and they so little ? being satisfied in this , they desire a place for a town . a day or two after wampas a wise indian offered his own sonne , and three more indian children , to be trained up by us , saying they would grow wicked at home , and never know god , hee with two other young lusty indians tendred their service to dwell in some of our families , they are two of those weeping indians , and they are received into two of the elders houses , where one of them confessed his former adulterous life , and feared that god would never looke upon him in love ; upon our declaring the greatnesse of that sinne , yet hope of pardon through repentance and faith in christ , hee wept bitterly ; the other then present also confessed his like guiltines , & brak out into great mourning , wherein they both continued above halfe an houre . an english youth occasionally lodging in waaubons wigwam the third night of their hearing , assured us he instructed his company in the things he heard , and prayed among them . while the generall court was considering where to lay out a towne for the indians , they consulted about lawes for themselves . 1. if a man be idle a week , at most a fortnight , hee must pay five shillings . 2. if a man unmarried lie with a woman unmarried hee shall pay twenty shillings . 3. if a man beat his wife his hands shall be tied behind him , and he severely punish'd . 4. if a womans haire hang loose , or cut as a mans , she shall pay five shillings . 5. if a woman goes with naked breasts she shall pay two shillings six pence . 6. all men that weare long locks shall pay five shillings , &c. they were desirous to know the name of their town , it was said noonanetum , i. e. rejoycing , because the english rejoyced at their desires to know god , and god did rejoyce at it ; this pleased them much . the two honest indians told us that waaubon and the rest used these expressions in prayer , take away lord my stony heart , another , o lord wash my soule , another , lord lead me when i die to heaven . december 9. the children being catechized , and that of ezechiel touching the dry bones opened , they offered their children to be instructed by us , complaining they had nothing to give us . we propounded sundry questions to them , and one of them being asked what was sinne , said , a naughty heart , another old man complained of his feares , he purposed to keepe the sabbath , yet he was afraid whether he should goe to hell or heaven , another complained of other indians reviling and calling them rogues for cutting off their lockes , for since the word hath wrought upon them , they discerne the vanity of their pride in their hair , of their owne accord therefore they cut it modestly . second treatise . the awakening of these indians raised up a noise round about , a sachim from concord side came to noonanetum to an indian lecture , where the lord spake so to his heart , that hee desired to cast off his sinnefull courses , &c. some of his men opposed him therein , he called the chiefe of them about him , and spake to this effect , that they had no reason at all to oppose the way of the english for their good ; while you lived after the indian fashion , what did the sachims for you ? onely sought their owne ends out of you , taking away your skinnes , kettles , and wampam at their pleasure , but the english care not for your goods , onely seeke your good , &c. upon this they desired mr elliot should come among them and preach , and they framed to themselves certaine lawes for their more religious and civill government . 1. abusers of themselves by wines or strong liquors shall pay for every time 20 s. 2. there shall be no more powawing , the penalty 20 s. 3. they desire to be stirred up to seeke god. 4. and understand the wiles of sathan . 5. and detest them . 6. that they may improve their time better . 7. a lyar shall pay for the first fault 5 s. for the second 10 s. for the third 20 s. 8. against stealing . 9. having more wives than one . 10. against pride . 11. for paying their debts to the english . 12. observing the lords day , prophaners of it pay 20 s. 13. vveare their haire comely as the english , offenders pay 58. 14. none grease themselves as formerly , penalty 5 s. 15. set up prayer in their vvigwams , before also , and after meate . 16. adultery punish'd with death . 17. so wilfull murther . 18. not come to an english mans house without knocking . 19. vvhosoever beates his wife shall pay 20 s. &c. most of these indians set up prayer morning and evening in their families , before and after meate , keep the lords day , cut their haire , minister what edification they can one to another , manifesting great willingnesse to conforme unto the english fashions . march , 3. 1647. at the lecture in noonanetum , wee saw some indian women well affected , and considering how unmeet it is for women to aske questions publikely , they were desired to acquaint their husbands privatly therewith , or the interpretor , the first was propounded by the wife of one vvampooas , vvhether said she doe i pray when my husband prayeth , if i speake nothing as he doth , but i like what he saith , and my heart goes with it ? the wife of one totherswampe proposed this , vvhether an husband should doe well to pray with his wife , and yet continue in his passions and be angry with her , &c. an aged indian complained of an unruly sonne , asking what should be done with him , when hee will not heare gods word , though his father command him , nor forsake his drunkennesse . an aged indian told us openly , that the very things which mr elliot taught them of god and his commandements they have heard some old men speake , &c. and many of them have now this apprehension among them , that their forefathers did know god , but after this they fell into a great sleepe , and when they did awaken they quite forgate him . another indian told his dreame , that about two yeeres before the comming over of the english , one night hee could not sleepe a good while , then he fell into a dream , thinking he saw a great many men come into those parts cloathed as the english now are , a man rose up among them all in blacke , with a thing in his hand , which hee now sees was all one englishmans booke , hee stood upon a higher place than the rest , on one side the english , and a great many indians on the other , he told all the indians that god was moosquantum or angry with them , and would kill them for their sinnes , whereupon himselfe hee said stood up , and desired to know of the blacke man what god would doe with him , and his squaw , and papooses , but hee would not answer him a first time , nor a second , till hee desired the third time , and then hee smiled on him , and said , hee and his papooses should be safe , god would give unto them mitchen , i. e. victualls , and other good things , and so he awakened . at noonanctum the indian men women and children , especially upon the lecture daies , are clad partly by the gift of the english , and partly by their owne labour . iune , 9. the first day of the synods meeting at cambridge , the morning spent in a preparative sermon to that worke , in the afternoone there was a great confluence of indians from all parts , to heare , mr elliot out of ephe. 2. 1. shewed them their miserable condition out of christ , dead in trespasses and sinnes , pointing unto them the lord jesus who onely could quicken them . they then propounded questions . what countreyman christ was ? how far that place from them ? where christ was now ? how they might lay hold on him ? and where being now absent from them ? the english magistrares , ministers , and people , were much affected at what they saw and heard . an indian brake out into admiration , that god should looke upon them that had bin so long in darknesse ; me wonder saith he at god , that hee should thus deale with us . that winter many questions were propounded . why some so bad that they hate those that would teach them ? a squaw said , might she not goe and pray in the wood alone , when her husband was not at home , because she was ashamed to pray in the wigwam before company ? to what nation iesus christ came first , and when ? if a man should be inclosed in iron a foot thicke and thrown into the fire , what would become of his soul , would it come forth thence ? why did not god give all men good hearts ? how long is it before men believe that have the word of god made knowne unto them ? how they should know when their faith and prayers bee good ? why did not god having all power , kill the devill , that made all men so bad ? if we be made so weake by sinne in our hearts , how can wee come before god and sanctifie a sabbath ? they propounded three cases about the sabbath . in the exercises , besides prayer for a blessing , mr. elliot doth four things . 1. he catechizeth the children and youth , by which the aged learne . 2. he preacheth out of some scripture plainely and briefely . 3. if there be cause , admonition follows . 4. they aske us questions and we answer them . some cases and admonitions are there mentioned . 1. wampoonas upon a light occasion beat his wife , for this hee was brought before the assembly , where the quality of the sinne was opened , as against gods command , cruelty to his owne body , &c. hee turned his face to the wall and wept , hee was so penitent and melting , that all forgave him , but the indians would have his fine notwithstanding his repentance , which he paid also willingly . another case of was of cutshamaquin a sachim , who had a son fourteen or fifteen yeeres old , hee was drunk , and behaved himselfe disobediently against his father and mother , they rebuked him , but he despised their admonition , hee was brought before the assembly , stood out a long time , though his father for his example confessed his owne faults , the young man still persisted , divers of us called upon him to acknowledge his offence against his parents , and entreat their forgivenesse , yet he refused ; the indians also affectionately put him on , divers spake one after another , and some severall times , at last hee humbled himselfe , confessed his sinne , and asked forgivenesse of his father , taking him by the hand , at which his father burst into teares , he did the same to his mother , who wept also , as did divers others , and many english wept also , the house was filled with weeping , wee went to prayer , all the time thereof the sachim wept so abundantly , that the boord hee stood upon was all dropt with his teares . some questions were after this propounded . an old powoow asked , why we had not taught them to know god sooner ? another said , before he knew god he was well , but since i have knowne god and sin , i finde my heart full of sin . whether their children goe when they die , because they have not sinned ? if any of them shall goe to heaven , seeing their hearts are so full of sin , especially nanwunwudsquas , mad after women ? if they leave powawing and pray to god , what shall they doe when they are sicke , having no skill in physick ? what shall we say to such indians as oppose our praying unto god , and believing in christ , what get you say they by this , you goe naked still and are as poore as we , our corne is as good as yours , and we take more pleasure then you , &c. they bring their cases to mr. elliot . a law is now among them against gaming , other indians demand their old debts , which they refuse to pay because it was a sinne to play , and they must not pay such sinnefull debts . they tooke it to heart when mr. elliot told them he was afraid they were weary and cooled in their love to religion , and enquired when they did heare and pray aright , how they might know when they were weary of them , what time it might be before the lord might come and make them know him , &c. some other cases were moved by them . a man before hee knew god had two wives , the first is barren , the second brought forth sweet children , which of these must hee put away ? if the former , they offended god , if the latter , they illegitimate their owne deare children ? and , a squaw leaves her husband , commits adultery with remote indians , heares the word , repents , and returnes to her husband still unmarried , is not he bound to receive her ? an old widdow squaw said , if when men know god , god loves them , why then are any afflicted after they know him ? mr. elliot preaching upon ephes . 5. 11. have no fellowship , &c. they asked what englishmen thought of him ; because he came among the wicked indians and taught them ? another said , suppose two men sin , one knowes it , the other doth not , will god punish both alike ? againe , if a wise indian teach good things to other indians , should not he be as a father or brother to such ? one tutaswampe prayed at the buriall of an indian child , with such zeale , variety of gracious expressions , and abundance of tears , that the woods rang with their sighs and prayers , the englishman that heard him , said , hee was ashamed of himselfe and some others , that have had so great light , but want such good affections . third treatise . that woman that propounded the first question according to appointment by another man ( 2. treatise , p. 6. hujus p. 4. ) moved this also . when my heart prayeth with my husband praying , is this praying to god aright ? this woman kept at home , learned quickly to spinne well , held her children to labour , after she submitted to the gospel her life was exemplary , she died of a sicknesse taken in childbed ; mr. elliot visited her severall times , prayed with her , asked her about her spirituall estate , she said she still loved god though he made her sicke , and was resolved to pray unto him as long as she lived , and to refuse powawing , shee believed god would pardon all her sinnes , because jesus christ dyed for her , that god was well pleased in him , that she was willing to die , believed shee should goe to heaven , and live happy with god and christ ; of her owne accord she called her children , and said to them , i shall now die , and when i am dead , your grandfather , grandmother , and unkles , &c. will send for you to live among them , and promise you great matters , but i charge you doe not believe them , live not among them , for they pray not to god , keepe not the sabbath , commit all manner of sinnes , and are not punisht ; but i charge you live here , for they pray to god , his word is taught , sins are supprest , and punish'd by lawes , therefore i charge you live here all your daies , she died , and it fell out as she said . t is observed many other indians would come in , but they have neither tooles nor skill to sence in their grounds , if the word were constantly taught , government exercised , encouragements for the industrious , with meanes to instruct them in letters , trade and labour , as building , fishing , flax , hemp , &c. many well-minded indians would thus be drawne together . mr. elliot stirres up the ministers to learne the language , and assist in the worke , there is nothing else to invite but the good of soules , not so much as meate , drinke , and lodging to be had among the indians , but such as wee must carry with us , beside what wee give away to them , &c. severall questions they then propounded . doth the devill dwell in us , as we dwell in an house ? when god saith honour thy father and thy mother , doth he meane three fathers , our father , our sachim , and god ? when a soule goes to heaven what doth it say ? and what saith a wicked soule when it comes to hell ? why did christ die in our steads ? why must we love our enemies , and how shall we do it ? how doth christ redeeme and deliver us from sin , when every day my heart thinkes i must die , and goe to hell for my sins , what shall i doe in this case ? how long was adam good before he sinned ? if two families dwell in one house , one prayeth , the other doth not , what shall they that pray do to them that pray not ? now the indians desire to go to heaven , what shall we doe that we may goe thither when we die ? how shall i bring my heart to love prayer ? doe not englishmen spoile their soules to say a thing cost them more than it did , and is it not all one as to steale ? i see why i must feare hell , and do so every day , but why must i fear god ? if i reprove a man for sin , and he answer why do you speak thus angerly , mr. elliot teacheth us to love one another , is this well ? if a wife put away her husband because he will pray to god and she will not , what must be done in this case ? may such women as pray to god , marry those that do not pray to god ? if my wife doth some worke on the night before the sabbath , and on the sabbath night also , is it a sin ? if i do that which is a sin , and know it not to be a sin , what will god say to that ? whether is faith set in my heart or in my minde ? why have not beasts a soule as well as man , seeing they have love , anger , &c. as man hath ? why doth god punish in hell for ever , man doth not so , but after a time lets out of prison againe ? what is faith ? how shall i know when god accepts my prayers ? how doth christ make peace betwixt god and man , what is the meaning of that point ? in wicked dreames doth the soule sin ? doth the soule in heaven know things done here on earth ? if my heart be full of evill thoughts , and i repent and pray , and a few houres after it be full againe , and i repent and pray againe , and after this it be full of evill thoughts again , what will god say ? what force of wicked men is lawfull , and what not ? what if a minister weare long haire , as some other men do , what will god say ? why doth god so hate them that teach others to commit sinne ? if a man will make his daughter marry one she doth not love , what will god say ? &c. there be sundry of them begin to enquire after baptisme and church ordinances , and mr. elliot with consideration speakes solemnly not suddenly , nor lightly , but before the lord , as i apprehend , saith he , in my conscience , were they but in a setled way of civility and government , cohabiting together , and i called , according to god , to live among them , i durst freely joyne into church fellowship with them , and could find out at least twenty men and women in some measure fitted of the lord for it . that indian that was mr elliots interpreter , and first taught him words , was joyning himselfe to the church of dorchester , and the very day of this writing was the day for the triall of that indian in order to his admission , and this was 2. of the 12. 1648. since which time these labourers with the lord have not been idle in this vineyard , they are digging , and fencing , and gathering out the stones thereof , and planting it with the choisest vine , &c. esa . 5. 2. and though some informations of their happy endeavours have unhappily miscarried , there be other passages that have arrived hither , to give us assurance that they wax not faint in that gospel worke , they are not indeed yet printed , but i have obtained leave to give the reader a little taste thereof , for as we here long to understand what further foot steps be made , so the discoveries thereof will in due time and better manner be recommended . mr elliot in the beginning of the last spring prepared for his journey among the indians , to a great fishing place upon merimak , and hired an indian to mark trees , and pilot him thither , which he did , with the helpe of some indians , they passed by other of the natives , who had heard of his preaching , and were very glad of his comming that way , but sicknesse prevented him at that time ; howbeit upon his recovery , he went to another place call'd pantuket , where from all parts they meet , there he asked them if those indians were desirous to pray to god , and when they said yea , he demanded how many desired it , they answered wamee , i. e. all . the chiefe sachim of this place had heard him before , and now shewed great affection to him , and the word of god , using many arguments to perswade him to tarry among them , saying , his comming but once a yeere did them little good , it was as if one should come and throw a fine thing among them , and they like it well , but cannot tell what is within , whether something , or nothing , but if it be opened and they see it precious , they should believe it , &c. another indian learning from mr. elliot that hee had five sonnes , asked him if they should all teach the indians to know god , as he did , which when hee affirmed , the other was well pleased , and mr. elliot himselfe much encouraged , for hee had often dedicated them in his prayers to that service of the lord , desiring no better preferment for them , than to be fitted for that worke , hee endeavours therefore with that smal meanes he hath to traine them up in learning , and god will i doubt not raise up some liberall hearts and hands to assist him therein . this summer hee was making another journey , but in regard of some quarrells among the indians , the church was doubtfull at first of his going , which when the nashaway sachim heard , he took twenty men armed after their manner , and was his guard , with many other neerer indians , so much do they hunger after instruction ; this was a long journey into the wildernesse of sixty miles , it proved very wet and tedious , so that hee was not dry three or foure daies together night nor day , but the lord upheld him and his company in strength and health . one of the indians would needs know of mr elliot the reason why they that pray to god , love the indians so doing , more than their owne brethren , and when the rest of them said they all found it so in their hearts , this gave him occasion to discourse to them of the unity of the spirit . they propounded questions . if a man know gods word , but believe it not , and yet teach others , is that good teaching , and if others believe that teaching , is that good believing ? and when mr. elliot asked them how they could tell , when a man knoweth gods word , and doth not believe it , they answered , when he doth not in his practise answerable to that he knoweth . if i teach on the sabbath that which you taught us , and forget something , is that a sin ? what should i pray for at night , what at morning , and what on the sabbath day ? what is true repentance , and how shall i know when it is true ? how must i waite on god ? when i pray for a soft heart , why is it still hard ? can one be saved by reading the booke of the creature ? when such die as never heard of christ , whither do they go ? vvhat is the meaning of the name hebrews , why doth god say he is the god of the hebrews ? if one purpese to pray , and die before that time , wither goeth his soule ? doth god know who shall repent and believe , and who not ? why then did god use so much meanes with pharaoh ? vvhat meanes that , blessed are they that mourne ? vvhat meaneth lifting up hands to god ? vvhat anger is good , and what is bad ? if a child die before he sin , whither goeth his soule ? if one that prayes to god sin , like him that prayes not , is not he worse ? and while they discoursed of this , and about hating of wicked persons , one of them said , they must love the man and doe him good , but hate his sin , &c. for i will not forestall but prepare the publication of those other remarkeable occurrences ; and now ex pede herculem , when this little of those many matters worthy of observation , is seen together , none will call it a day of small things , zach. 4. 10. shall we call this a day of small things ? shall not those poore natives in new england rise up in judgement against old england and condemne it ? they at once or twice preaching of the law and gospel , repent , and weepe , and pray , and heare , and most earnestly enquire after god ; but wee , when the sunshine of truth hath been so long cleare among us , degenerate into those very sinnes which they abandon and detest , and with indignation say , get ye hence , es . 30. 22. they willingly forsake their powawing , and inchantments ; but the devill is broke loose among us , and many desire commerce with those that have familiarity with him . the indians set a mulct upon those women that tie not up their haire , that goe with naked breasts , what would they say , what would they doe , if that sex were as immodest as some in this nation , bepainted , bedaubed , debauched , not more with spots in their faces , then stains in their glory , if christianity be to them any honour ? the indians weare their haire comely as the english , and punish those that doe otherwise ; there be among us that would account it piacular it should be said of them that in the least they looke rome-wards , yet like those locusts having the faces of men , they have haire as the hair of women , rev. 9. 8. grace is pleased to borrow that from nature , if a man have long haire , it is a shame to him , 1 cor. 11. 14. those natives surely will rise up in judgement with the men of this generation and condemne them ; they pray in their families morning and evening , and upon other occasions , they sanctifie the sabbath ; wee have those among us , that scoffe and scorne these practises of piety , and call the practisers thereof duty-mongers . the indians desire publique meetings , and delight in the places where god is worship'd and his word is taught ; but there be those in this england that make it a great piece of religion to divide and separate , though god himselfe would not have us forsake the assembling of our selves together , as the manner of some is , hebr. 10. 25. the indians asked mr. elliot , if any teach us good things should wee not love him as a father , or a brother ? but t is now among some esteemed a signe of grace , and a badge of holinesse , to despise their teachers , as if that scripture of truth were never againe to be fulfilled . they mocked the messengers of god , and despised his words , and misused his prophets , untill the wrath of the lord arose against his peaple , till there was no remedy , 1 chron. 36. 16. but many other be the sad symptomes of our englands defection and danger , and our god hath made himself many waies marvelous in new-england , wee cannot call it a day of small things , or if at first it was like a little cloud arising out of the sea as a mans hand , 1 king. 18. 44. certainely it carried with it a a sound of abundance of raine , ver . 41. even that raine that commeth downe from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth , and maketh it bring forth and bud , that it may give seed to the sower , and bread to the eater ; gods word hath not returned unto him void , it hath accomplished that which he pleased , and it shall prosper in the thing whereto i send it , es . 55. 10 , 11. now the blessing of the god of iacob be upon them and their endeavours , even the blessing of iacob upon ioseph , the god almighty help them and blesse them with blessings of heaven above , blessings of the deep that lieth under , gen. 49. 25 , 26. that god by their meanes may say to the north give up , and to the south keepe not backe , bring my sonnes from farre , and my daughters from the ends of the earth , esa . 43. 6. so from the uttermost parts shall we hear songs , songs of praise , even glory to the righteous , 24. 16. and not onely glory to the lord our righteousnesse , but those that winne many to this righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever and ever , dan. 12. 3. and not onely hereafter in that heaven of heavens , but this shall bee told as englands memoriall , in present and succeeding generations , and those american nations especially shall call them blessed ( mal. 3. 12. ) yea the blessings of them that were ready to perish , will come upon them , job 29. 13. for they have done worthily in ephrata , and are famous in bethelem ( ruth 4. 11 ) and when they be indeed sensible of this great mercy , they will not onely say , thanks be unto god for this unspeakeable gift , 2 cor. 9. 15. but they will long to require this kindnesse to the english also : and as of old almost all nations receiving from ierusalem the first meanes of their . christianity , expressed their gratefull mindes by their charitable beneficence upon all occasions to those that dwelt there , this began in the apostles daies , act. 11. 19. rom. 15. 26. those of macedonia and achaia distributed to the poor saints at ierusalem , so it was the use till ieromes k time , that all the churches of the gentiles sent collections to the christians at ierusalem , because they all from thence received first the glad tidings of the gospel ; where the same christ is preached , there will be the like christian affections , which likewise will be demonstrable upon every possible opportunity . gregory in severall epistles , not lesse then twenty foure , to the great personages of those times , shewes much zeale in this kind , sometimes encouraging them , afterwards commending them for their assistance afforded to that glorious worke , the first conversion of our countreymen . nothing more shall now be added but the praise and practise of n albertus the arch-bishop of hamburgh , who tooke upon him a resolution to visit in his owne person all the northerne provinces , not leaving so much as any one island unbenefitted by his preaching ; when all things were prepared , and his attendants chosen , and shipping ready , hee was diswaded by zueno king of denmarke , who told him those people would sooner be instructed by men of their owne nation , who were best acquainted with the rites , manners , and language thereof ; the arch-bishop hereupon dealt earnestly with others to that purpose , and made them most willing to the work , for there was not a man among them whom hee had not encouraged , and by his bounty hee warmed their zeale in publishing the gospell , frequently repeating that sentence of our saviour , the harvest indeed is great , but the labourers are few , pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest , that hee will send forth labourers into his harvest , mat. 9. 37. 38. finally as david to solomon in the bulding of the temple , 1 chr. 22. 16. i wish it were effectually spoken to , and by all the english here and there , vp and be doing , and the lord will bee with you . the relation of master antonie monterinos , translated out of the french copie sent by manaseh ben israel . the eighteenth day of elul , in the yeere five thousand foure hundred and foure from the creation of the world , came into this city of amsterdam mr aron levi , alias , antonie monterinos , and declared before me manassah ben israell , and divers other chiefe men of the portugall nation , neer to the said city that which followeth . about two yeeres and an halfe agoe , the said monterinos going from the port of honda in the west indies , to go to the government of papian in the province of quito , did hire some mules of a certaine indian mystique , called francis du chasteau , in which company , together with other indians , went a certaine owner of mules who was also called francis , whom all the indians named cacique , to whom it fell out , passing over the mountaine cordecilla , in a day of great winde and raine , that their carriages fell to the ground , whereat the indians being grieved , as also at the evill weather , they begin to complaine of their ill fortune , saying that they deserved all that , and more also for their sinnes , which the said francis hearing answered , that they should have patience , that shortly they should have rest ; whereunto they answered that they deserved it not , having used the holy people so ill , and the most noble of all the nations in the world ; but contrariwise that all the cruelties which the spaniards had used against them did befall unto them for the expiating of that sin ; after they were gone a little while , they stopt upon the mountaine to rest , and passe the night season , at which time the soresaid monterinos did take out of a box some few biskets , some cheese and sweet-meates , and offered some to the soresaid francis , saying to him , take this though thou dost speake evill of the spaniards , whereunto hee answered , that he had not told the halfe of the hard usage which they received from that cruell and inhumane nation ; but that after a short space they should see themselves avenged upon them by a hidden nation : after these discourses between them , mr monterinos arrived at the town of cartagena in the indies , where he was taken by the inquisition and put in prison ; one day praying unto god , hee uttered these words , blessed be the name of adonay , that hee hath not made me an idolater , a barbarian , an ethiopian , nor an indian ; and pronouncing the name of indian hee reproved himselfe , saying the hebrewes are indians ; and then comming againe to himselfe said , am not i a soole , how can it bee that the hebrewes should be indians ? the same fell out the second and third day , making the same prayer and giving the same thankes unto god , whence hee gathered that that fancie did not come to him by meere chance , remembring also that which passed between him and the aforesaid indian ; so that hee tooke an oath hee would so informe himselfe of the whole matter , that hee should know the truth , and that comming out of prison hee should instantly seeke the indian , and would bring to his minde the discourse which they had together , to obtaine by that meanes the satisfaction of his desires . being then come out of prison by the goodnesse of god , he went to the forenamed port of honda , where hee had so much good lucke that hee found instantly the foresaid indian , to whom he made his application , and brought into his memory the discourse which they had upon the mountaine , whereunto he answered that he had not forgotten it , which monterinos hearing , said that he would goe a journey with him , to which hee answered that hee was ready to doe him service : so the said monterinos gave him three pataques to buy some provision ; whiles then they followed their journey and talked together , the said monterinos at last discovered himselfe unto the said indian , and told him in these words , i am an hebrew of the tribe of levi , my god is adonay , and all the rest are nothing but mistakes and deceites ; whereat the indian being somewhat surprized , did aske him the name of his predecessors , whereunto hee did answer that they were called abraham , isaac , iacob and israel , which the indian hearing , did aske of him whether hee had none other father , hee said yea , and that hee was called lodwick of monterinos ; but the indian being not well satisfied as yet , said these words unto him , on the one side i did rejoyce at that which thou hast said unto me , and on the other i am resolving to disbelieve thee , because thou canst not tell mee who were thy fathers , whereunto the said monterinos answered with an oath , that the thing which hee said was truth , having spent some time in questions and answers , and the indian being wearied at the matter said to him , art thou not the sonne of israell , to which he answered , yea , which the indian having heard said , make an end then of thy speech , for certainly thou didst put me in such a confusion that i would have been perplexed at it all my life time ; nevertheles let us rest a little and drinke , and then follow on our discourse . after a little space , the indian said unto him , if thou hast the courage and boldnesse to follow me , thou shalt know all what thou desirest , but i tell thee before hand thou must go a foot and eate roasted mayz , and do that which i shall bid thee ; the said monterinos answered , that hee would not at all transgresse his orders ; the day following which was monday , the indian came to the said monterinos , and bid him take out all that which he had in his pockets , put on his alpergatas ( these are a certaine sort of shooes which the indians weare ) and take this staffe and follow him , which the said monterinos did , leaving his cloake and his sword and all what hee had , and so they followed on their way , the indian carrying on his backe three measures of roasted mayz , two ropes , the one made with knots and an hooke with two teeth to climbe up by the mountaine , and the other untied , to be made use of in the marshes and passages of rivers ; with a little axe and the alpergatas ; they went then after this manner the whole weeke till saturday on which they rested , and returned to follow their course the whole sunday and monday ; on thursday about eight of the clocke they came to a river as broad as the duero in spaine , and the indian said unto him thou shalt here see thy brethren , and making a flag of two peeces of cotten cloath which were their girdles , made a signe , after which they saw a great smoake , and in a moment afterward the same signe with another flagge ; and it was not long after that they saw in a boat comming to them three men and one woman , which being arrived to the banke of the river , the woman leapt a shoare , and the men tarried in the boate , which after a long discourse which shee had with the indian , which the said monterinos could not at all understand , went back to the boate , and told the three men all that shee had heard of the indian , which came instantly out of the boate ( having alwaies lookt with attention upon him , viz. the said monterinos ) and did embrace him , and the woman did the like ; after this one of the three men went backe againe to the boate , and the other two together with the woman did stay there ; which comming neer unto the indian hee did prostrate himselfe at their feete , and they received him with demonstrations of civility and affection , and begun to talke with him ; after a little while the indian said to mr monterinos , be not amazed , and doe not believe that these men will tell thee a second thing , before thou hast well understood the first ; the two men instantly put him between them , and told him the verse following in hebrew out of deut. chap. 6. vers . 4. semah israel adonay elohim adonay ehad , heare o israel the lord our god is one lord ; and hee informing himselfe of every thing by the indian interpreter , and learning to say it in the spanish tongue , the two men told him that which followeth , putting a little space of time between one sentence and another . 1. my fathers are called abraham , isaac , iacob and israel , and they named them all foure with three fingers , and then they added reuben , making a sign with foure fingers . 2. all such as will come and dwell with us we will give them lands . 3. ioseph dwells in the mids of the sea , making a signe with two fingers shut , and afterwards dividing the same into two parts . 4. wee shall all one day speake together , uttering with the mouth ba , ba , ba , and shall come forth as the earth had brought us forth . 5. wee shall goe out from hence shortly ( speaking hastily ) some of us to looke out , and to make water , and saying these words , they winked with their eies and thrust their feet to the ground . 6. a messenger shall go . 7. francis shall say somewhat more , making a signe with the fingers , that it would be a little . 8. give us time to make our selves ready , and shaking their hand on all sides , said with their mouth , and with their hands , stay not long . 9. send 12 men , making a signe that all shall have beards and be able to write . these discourses being all ended , which lasted all that day , they came backe and told him the same wednesday and thursday , not adding a word more thereunto . and monterinos being wearied , that they answered him nothing to that which hee asked , and that they would not permit him to passe the river , did draw neere the boate in a dissembling way , and would have cast himselfe therein to goe to the other side , but they thrust her from the shoare with a staffe , and the said monterinos falling into the water hee was in danger of being drowned , because he could not swimme ; the men cast themselves suddenly into the water , and drew him out , and shewing themselves angry , said unto him , doe not think that thou wilt bring to passe thy purpose by force ; which the indian declared unto him , and they shewed unto him by signes and words . notice is to be taken that the boat for the space of those three daies did not at all stay in one place , but four men went and foure other came , which all of them said the same nine things which we have mentioned , being all the men who during that time came to see him , about 300 more or lesse . these men are somewhat burnt with the sunne , some of them weare their haire to their knees , some others shorter , and others as wee use to weare it , faire bodies , good countenances , well made of foot and leg , with a linnen about their heads . moreover the said mr monterinos declared , that going from that place on thursday at night with a great deale of provision which they brought to him , he tooke his leave of them , having been entertained by them , during the three daies which he staied there ; and having shewed him how they enjoyed all things which the spaniards have in the indies , aswell of meates as of other things needfull for the life of man. being come the same day to the place where they had lien the night before , mr monterinos said to the indian , francis , thou dost know that my brethren said unto me that thou shouldest tell me something , therefore i pray thee tell it now to satisfie my desire , whereunto the indian said , i shall tell thee what i know , if thou wilt not anger mee , and shall relate unto thee the truth so as i have heard it from my ancestors , but if thou dost vex me ( which i apprehend , perceiving thee to be so speculatif ) thou wilt oblige me to tell thee lies ; so then i beseech thee take onely heed to what i shall say unto thee . thy brethren the sonnes of israel were by divine providence brought into these countrys , god doing many miracles for them , which thou wouldst not believe , if i should tell them to thee as i have heard them of my fathers ; wee indians went into those countries and made warre against them , and did use them worse then the spaniards doe us : afterwards by the command of our mohanes ( these are their sorcerers ) wee went as souldiers towards those parts where thou hast seen thy brethren , to wage warre with them , and of all those that entred there , not one came backe againe alive ; wee made a great armie , and entring into his lands , all fell downe dead , so that not one escaped ; at last wee raised another army , for the making of which the countrey was dispeopled wholly , so that none but old men , women and children remained therein , which came to an end as the former had done ; which those who remained alive , and were not gone to that warre perceiving , said , that the mohanes had deceived them and were the cause of the death of their fathers , for which they deserved to be put to death , having then killed many of them , those that remained alive did intreat them to hearken to them , and they would discover to them all the truth of that which they knew , which having gotten leave , declared that which followeth . the god of these sonnes of israel is the true god , all that is written in his stories is true , they shall be lords of all the world in the latter end , a people shall come hither which will bring many things to you , and when the land shall be well provided , these sonnes of israel shall goe out of their habitations , and shall become lords of all the earth as it was theirs before , if you will be happy joyne your selves to them . the indian having made an end to relate the prediction of the mohanes , followed on his discourse after this manner , my fathers were caciques , and there are yet four of them . these 5 caciques then having heard what the mohanes had foretold , as if they had been some of the sages of the hebrewes , came and tooke their habitation neere that place , to see if they could get acquaintance with some of thy brethren . they satisfied their desire after a long time by the intercession of an indian woman : because thy brethren would never speake to our fathers , and he of us that went into their lands , did fall downe dead , and none of thy brethren did passe over to us ; we therefore made a league with them , by the meanes of that woman , under these conditions . first , that five men , sonnes to five caciques or their successors , should come to visit them every seventy moones , and that none should come with them . secondly , that the man to whom the secret was to be declared , should be three hundred moones old , and that nothing of this should be revealed to him in a place inhabited , but only in the open field , and when it should be revealed , that it should be in the company of all the caciques ; thus then ( said the indian ) wee keepe this secreet amongst us , for the great reward which wee hope , for the innumerable services which wee have done to thy brethren . wee cannot go to see them , but from seventy to seventy moones , if no new thing fall out ; there hath not been any in my time except thy arrivall which they have so much desired and waited for . i finde no more but three new things according to my reckoning ; the first , the arrivall of the spaniards in these countries , the second that ships arrived in the south sea , and the third is thy arrivall . of all three they have greatly rejoyced , for they say that the prophecies do come to passe . moreover the said monterinos declared , that afterward hee came to honda , where the said indian did bring to him three indian young men , not telling him their names , till hee told him that hee might speake freely with them , seeing they were his companions , whith whom hee was in league , and that the other namely the fift was old , and for that cause was not able to come . the three indians did imbrace him affectionately , and asked him of what nation hee was ; to whom hee answered , that hee was of the hebrew nation , of the tribe of levi ; and then they imbraced him the second time , and said to him , thou shalt see us one day , and shalt not know us , wee are thy brethren by a speciall favour which god hath shewed us , and having saluted him they went away : the indian francis bid him also farewell , and that hee went to speak with his brethren in the company of the other caciques . as concerning this countrey , wee have all the indians at our command , and when wee shall have made an end of these cruell spaniards , wee shall goe and draw you out of the slavery wherein you are , if it please god ; which he will permit , because his word cannot faile . finis . laus deo. i manasseh ben israel underwritten , beare w●tnesse , that this present paper hath been coppied with the whole truth of the originall , and that the author monterinos is a vertous man , and separate from all manner of worldly interests ; and that hee swore in my presence that all that which he declared was a truth . manasseh ben israel . j. dvry received this at london , 27 of novem. 1649. the reader is entreated with his pen to amend these mistakes of the presse . in the epistle dedicatory , remove the note at the bottome of the margin in the third page of ( b ) to the second line of the next page . page 5. line 12. read comestor . p. 16. l. 19. r. and uneasie . p. 18. l. 3. r. è contra . p. 21. 1. witekind in the margent . p. 21. l. 16. r. they were . p. 22. l. 23. r. maternus . p. 24. l. 19. r. records indeed . p. 32. l. last . r. thou . p. 49. l. 28. r. israel was . p. 50. l. 8. adde , should so farre , and so suddenly degenerate . p. 6. l. 32. r. converting . p. 76. l. 31. r. for our , the. p. 80. l. 20. r. your charity . p. 93. l. 13. r. leitourgy . and l. 15. r. pray that . p. 93. l. 15. r. holy spirit . our books tell us . p. 107. l. 30. r. too late . p. 118. l. 11. r. hujus . p. 113. p. 126. l. 4. r. 16 , &c. p. 136. l. 12. r. their lands . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a94301-e180 d. laert. p. 381. d. heins . in 2. jo. hesych . φ io. maj. hist . scot. l. 4. c. 9. sixt. sen. bib. s. l. 2. r. p. 97. wollet . comp. theol. p. 197. part. 1. t. 1. ep. p. 105. lib. 5. c. 8. nehem 3. 5. 2 sam. 20 19. phil. 2. 21. 1 cor. 13. last . act. 2. 1. psa . 19. 4. revel . 6. 2. esa . 49. 6. de excid . brit. in bal. cent. p. 23. hist . l. 1. c. 8. p. 25. rev. 13. 3. c. 5. 123. not. in bed. hist . p. 257. par● . 3. esa . 43. 19. k. theodoric . theodob●rt , clotharius , qu. brunechild of france , and to aldibert and aldiberga of england . concil . p. 71. holinsh . chro. part . 1. p. 15. kent , mercia , west-saxons , northumberland , east-angles , east-saxons , south-saxons . deut. 12 8. 2 pet. 1. 19. 2 cor. 11. 14. psal . 46. 3. psal . 27. 3. 〈◊〉 8. 12. act. 7. 56. tertull. 2 cor. 5. 7. job . 14. 14. 1 joh. 2. 18. heb. 10. 37. mat. 3. 12. psal . 1. 5. 1 cor. 4. 5. 2 thes . 2. 17. 3. 3. heb. 13. 17. tim. 4. 8. act. 20. 32. notes for div a94301-e2630 de doct. chr. l. 4. longa , san● caele●us , apolog. ad finem . oblect . acad. c. 21. pseud . epidem . mr bucks hist . hist . rom. tac●tus . id●os ab ida. l. 5. plut. symp. c. 9. suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 2. c. 18. p. 248. io. de lact descriptio am●ric . dedic . carolo r. britan. mr. castel , mr. gage , &c. i l. p. 37. l 6. c. 9. mr gage p. 182 p. 50. &c. acost . l. 3. c 15. gage survey . p. 85. 1 ▪ 5. 139. p. 153. 245. letter of a. c. 1635. p. 168. plutar. themist sim. c , p 61. mr. gage . mr gage pref . & p. 139 , & 10 acosta . hist . l. 6. c. 26. cic. de offic. somn. scip. sir io. dod● . hist of princi . of wales . p. 23. ep. p. 819. in rom. 11. 18 notes for div a94301-e4050 esa . 11. 9. eph. 4 13. eph. 4. 14. isa . 2. ezec. 34 & 37. jer. 3● . & 46. amos. 9. micha . 4 &c. jer. 30. 10 , 11. amos. 9 ▪ 8 , 9. 2 king. 1● . this narrative so attested and translated , is at the end of this book . psa . 149 7 , 8 , 9. notes for div a94301-e5150 a restitut . c. 2. b met. hist . c. 9. c dissertat . de orig. gent. americ . d not. ad istam dissert . e key of the language of amer. pref. f lerius hist . brasil . p. 231. g laet descr . americ . mr. gage . h apud laet in grot. dissertat . part. 1. p. 216. a pet. mart. decad. aliique . b in boroso . l. 6. c in bodin . meth. p. 493. d ib. p. 353. mort. n. canaan . p. 49. malvend●r de anti●…ri p. 155. e acosta . hist . l. 7. c. 4. f vbi supra . g aquin. in gen. 1. h arr. ag . br. p. 343. i pet. mart. p. 353. k laet. in grot. p. 219. l ibid. m comestor hist . p. 137. & 169. n g. sands . trav. p. 146. o hist . l. 1. c. 29. p apud 10. de laet. part . 1. p. 217. q letter . a acosta . l. 1. c. 23. b lerius . vbi supra . c de cons●at . ad helvid . c. 8. d mr will. key ▪ preface . e benzo . p. 6. & 50. acosta . l. 7. c. 17. f benzo . p. 193. g id. p. 94. 107 h id. p. 107. 109 i nova francia . p. 221. k jo. de laet. p. 217. l mr will. key prospect of n. e. p. 95. m benzo . p. 117 222. lerius . p. 256. 258. laet descr . of america . p. 545. n lerius . p. 225 p. mart. p. 314. 478. o nat in grot. p. 37. p acosta . p. 57 q id. p. 569. laet. p. 317. and descrip . amer. p. 470. r capt. smith . p. 31. laet descr . amer. p. 479. s lerius . p. 236. mr will. key pref . p. 7. & u nova fran. p. 236. w p. mart. p. 526. x mr will. key . y lerius . p. 234 acosta . l. 5. c. 27 z 46. laet des . amer. p. 479 mr will. key . p lerius p. 236. b mr will. key . p. 139. c lerius p. 241. d benzo . p. 168. 291. 39. acost . l. 5. c. 8. e antiq. l. 7. c. 12. f lerius . p. 266. 267. benzo . 396 laet des . amer. p. 545. 642. g benzo . p. 222. acost . l. 4. c. 28. h l. 12. c. 15. i laet descr . amer. p. 75. k acost . l. 6. c. 10. 17. a hist . l 5. c. 27. b id. de procur . ind. sal. p. 6. 45 c in grot. part . 1. p ▪ 45. d p. mart. p. 175. 290. 293. 296. 300. e l. 2. p. 143. f dr helin geo. p. 662. laet. ibid. 127. g id. p. 128. h in laet p. 2. p. 59. i tit. 1. de no viter repet is , cultellos lapideos quidvis secantes ▪ k p. 135. l p. 191. m mart. p. 524 n id. p. 444. lerius . p. 220. acost . l. 6. c. 19 o id. de procur . ind. sal. p. 68. p benzo . p. 396 relation of maryland . p. 33. cap. smith . lerius . p 223. acosta . p. 345. q mr will. key . p. 100. r p. mart. p. 418. 473 521. 529. godwin of the esseni , in jewish antiqu . malvend . de antichristo . p. 153. s capt. smith p. 120. acosta . l. 5. c. 13. pet mart. p. 350. t id p 351. u id. p. 314. w acost . p. 339 x id. l. 5 : c. 16 ▪ 6. 24. y id. l. 5. c. 14. z ibid. l. 5 c. 8. a pot. mart. b relat. mar. land. p. 169. acost . 5. 16. c pot , mart : p. 522. 351. d ibid. e laet. descr . amer. p. 398. 434. f malvenda . p. 169. g id. ibid. & acost . hist . l. 5. c 29. h id. p. 269. ] i benzo . p. 113 , 114. cum tympano . k cento ad solin . p. 256. benzo . p. 403 , and hist . of peru. l benzo ubi sup . & solin . cent. ibid. a idem genus ca'cementi , & verba quaedam . vbi supra . b l. 30. p. 323. c vbi ante . descr . cambr. p. 266. d in laet. part . 1. p. 30. e pet. mart. p 248. laet. ibid. p. 186. f malvenda p. 169. g gag . survey . p. 46. h jerem in loc , i p. 88. 93 , 94. &c. k hist . l. 5. c. 3. l lact. descr . amer. p. 53. 164. m p. 164. 172. n p. 154. o mr. will. key pres of n. e. p. 91. p pref. to chaldean diction . q bodin . meth p. 494. r syst . phys . s pref. to the old english bible . a josph . de bello judaico . l. 7. e. 8. b in ezek c. 5. c p. mart. p. 206. lerius . benzo . alii . d prosp . of n. eng. part . 2. naucler . chr. part . 2. p. 519. f p. 275. g in fine . p. 188. h p. 55. i benzo . p. 120. k crudelit . hispan . p. 50. a socrat. l. 1. 15 ruffin tripartit . &c. discessuri ab invicem apostoli normam praedicationis in commune constituunt . cypr. de symb. ap. b de incarn . l. 6 ▪ c. 3. c witek land de sphaera . d g. sands tra . e socrat. ubi ante . ruffin in symb. & hist . l. 1. c. 9. tertul. de vel . virg . l. 1. c. 1. regula quidem fidei una omnino est sola immobilis . & inreformabilis . clem. ep. ad jacob. quam latin. fecit . ruffin . ambr. ser. 138. aug , de t. 119. f disput . p. 21. g ibid. h ep. ad philadelph . p. 4. i niceph. l. 2. c. 35. k britannorum inaccessa romanis loca christo patuerunt . ad v. iud. c. 7. l hist . l. 2. c. 3. m de error . profan . relig . n de consid . l. 2. o in math. & t. 1. ep. p. 103. p willet de vocat . iud. malvend de antichristo . q in mat. 24. in hos . 2. in joh. 4. mic. 2 : r de civit. d. l. 18. c. 28. & 20 , 21. s mor. l. 35. c. 9. t in cant. ser . 39. u in apoc. mei p. 31. w sum. raymundi . p. 81. from the jewes our faith began , to the gentiles then it ran , to the jewes returne it shall , before the dreadfull end of all . x epit. cent. 16 part . 2. y p. 169. z doroth. synop. hieron . catal. socrat. l. 15. ruffin . l. 1. c 9. euseb . aliique a salmuth . in pancirol . de noviter repert . c. 1. p. 7. b bocha . geo. sac. p. 716. c acost . benzo . pet. mart. lerius . &c. d io. de laet in grot. part : p. 71. e bucholz chro. mei p. 136. f de vit. constant . l. 2. c. 65. g pet mart. decad. p. 95. &c. 244. malvenda . ibid. a de arcan cathol . vent . ▪ c. 24. p. 282. b lerius p. 230. c benz● p. 77. 111. 167. d surius in append . ad naucler . p. 775. e p. 222. f ovied . hist . ind l. 16. c. 11. in benzo . p. 295 g casa , benzo , alij historici passim . h iidem . i pet. mart : p. 506. guacca regio , jarima podex . k id. p. 525. l casa . p. 100. m casa . p. 24. n id. p. 60. o benzo . p. 111. id. ib. p. 7 & 8 p casa . p. 12. 22. 29. 54. q benzo . p. 285. r p. 289 , &c. s c. 89. t benzo . 179. 311. 315. &c. casa . p. 19. 11. id. p. 57. u tripartit . hist . l 2. c. 18. w catech. 16. p. 263. x cyropaid . passim . y de b. judaica l. 3. c. 57 ▪ z vbi supra . 7. p. 501. a lerius . p. 152. alijque cent. ad solin . p. 218. b hist . l. 7. c. 22. c lerius , alij . d p. 405. 406. notes for div a94301-e13070 a acost . l. 1. c. 9 b gages survey . p. 73. c m. parisad an. 1240 mei p. 732. & 756. d in m. s. e vbi supra ▪ f buxtors . synag . iud. c. 9. mei p. 231 : in grot : a hygin . astron . b bel , & drag . c agathias hist . m p. 142. d in euagr. l. 4. c. 18. e l. 1. 19. tract . p. cott. g vbisupra . h de c. d. l. 16. c. 7. i idem . k geograp . l. 1. l apol. c. 39. m aelian . var. hist . p. 455. n l. 2 c. 89 91. o chro. anno 46 p verst●g . c. 4. lamb. peramb . p 18. chron. 1. pars . p. 225. q ibid. r in 10. de laet. p. 126. s ibid. p. 116. t ibid. & p. 25. u miscellan . sacr. l. 2. c. 4. w hist . l. 7. c. 3● & . l. 1. c. 20. a t. 3. ep. p. 69 ▪ b lerius . p. 169. c ante p. hujus 24. n. d versteg . p. 188. e hist . l. 6. c. 22 ▪ f qu. in gen. & comest . c. 37. g hist . l. 1. h prolog . ad l. 1 i de consolat ad helv. c. 7. k ben. gor. p : l in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l suidas thus computes the four hundred and thirty yeeres of israels being in egypt , and the land of canaan : from abrahams going into charran to isaacs birth , yeers 25 thence to iacobs nativity . 60 from him to levi. 87 from levi to caath . 45 from ceath to amram . 63 from amram to moses . 70 from moses to their exodus , and going out . 80 summe 430 yeeres ▪ a ler. hist . pre p. 8. f. in sev. p. 83. t. 2. ep. p. 75. lib. 6. geor. l. 4. b hier. in loc . c vbi supra . d chrisost . in 1 cor. 2. m. p. 218. e in io. tr. 4. notes for div a94301-e16310 a meth. hist . p. 522. casas . p. 134. &c. b stow ad an. 1501 , & 1502. c purchas . l. 4. c. 13. d stow. ibid. e l. 3. p. 360. f sermon to virginia planters . an. 1622. p. 20. 26. h declara . of virginia . p. 11 ▪ i mr cott. ans . p. 27 , &c. k declara . of virgin. vbi supra . l mr cot. ibid. m metrop . 129. n ibid. o ib. mr cott. p ibid. q ser. 16. init a benzo . p. 76. 77. passimque . b id. p. 11. &c. c id. p. 100. 104. 248. &c. d id. ibid. &c. e id. p. 251. f casas . p. 27. 101. 115. g p. 100. 104. h hist . l. 6. c. 1. i epist . before . k p. 32. 444. l presat . p. 38. m id. p. 221. 225 m id. 230. 248. 301. &c. o cap smith . p. 11. p book of that planta . anno 1632. p. 12. q treatises thereof . r malvenda ubi supra . p. 150. s cap. smith . p. 63. t barradus . t. 2. l. 8. c. 4. u de nat . nov ? orb. l. 1. c. 15. w p. 85. 93. &c. x malvenda ubi supra . p. 154. y ho. sta. p. 194. z hist . l. 1. a herberts sacr . poems . p. 190. b lerius . p. 62. 300. 338. a in loc . b agathias . l. 1. c ad scap. init . d apolog. 2. p. 300. 450. e crantz . l. 1. c. 7. l. 2. f de vit. const . l. 2. c. 55. g hist . p. 100. h tripartit ▪ l. 10. c. 5. i vit. per g. patriark . k ep. p. 439. l cap. smith . p. 20. 37. &c. m sozem. l. 2. c. 6. n hist l. 6. c. 25 o p. 388. p l. 7. c. 30. q vbi supra . p. 16. lib. 5. ep. 10. r benzo . p. 256. s id. p. 390. a in math. 16. b casas . p. 66. p. 35. p. 34. 99. c p. 11. d io. de lact. descr . amer. pref . e casas . p. 22. f p. 118. g hist . l. 4. c. 2. h p. 204. l ep. before ferm . in jona . m in tertul. p. 103. n hist . l. 6. c. 28 cas . ●●ud hist . p. 116. id. ibid. i l. 2. c. 16. k benzo . p. 257. charter . a clapmar arcan . reip. p. 52. 40 caroli . b serm. p. 81 , 82. &c. c rogers pref . p. 19. d pref. basil . dor. e parlia . spe ? anno. 1603. f his workes . p. 358. g res . ad apol. p. 28. h rogers passim . i m. s. a resp . ad apol. p. 29. b king iames workes . p. 340. c institut . l. 4● c. 20. d letter 20 ▪ of the 10 moneth . 1635. charter . e calvis . beza . gualt . alii . f epit. cent. 16. p. 185. 285. & concil . dordrac . g andr. posthu . p. 176. h ●…p . p. 749. i honor. reg. commentar . dautisci . 1647. k idem ibid. hieron . tit. l simp. c. p. 42 m sir h. s. p panang . p. ●92 . a discourse of new england not printed . relat. of proceagainst sa. gort . p. 99. discourse before mentioned . a in bed. ecclesiast . hist . l. 2. c. 1. b lambard peramb . of kent . p. 5. c hist . l. 1. c. 5. d malmbs . p 1. and beda . l. 1. c. 25. e daybreak● &c. f greg. m. g dr. vane lost sheepe . p. 186. h crantz . met. p. 405. 8. 12. lib. 5. ep. 58. 59. i hist . l. 2. c ▪ 7. a lerius , hist . praef . b benzo . p. 390. c hesiod . op. & di. l. 2. d theodor. hist . l. 5. c. 29. lib. 9. ep. 56 , 57. e gage survey of america . p. 81. f id. p. 3. a agathon in doroth. doctr. & vita patrum . b erasm , ep. 6. c p. 24. d tit. ecclesiasticall . p. 19. 20 e tit. anabaptists . p. 1. f tit. indians . p. 28. 29. g tit. scheels . p. 47. h tit. college . p. 12. sermon at westm . in ann. 1646. iuly , 30. è iob. 11. 22 m stat. eccles . brit. praeface . day breaking if not the sun-rising of the gospel with the indians in new-england . printed for fulk clifton , on new pish . street hill . 1647. page . 1. & 2 : p. 3. questions of the indians . p. 4. p. 5. p. 6. questions to them . p. 7. second comming . p. 8. p. 9. questions . p. 10. p. 11. p. 12. p. 13. a weeping indian . p. 14. observations . p. 17. third meeting novemb. 26. ●… questions . p. 19. p. 20. p. 22. indian lawes . p. 23. indian prayers fourth meeting . p. 24. p. 25. the clear sun-shine of the gospel upon the indians , &c. by mr. shepheard . 1648. p. 3. orders made by divers sachims , at concord , 1646. p. 5. p. 6. p. 7. indian womens questions . p. 8. p. 9. p. 10. an indians dreame . p. 11. indian questions . p. 13. p. 19. p. 20. indian cases and admonitions , of one beating his wife . p. 21. or an unruly son recovered . p. 22. p. 23. prayer . p 24. questions . p. 25. indian cases . p. 27. p. 33. p. 34. p. 35. p. 37. the glorious progresse of the gospel among the indians , &c. published by mr winslow , 1649. an indian woman living and dying christianly . p. 6. p. 7. p. 8. p. 10. indian questions . p. 20. letter to mr winslow . 18. of the 8. 1649. day break . p. 22. cleare sun-shine . p. 5. 2 treatis . p. 35 ▪ k t. 2. ep. p. 126. lib. 4. ep. 52. l. 5. 10. 152. &c. n crantz . metrop . l. 5. c. 18. notes for div a94301-e27170 elul is the first moneth of the jewish yeere answering to our august and to some part of september . digitus dei: nevv discoveryes with sure arguments to prove that the jews (a nation) or people lost in the world for the space of near 200 years, inhabite now in america; how they came thither; their manners, customs, rites and ceremonies; the unparallel'd cruelty of the spaniard to them; and that the americans are of that race. manifested by reason and scripture, which foretell the calling of the jewes; and the restitution of them into their own land, and the bringing back of the ten tribes from all the ends and corners of the earth, and that great battell to be fought. with the removall of some contrary reasonings, and an earnest desire for effectuall endeavours to make them christians. whereunto is added an epistolicall discourse of mr john dury, with the history of ant: monterinos, attested by manasseh ben israell, a chief rabby. by tho: thorowgood, b:d. thorowgood, thomas, d. ca. 1669. 1652 approx. 343 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 91 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a62471 wing t1066 estc r219280 99830770 99830770 35224 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a62471) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 35224) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2082:14) digitus dei: nevv discoveryes with sure arguments to prove that the jews (a nation) or people lost in the world for the space of near 200 years, inhabite now in america; how they came thither; their manners, customs, rites and ceremonies; the unparallel'd cruelty of the spaniard to them; and that the americans are of that race. manifested by reason and scripture, which foretell the calling of the jewes; and the restitution of them into their own land, and the bringing back of the ten tribes from all the ends and corners of the earth, and that great battell to be fought. with the removall of some contrary reasonings, and an earnest desire for effectuall endeavours to make them christians. whereunto is added an epistolicall discourse of mr john dury, with the history of ant: monterinos, attested by manasseh ben israell, a chief rabby. by tho: thorowgood, b:d. thorowgood, thomas, d. ca. 1669. dury, john, 1596-1680. manasseh ben israel, 1604-1657. [44], 136, [4] p. printed for thomas slater, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the angell in duck-lane, london : 1652. includes an initial contents page. caption title on p. 1: jewes in america, or, probabilities that the americans are jewes. includes errata at foot of t2r. reproduction of the original in the trinity college (university of cambridge) library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng montezinos, antonio de, d. ca. 1650 -early works to 1800. jews -antiquities -early works to 1800. lost tribes of israel -early works to 1800. indians of north america -early works to 1800. 2003-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-09 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2003-09 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion septem . 4. 1649. i have perused this learned and pious discourse concerning the americans , and thinking that it will much conduce to that most christian worke of their conversion to the faith of the lord jesus christ , i doe approve it as very worthy to be printed and published . iohn downame . digitus dei : nevv discoveryes ; with sure arguments to prove that the iews ( a nation ) or people lost in the world for the space of near 200 years , inhabite now in america ; how they came thither ; their manners , customs , rites and ceremonies ; the unparallel'd cruelty of the spaniard to them ; and that the americans are of that race . manifested by reason and scripture , which foretell the calling of the iewes ; and the restitution of them into their own land , and the bringing back of the ten tribes from all the ends and corners of the earth , and that great battell to be fought . with the removall of some contrary reasonings , and an earnest desire for effectuall endeavours to make them christians . whereunto is added an epistolicall discourse of mr iohn dury , with the history of ant : monterinos , attested by manasseh ben israell , a chief rabby . by tho : thorowgood , b : d. cant. 8. 8. we have a little sister , and she hath no breasts , what shall we doe for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for ? mat. 8. 11. many shall come from the east , and from the west , and shall sit down with abraham , and isaac , and jacob in the kingdome of heaven . aethiopes vertuntur in filios dei , si egerint paenitentiam , & filii dei transeunt in aethiopes , si in profundum venerint peccatorum ; hieronym . in esai . london , printed for thomas slater , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the angell in duck-lane . 1652. to the honovrable knights and gentlemen that have residence in , and relation to the county of norfolk , peace , from the god of peace . when the glad tidings of the gospels sounding in america by the preaching of the english arrived hither , my soule also rejoyced within me , and i remembred certaine papers that had been laid aside a long time , upon review of them , and some additions to them , they were privately communicated unto such as perswaded earnestly they might behold further light ; being thus finished , and licenced also to walke abroad , as they were stepping forth , that incivility charged upon chrysippus occurred , that he dedicated not his writings to any king or patron , which custome presently seemed not onely lawfull , but as ancient as those scriptures where saint luke in the history of the acts of the apostles applies himselfe to theophilus , act. 1. 1. and saint iohn to the elect lady , so named , some thinke , or for her graces so entituled , i was easily induced to follow this fashion , and my thoughts soone reflected upon you , who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lovers of god , and choice ▪ men of your countrey . i may be censured for this high , generall , and ambitious dedication ; but i doe freely publish my own utter unworthinesse : t is true , my respects and love be very much to you all , and my native soile , yet in this i doe not drive any private designe , i looke beyond my selfe , at your honour , the honour of the nation , yea the glory of god , and the soule-good of many millions that are yet in darknesse and out of christ ; by you is the following tract communicated to the world , i wish and pray , that the designe bespoken in it may be cordially furthered by you , and all that read or heare thereof ; t is like you will finde in the probabilities so many iudaicall resemblances in america , that as it was said of old , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , either plato writes like philo the iew , or philo is become platonicke ; so the iewes did indianize , or the indians doe iudaize , for surely they are alike in many , very many remarkable particulars , and if they bee iewes , they must not for that be neglected ; visible comments indeed they are of that dismall text , thou shalt become an astonishment , a proverbe , and a by-word to all nations , &c. deut. 20. 37. and so they are every where to this day : what more reproachfull obloquy is there among men , then this , thou art a iew ? oh the bitter fruits of disobedience ; and t is high time for us gentiles to lay up that example , in the midst of our hearts , pro. 4. 21. remembring alwaies , because of unbeliefe they were broken off , and , if god spared not the naturall branches , take heed lest hee spare not thee . rom. 11. 21. it was a suddaine sentence , tam viles inter christianos iudaei , ut inter mundum triticum mures , iewes are as bad and vile among christians , as mice in cleane whoate ; for glorious were their privileges , and we have a share in some of them , that last especially — of whom concerning the flesh christ came , who is god over all , blessed for ever , rom. 9. 4 , 5. and for another thing they have highly merited our regard — to them were commited the oracles of god , rom. 3. 9. the holy scriptures were concredited to them , and they have faithfully preserved them for us , and conveyed them to us : former times indeed found cause to exterminate them these dominions , i say nothing for such their reintroduction , which must be with sacred and civill cautions , that the svveet name of our dearest lord be not blasphemed , nor the natives robbed of their rights , but when will christians in earnest endeavour their conversion , if the name of ievv must be odious everlastingly ? i speak for their gospelizing , though some suspect they are never likely to come again under that covenant , as if the liber repudii , the bill of divorce mentioned by the prophet did put them away from god for ever , esa. 50. 1. as if they should return to their spouse no more , but that there is for them a time of love , and that they shall be grafted in , rom. 11. 23. is manifested afterwards upon scripture grounds ; and if the period of their wandering be upon its determination , and their recovery approching , how may wee rejoyce in the returne of that prodigall ? it is meet that wee should make merry and be glad , for our brother that was dead is reviving againe , luk. 15 : 32. how should wee beg for them that god would poure upon them the spirit of grace and supplication , that they may looke upon him whom they have pierced , and mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne . zach. 12. 10. or if the lost tribes are not to be found in america , of whatsoever descent and origination the poore natives be , if they finde the lord christ , and the nov-angles be the wisemen guiding them unto their peace , great cause shall wee have to lift up the high praises of our god in spirituall exultation ; how should wee cast our mite into this treasury , yea our talent , our talents , if wee have them ? for certainely the time is comming , that as there is one shepherd , there shall be one sheepfold ▪ io. 10. 16. it is true , our owne countrey in many respects stands in need of helpe , wee are fallen into the last and worst times , the old age of the world , full of dangerous and sinnefull diseases , iniquity is encreased , and if ever , if to any people , the saying of that torrent of tullian eloquence ( so ierome calls lactantius ) be applicable , it is to poore england , that is not onely in the gall of bitternesse , but in the very dregs of error and ungodlinesse , ideo mala omnia rebus humanis ingravescunt , quia deus hujus mundi effector ac gubernator derelictus est , quia susceptaesunt , contra quam fas est impiae religiones , postremo quia ne coli quidem vel à paucis deus sinitur . but , o my soule , if thou be wise , be wise for thy selfe , pro. 9. 12. and give mee leave to say to you as moses to his israell , onely take heed to your selves , and keepe your soules diligently , deut. 4. 9. make your calling and election sure , 2 pet. 1. 10. and because you are the children of faithfull abraham , command your children and families that they walke in the waies of the lord , gen. 18. 9. and let who will serve themselves , follow lying vanities , and set up their owne lusts ; let every one of us say and do as ioshua , i and my house will serve the lord , iosh. 24. 15. and not onely serve the lord with and in our housholds , but in furthering the common good of others , and t is considerable god is pleased to owne publique interests , though in civill things with the name of his owne inheritance . but this is the sinne , this is the misery of these times , all seek their owne , not the things of iesus christ. even regulated charity may beginne at home , it may not , it must not end there , it is the onely grace that is sowne on earth , it growes up to heaven and continues there , it goes with us thither , and there abides to all eternity , and t is therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , greater then faith and hope , not from continuance onely , but its extensivenesse , it delights to be communicative , it reacheth an hand of helpe one way or other to every one that needs , though at never so great a distance ; after the cloven tongues as of fire h●…warmed the affections of the holy apostles , they had so much love to soules that they forgat their fathers house , discipled all nations , and preached the gospel to every creature , their line went through all the earth , and their words to the ends of the world , that former known world , the same spirit hath warmed the hearts of our countreymen , and they are busie at the same worke in the other , the new-found world ; for behold a white horse and he that sate on him had a bow , and a crown was given unto him , and hee went forth conquering , and to conquer ; so the lord christ shall be light to that world also , and gods salvation to the ends of the earth . britain hath woon the gospel-glory from all other countries , not onely imbracing it with the formost , as old gildas testifieth , but it was the first of all the provinces that established christianity by a law saith sabellicus , our lucius was the first christian king that annales make mention of , and venerable bede out of eutropius declareth that constantine the first christian emperour , was created to that dignity in this island , & sozom. l. 9. c. 11. saith that so were marcus & gratian also ; but constantine brought further honour to the nation & religion : for the 〈◊〉 bede , and ponticus virunnius affirme expresly , that constantine was born in britaine ; after this , ingemuit orbis videns se totum romanum , all the world wondred after the beast , & groaned under the papall servitude , and our k. henry the eight was the first of all the princes who brake that yoke of antichrist : but neerer yet to our purpose ; the inhabitants of the first england , so verstegan calls that part of germany whence our ancestors came hither with the saxons and iutes , derive their christianity from iewry , ad nos doctrina de terra iudaeorum per sanctos apostolos , qui docebant gentes , pervenit , as that great linguist , learned , and laborious mr wheelocke hath observed , and translated out of the old saxon homilies , t is but just therefore lege talionis , that we repay what we borrowed , and endeavour their conversion who first acquainted us with the eternall gospell , and if it be probable that providence honoured this nation with the prime discovery of that new world , as is intimated hereafter , it is true without all controversie , that from this second england god hath so disposed the hearts of many in the third , new england , that they have done more in these last few yeares towards their conversion , then hath been effected by all other nations and people that have planted there since they were first known to the habitable world , as if that prophesie were now in its fulfilling ; behold , i will doe a new thing , now it shall spring forth , shall ye not know it ? i will even make a way in the wildernes and rivers in the desart , &c. when our ancestors lay also in darkenesse and the shadow of death , gregory wrote divers epistles to severall noblemen and bishops , yea and to some kings and queenes of france and england , these sir h. spelman that famous antiquary , your noble countreyman , and of alliance to divers of you , calls epistolas britannicas , which are also mentioned afterwards ; in these he gives god thankes for their forwardnesse to further the worke of grace , and desires earnestly the continuance of their bountifull and exemplary encouragement of such as were zealously employed in that soule-worke , and that is one of the two businesses entended in the following discourse , which begs your assistance in your spheres , and cordiall concurrence to promote a designe of so much glory to the lord of glory . this is no new notion , or motion , all the royall charters required the gospellizing of the natives ; and in the beginning of this parliament there was an ordinance of lords and commons appointing a committee of both , and their worke was , among other things , to advance the true protestant religion in america , and to spread the gospell among the natives there ; and since , very lately , there is an act for the promoting and propagating the gospell of iesus christ in new-england . i wish prosperity to all the plantations , but those of new-england deserve from hence more then ordinary favour ; because , as by an edict at winchester , about eighth hundred yeeres since , king ecbert commanded this country should be called angles-land , so these your countreymen of their owne accord , and alone , were , and are , ambitious to retain the name of their owne nation ; besides , this england had once an heptarchate , and then your countrey was the chiefe of that kingdome called anglia orientalis , and these are the neerest of all the seven to you in name , nov-angles , east-angles ; i pray that you would be nearest and most helpefull to them in this most christian and gospel-like designe , which i leave with you , and two or three petitions at the throne of grace for you ; one is that of moses , yee shall not doe after all the things that wee do heare this day , every man whatsoever is right in his owne eyes , but that ye walk by rule and not by example ; this is an age much enclining to enthousiasmes and revelations ; men pretend to externall and inward impulses , but wee must remember , though wee had a voice from heaven , yet having the scriptures wee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure propheticall word , whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed , as unto a light , that shineth in a darke place , untill the day dawne , and the day starre arise in your hearts ; here is a comparison , even with an heavenly voice , which must vaile and submit to the written word , because poore mankind may easily be deluded by him , who among his many other wiles and depths can transform himself into an angel of light . againe , my prayer for you is , that in the wofull concussions and commotions of these daies , your selves may stand firme and unmoveable : you have seene the waters troubled , and the mountaines shaken with the swelling thereof , oh , that you may say , in and with holy davids sense , though an host should encampe against me , my heart shall not feare , though warre should rise up against me , in this will i be confident ; this ? and what is it , but ver . 1. the lord is my light and my salvation , whom shall i feare , the lord is the strength of my life , of whom shall i be afraid ; even heathens have said much and done much towards that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , magnanimity and patience , but christians have an higher prospect , they looke above the terrors of men , and they doe not feare their feare ; for as stephen through a showre of stones , they can see the heavens open and the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of god ; nihil erus sentit in nervo , si animus sit in caelo , they are not so much affected with what they feele , as with that they believe , because we walk by faith and not by fight . and oh , that these strange mutations may perswade us all , all the daies of our appointed time to waite , untill our change come , even that change which never , never can again be changed ; these are the last times and yet a little while , yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet a little , little while , and hee that shall come will come , and will not tarry , his fan is in his hand , and he will throughly purge his floore , and gather the wheate ▪ into the garner , but will burne up the chaffe with ▪ unquenchable fire . the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement , for all faces shall then be unmasked , and every vizard shall be plucked off , the lord will then bring to light the hidden things of darknesse , and will make manifest the counsels of the heart , and then every one that hath done well , shall have praise of god. the lord god of our mercies fit you for his appointment , stablish you in every good word and worke , and keepe you from evill , that you may give up your account with joy , and not with griefe ; and now i commend you all , and all that love that appearing of our lord , unto the word of his grace , which is able to build you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified ; such is the serious and unfaigned devotion for you , of him who willingly subscribes himselfe , your most humble servant in our dearest lord , tho : thorowgood . the preface to the reader . bona domus in ipso veistbulo debet agnosci saith austin , the portall commonly promiseth somewhat of the house it self , and prefaces be as doors that let in the reader to the booke , and bespeake much of the intention of the writer ; you are in some measure prepared already by the foregoing epistle , with the forefront , and first page : marsilius ficinus said of his booke de triplici vita ▪ esca tituli tam suavis quam plurimos alliciet ad gustandum , the title will invite some to further enquiry ; it is in mans nature to be well pleased with novelties , thence later times have had good leave to correct former mistakes . it was written with confidence long since , that the shee beares did licke their informe litter into fashion , that the young viper thrusts its dam out of the world to bring it selfe into it , and that the swan sings its owne dirige at his dying , all which be sufficiently confuted by after experiences , famous varieties of this sort be daily produced to view , those are curious enquiries into common errors by doctor browne . it was said of one contort in body , but of a fine spirit , animus galbae malè habitat , it was a bad house for so good an inhabitant ; many thought so and worse of richard the third , king of england , till those late endeavours to rectifie him and his readers . that geographia sacra is an exact and accurate worke , in respect of the subject and materials , the scattering of nations at the building of babel , and it may puzzle some mens thoughts , that hee should know so well the places of their dispersion so long since , and yet wee continue ignorant what is become of gods owne first people , which shall be recovered to him againe , and have not been missing so many yeeres . the trojans , though now no nation , live yet in the ambitious desire of other people , clayming from them their descent : the iewes , once the lords owne peculiar people , are now the scomme and scorne of the world ▪ florus calls their glory the temple , impiae gentis arcanum ; democritus another historian said they worshipped an asses head , every third yeere sacrificed a man , &c. others speake spightfull things of them , and their pe●…tigree ; only the lacedemonian king , in that letter whereof you have a copy , 1 macab . 12. 20. &c. tells onias the high priest. it is found in writing that the spartaens and iewes are brethren , and come out of the generation of abraham . the originall indeed of the iewes is assuredly knowne to themselves and all christians ; wee have no such evidence for any other people that have now a being ; there is nothing more in the darke to the inhabitants of the severall parts of this earth , then their owne beginnings , and t is thus in countries of along time knowne to each other , and yet in such disquisition they cannot affoord one another almost any light or help ; no wonder therefore that the originall of the americans is in such uncertaine obscurity , for their very name hath not been heard of much more than one hundred and fifty yeares , t is a wonder rather that so great a part of the world should be till then terra incognita , not withstanding the ambition , curiosity , and avarice of mankind carried him into a greedy inquisition after all places and corners where men and beasts abode , or any commodity was to be found : hieronimus benzo in his nova novi orbis historia , so often hereafter mentioned , professeth , that above all things concerning the americans , his great designe was to finde out what thoughts they had of christians ; touching the countrey it selfe in the topography and other particulars , besides divers mentioned in the following discourse ; some have of late done excellently that way : that t is no part of my businesse , which , next to the desire of their conversion to christ , was , and is , to aske whence they came ; and that they be iudaicall , i have laid together severall conjectures as they occurred in reading and observing , to stirre up and awaken more able inquisitors , to looke after the beginning , nature , civilizing , and gospellizing those people , and to cast in my poore mite towards the encouragement of our countreymen in such their pious undertaking ; and though some men have spoken meane things of them in reference to their labours that way , as if they had been negligent therein , such men consider not i feare , how long their countreymen have been wrastling with divers difficulties , and busily employing their minds and time in providing outward accommodations for themselves in a strange land , they remember not the naturall perversenesse of all mankind to spirituall things , nor with what counterworkes satan doth oppose the underminers of his principalities , nor how he hath broken the language of the natives into severall tongues and dialects to impede their conversion , nor how the novangles have themselves been broken into divers ruptures , lest they should be at leasure to further the enlargement of christs kingdome upon the spoiles and dimination of his ; this was in the purpose of their hearts at first , and now to their comfort they do abundantly see that the natives are a docible people , who for their contempt of gold & silver , and for some other reasons , have been deemed bruitish , and almost irrationall ; but to what is after written it may be mentioned in this place , that in mexico they were observed to be wise and politique in government , to the admiration of christians , yea they were not ignorant in those parts of letters and writing , though in a different fashion from others : acosta did observe , the iewes write from the right hand to the left , others from the left to the right , the chinois or east-indians write from the top to the bottom , & the mexicans from the bottome to the top , the reformed dominican in his new survey of the west-indies , tells of a town as he travelled , called amat titlan , a towne of letters , and of very curious artifices of their citizens , of goldsmiths worke and otherwise , their ingenuity , cunning and courage is marvelously manifest in their leading a whale as big as a mountaine , with a cord , and vanquishing him in this manner ; by the helpe of their canoes or little boats , they come neare to the broad side of that huge creature , ●…and with great dexterity leape upon his necke , there they ride as on horsebacke , and thrust a sharpe stake into his nosthrill , so they call the hole or vent by which they breathe , he beats it in with another stake as forcibly as hee can , the furious whale in the meane time raiseth mountaines of waters , and runnes into the deep with great violence and paine , the indian still sits firme , driving in another stake in o that other passage , so stopping his breath , then hee goes againe to his canoe , which with a cord hee had tied to the whales side , and so he passeth to land ; the whale running away with the cord , leaps from place to place in much paine till hee gets to shoare , and being on ground , hee cannot move his huge body , then a great number of indians come to the conquerer , they kill the whale , cut his flesh in pieces , they dry it ▪ and make use of it for food , which lasts them long , thus plainely verifying that expression , psal. 74. 14. thou breakest the heads of leviathan in pieces , and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wildernesse : when , or where , or by whom is this thus done , but by these ? who will not now desire , and willingly lend his helpe to cover their naked bodies , and cloath their more naked soules with the gospel , who , and who alone have so litterally fulfilled that scripture of our god ? but let me commend three other things to thy consideration , that thy affections may bee warmed towards thy countreymen , and they receive encouragement in the planting of themselves , and the gospel among the natives . first , they may be preparing an hiding place for thy selfe , whoover , whatever now thou art , thou mayst be overtaken by a tempest , and stand in need of a shelter , and where canst thou be better for sweetnesse of aire and water , with the fertility of the soile , giving two wheate harvests in one yeare in severall places , yea in some , three , saith p. martyr , and books generally speake of that land as of a second canaan : and for new-england you may believe the relation of a very friend there to his like here , who mutually agreed upon a private character , that the truth might be discovered without deceit or glozing , and thus he wrote to him whom he entirely loved . the aire of this countrey is very sweet and healthfull , the daies two houres shorter in summer , and two houres longer in winter then they be with you , the summer is a little hotter , and the winter , a little colder , our grounds are very good and fruitfull for all kind of corne , both english and indian , our cattell thrive much better here then in old england , fowle encrease with us exceedingly , wee have many sweet and excellent springs ▪ and fresh rivers , with abundance of good fish in them ; of a very truth , i ▪ believe verily , it will be within a few yeares the plentifullest place in the whole world , &c. i might proclaime , saith lerius , the inhabitants of that land happy , meaning the natives , if they had knowledge of the creator ; so that as parents intending to marry their daughters well , extend themselves in what they may to encrease their portion , and make way for their preferment , our heavenly father hath dealt thus with these americans , enriching them with gold , silver , good aire , good water , and all other accommodations for use and delight , that they might be the more earnestly wooed and sought after . and yet further , as he commended his house offered to sale , that it had good neighbours , if thou beest driven thither , goe chearefully , for thou goest to thine owne countreymen , from one england to another , new england indeed , witnesse that experimented asseveration of him worthy of credit , who having lived in a colony there of many thousand english almost twelve yeares , and was held a very sociable man , speaketh considerately , i never heard but one oath sworne , never saw one man drunke , nor ever heard of three women adulteresses , if these sinnes be among us privily , the lord heale us , i would not be understood to boast of our innocency , there is no cause i should , our hearts may be bad enough , and our lives much better . and yet they have more abundantly testified their pious integrity in serious endeavours to propogate gospel-holinesse , even to those that be without , their godly labours christianizing the natives must be remembred to their praise , they have had long and longing preparative thoughts and purposes that way , and as saint paul once to his corinthians , 2. 6. 11. they have seemed to say o americans , our mouth is opened unto you , our heart is enlarged , you are not straightned in us , be not straightned in your owne bowels , and now for a recompence of all our endeavours to preach christ unto you , we aske no more , but be ye also enlarged with gladnesse to receive the lord iesus christ : their active industry in this kind with the successe is now famously visible in severall discourses , which whosoever shall read will be sufficiently contented in his spirituall and outward well-wishings to his friends , both of this nation and the natives , for the gospel runs there and is glorified : and here i crave leave to speake a word or two to the military reader , the late english american traveller , dedicating his observations upon his journeys of three thousand three hundred miles within the maine land of america , to the lord fairefax , speakes knowingly to his excellency , that with the same paines and charge that the english have been at in planting one of the petty islands , they might have conquered so many great cities , and large territories on the continent as might very well merit the title of a kingdom ; he shewes further , that the natives have not onely just right to the land , and may transferre it to whom they please , but that it may easily be wonne from the spaniards , and that for these three reasons among the rest . 1. the spaniards themselves are but few and thinne . 2. the indians and blackamoores will turne against them , and so will 3. the criolians , that is , the spaniards borne in america , whom they will not suffer to boare office in church or state ; looke westward then yee men of warre , thence you may behold a rising sunne of glory , with riches and much honour , and not onely for your selves , but for christ , whom you say you desire above all , and are delighted to honour : in youder countries , that the following leaves speake of , non cedunt arma togae , the pen yeelds to the pike , the first place of honour is given to the profession of armes , and therefore in mexico the noblemen were the chiefe souldiers ; thus you may enlarge not onely your owne renowne , but the borders of the nation , yea the kingdome of the king of saints . we have all made covenants and professions of reformation at home , with promises to propagate the gospell of our deare lord among those that remaine in great and miserable blindnesse , how happy were it for them and us , if this england were in such a posture of holinesse and tranquility , that all opportunities might be imbraced to advance its territories abroad ; in the interim i could wish with the most passionate , and compassionate of all the holy prophets , oh that my head were waters , and mine eyes a fountaine of teares , that i might weep day and night for the sinnes , and for the slaine of the daughter of my people , oh that i had in the wildernesse , &c. ier. 9. 1. 2. our countrey is justly called our mother , whose heavy gr●…anes under multiplied miseries be heard from all places , whose bowels doe not sympathizs with her , and yerne over her , who is not unwilling or ashamed to gather riches or honour from her rents and ruine ; the heathen orator spake affectionately , our parents are dear to us , and so be our children , alliances and familiars , but the love of our countrey , comprehends in it and with it all other dearnesses whatsoever ; and in another place , omnes qui patriam conserverunt , adjuverunt , auxerunt , certum est esse in caelo , t is certaine they are all in heaven that have been lovers and conservators of their countrey ; and when heathenish babylon was the place of israels exile , they are commanded by god himselfe , to seeke the peace of the city whether they were carried , and pray unto the lord for it , ier. 29. 7. it is recorded to the honour of mordecai , that he sought the wealth of his people , esth. 10. 3. the contrary to this entailes ignominy to men and their posterity , by the book of gods own heraldry , esa. 14. 20. thou shalt not be joyned with them in buriall , because thou hast destroyed thy land , and slaine thy people , the seed of evill doers shall never be renowned ; for that iudge judged righteously : in a civill warre there is no true victory , in asmuch as he that prevaileth is also a loser . but i returne , and reinvite to peruse these probabilities , and if they like not , because they are no more but guesses and conjectures , yet the requests i hope shall be listened unto , for they aime at gods glory and mans salvation , and nothing else ; and surely the poore natives will not be a little encouraged to looke after the glorious gospel of christ , when they shall understand that not onely the english among them , but wee all here are daily sutors for them at the throne of grace , so that we may say as paul to the romans , 1. 9. god is our witnesse , whom wee serve with our spirit in the gospel of his sonne , that without ceasing wee make mention of them alwaies in our prayers ; mr. elliot whose praise is now through all our churches , 2 cor. 8. 18. deserves publique encouragement from hence , besides those sprinklings of an apostal●…eall spirit received from heaven , by which in an high and holy ambition he preacheth the gospell where christ had not been named . rom. 15. 20. such another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , like-minded soule-lover is not readily to be found , that naturally careth for their matters , phil. 2. ●…0 . regarding the indians as if they were his owne charge and children , and as god hath furnished him with ministeriall and spirituall abilities for the worke . i wish that he and his com-presbyters and companions in that labour , might be supplyed with all externall accommodations , to further the civilizing , and gospellizing of the americans . and now me thinks i heare thee say also , oh that the day-breaking of the gospel there , might be the way of saints , even the path of the just , as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day , pro. 4. 18. and oh that all our nation here and there , would forbeare all other strivings , being ashamed and afraid lest their woefull quarrels be told in gath , and published in the streets of askalon , to the prejudice of the gospels progresse here and there and every where ; erasmus felt what he said of the differences in his time , tragaediae lutheranae mihi ipsi etiam calculo molestiores , and who laments not the wofull tearings of our nation ? who bewailes not to see the breakings of the sheepfold ? who mournes not to heare the strange bleeting of the flocks ? and what soule is not grieved for the great divisions of england ? and let me wish once more , oh that all who love the lord jesus in sincerity , would study to speake the same things , and that all would be perfectly joyned together in the same minde , and in the same judgement , 1 cor. 1. 10. converting all their tongue-combats , and pen-contentions into an earnest contending , that the faith once delivered to the saints ( iud. 3. ) might be preserved whole ▪ holy , and entire ▪ among themselves , and be with like holinesse and integrity communicated to the indians , that doe now so much hunger and thirst after that righteousnesse of our most deare lord and master christ ; let us all with our tongues , purses , pens , counsels , and prayers , promote this worke of god with one shoulder and consent : there be among us here that have had this in their daily devotions more then twenty yeares , which is mentioned to no other end but from desire to call in thy helpe also ; i will take leave by comm●…nding to thy practice the imitation of learned and holy theod. beza in his daily prayer for the iewes , lord iesus thou dost justly avenge the contempt of thy selfe , and that ingratefull people is worthy of thy most severe indignation ; but , lord , remember thy covenant , and for thy names sake ●…e favourable to those miserable wretches , and to us the most unworthy of all men , unto whom thou hast vouchsafed thy mercy , bestow this goodnesse also , that we may grow in thy grace , that we be not instruments of thy wrath against them , but rather , both by the knowledg of thy word , and by the examples of holy life , we may , by the assistance and vertue of thy holy spirit , reduce them into the right way , that thou maist once be glorified of all nations and people for ever , amen . iewes in america , or probabilities that the americans be iewes : from part. 1. generall introduction . chap. 1. six severall conjectures . 1. conjecture . their own acknowledgement . ch. 2. 2. rites and customes in both alike , common ceremonies such , chap. 3. and solemn . ch. 4. 3. their words and manner of speech , as the iewes . chap. 5. 4. their man-devouring . ch. 6. 5. they have not yet been gospellized . ch. 7. 6. their calamities , as 28. deut. ch. 8. part 2. some contrary reasonings removed . 1. in the generall . ch. 1. 2. particularly , how , 1. the jewes should get into america . chap. 1. 2. so few empeople that great part of the world . ch. 3. 3. become so prodigiously barbarous . chap. 4. part. 3. earnest desires for hearty endeavours to make them christian. 1. to the planters . 1. cause of their removall . chap. 1. 2. hope of the natives conversion . chap. 2. 3. directions to it . chap. 3. 4. cautions about it . chap. 4. 2. to the english there . 1. in behalfe of the planters , aspersions wiped off . chap. 5. & 6. 2. towards the natives conversion . 1. motives . chap. 7. 2. help●… . chap. 8. 3. encouragements from our countrymens plous endeavours there . ch. 9. 4. and the success●… thereof upon the indians . ch. 10. an epistolicall discourse of mr. iohn dury , to mr. thorowgood . concerning his conjecture that the americans are descended from the israelites . with the history of a portugall iew , antonie monterinos , attested by manasseh ben israel , to the same effect . sir , i am bound to thank you for the communication of your booke , which i have read with a great deale of delight and satisfaction ; for the rarity of the subject , and the variety of your observations thereupon , which you have deduced with as much probability to make out your theme , as history can afford matter : i did shew it to another friend of great judgement and ingenuity , who was so taken with it , that he said he would have it to be coppied out at his cost , if you would not publish it to the world , which hee and i have resolved to imp●…rtune you to doe : for although at first blush , the thing which you offer to be believed , will seeme to most men incredible , and extravigant ; yet when all things are laid rationally and without prejudice together , there will be nothing of improbability found therein , which will not be swallowed up with the appearance of contrary likelyhoods , of things possible and la●…ely attested by some to be truths : whereof to confirme your probable conjectures , i shall give you that information which is come to my hands at severall times in these late yeares , which you , ( if you shall thinke fit ) may publish to the world , as i have received them ▪ which to the probability of your conjectures adde so much light , that if the things which i shall relate be not meere fictions ( which i assure you are none of mine , for you shall have them without any addition , as i have received them ) none can make any further scruple of the truth of your assertion ; but before i come to particulars , i shall tell you of some thoughts which are come upon this occasion into my minde , concerning gods way of dealing with mens spirits for the manifestation of his truth and wisdome to those that seeke after it ; and concerning the wonderfull contrivances by which he brings his counsell to passe beyond all mens thoughts : i have observed ▪ and every one that will take notice must needs perceive , that the spirits of men in reference to spiritual matters , whether divine or humane ( by humane , i meane all matters of science and industry depending upon judgement and sagacity ) are distinguishable into two kinds , the one are stedfast to some principles , and the other are unstable ; this distinction in divine matters is clear , from 2 pet. 3. 17. iude , ver . 3 , 4 , 6 , 12 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 20 , 21. and in humane matters wee need none other proofe but daily experience . againe , these that are stedfast to their principles , will be found of two sorts ; some are led in an ordinary common way and rest therein , admitting of nothing further then what they have attained unto ; some ( though they doe not undervalue the ordinary waies which in their owne kinds are usefull and necessary , yet they ) aspire to something more then ordinary and rest not where they are , they believe that both in humane and divine matters , there is , as long as we are in this life , a plus ultra , and that we never ought to rest in seeking after the advancement of learning and the increase of knowledge , till wee shall come to see the father of lights face ro face ; the different inclinations of these three sorts of men in the world , leading them to different courses and straines in their proceedings , and these begetting divers encounters amongst them wherein they disagree , and know not how to right matters towards one another for mutuall content and edification , are the causes of all our strife and confusion in all affaires , as well of religious as of civill concernment ; nor is it possible to be free from the disorders and distempers , which make the life of mankinde uncomfortable in this kind , and full of vexation , till god hath removed those that fall away from their owne stedfastnesse out of the earth , which will not come to passe till hee hath filled the earth with the knowledge of the lord as the waters cover the sea ; till hee hath brought us all that are stedfast unto true principles , and that walke by rules , unto the unity of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of god , unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ : which things because they are clearely promised , wee may expect shall come to passe , but till then we shall be carried differently about with severall winds of doctrine , and ensnared in our owne ignorance by the cunning craftinesse of men who lie in waite to deceive ; for the unstable are either wickedly set to worke changes upon those that are setled for ends of their owne , or weakely carried up and downe through the uncertaine apprehensions of things differently represented unto them , sometimes one way and sometimes another ; so that between the motions of mens spirits subtilly unstable tending to unsettle others , and weakely stable susceptible of any unsettlement from others , all our changes and disorderly carriages , both in divine and humane affaires doe arise ; when either those that have no principles of truth to walke by , study lies to puzzle those that pretend to walke by rules , or those that have true principles vary from one another in their degrees of understanding , and in their manner of applying the same to advance knowledge , and to make discoveries of gods manifestation of himselfe ; for as these motions meet with one another in opposite courses , and men led thereby , stand by one another in disproportionat frames , or justle one another out of their places for contrary ends ; so all our confusions and revolutions of churches , and states , and therein of scientificall straines , and of practicall undertakings , arise differently in the world : here then is a threefold diversity in acting , the changeable and moveable disposition of the one sort , is made to try the stability of the other two , and those that are setled in an ordinary way , are tryers to those that are led forth to something that is extraordinary ; and those that upon allowed principles do rationally bring forth something more then ordinary , try the ingenuity of the other two , how farre they love truth for it selfe ; so that each of these puts his neighbour to the triall of his property , and constraines him to manifest the nature of his way , how farre it is , or is not from god : and although every thing which is beyond the ordinary straine , is liable to be censured and contradicted by men of ordinary apprehensions . who condemne for the most part as extravagant and ridiculous whatsoever is not levell with their capacities ; yet i am inclined to believe , that there is alwaies something of god in all men , that are led forth by extraordinary motions , namely when their spirits doe not reject the common true principles , and yet are raised above them , to apprehend conclusions and inferences which are not common ; and when their affections are regularly constant to their workes , and their undertakings pursued with sobriety in the feare of god , then i conceive that god hath put upon them a speciall stampe and character of his vertue , by which he doth fit them for some designe and service whereunto he hath raised them . i have observed this in very many men of publike spirits , most commonly they have bin laught at by others for going out of the common road-way of acting ; whether to make good some opinions , which others never dreamt of , or to doe some businesse which others have thought impossibilities to be effected ; ( i say ) i have observed , that when they have been led forth with modesty , without selfe conceitednesse and vanity , and when they have prosecuted their enterprises with remarkable perseverance , that god hath made them one way or other remarkably instrumentall and usefull towards their generation for the advancement of his worke , which is the reformation of this world , and the restauration of all things by the kingdom of iesus christ , whereunto all extraordinary gifts , and the unusuall leadings forth of mens spirits are preparatives . i could instance in severall men which i have known , and doe know abroad and at home , of severall professions , whose studies and endeavours have been lookt upon as whimsies and extravagancies by the road-way-men of that profession ; and yet i am perswaded that they are led and acted by that spirit which leadeth the children of god in all truth ; and because other men otherwise rationall and observant , ( who though not altogether destitute of the spirit , yet are not raised above the ordinary pitch ) do not know the drift of the spirit of these ; therefore these are lookt upon by them as men of odde conceits : i have seen some of the great rabbies of our times , heretofore much scandalized at the proposals and undertakings of mr comenius ; but it hath pleased god to assist him so with grace , and support him with constancy in his way , notwithstanding many trialls and temptations ; that he hath been able during his owne life , to see the usefulnesse of some of his endeavours , whereof a more full account will be given to the world very shortly . i could speake of others , whose attempts , though not so apparantly successefull during their life , yet no lesse usefull in their kind , and which in due time , will prove the grounds of great advantages and discoveries unto posterity , although in the generation where their lot is fallen to live , they have not been believed nor received . gods way to dispence grace is not according to outward appearances , and for this cause , the multitude doth not entertaine the instruments thereof with due esteem , nor the meanes by which it is offered to the world with respect , because they come in a homely dresse , and without the affectation of any shew ; neverthelesse wisdom at all times is justified by her children , and there take notice of her paths , and trace the counsell of god therein , for they can see that gods waies and counsels reach from end to end , and that he comprehends in his aime both that which is past , and that which is present , and that which is to come in future ages ; so that in the conclusion of all , he will make it appeare , that the unusuall motions of his servants , which the world have disesteemed and counted foolishnesse , have been the extraordinary worke of his spirit in them , whereby he doth convince the world of sinne , of righteousnesse , of judgement : of sinne , because the testimony which they bore to the truth was not received ; of righteousnesse , because they who served their generation faithfully with the righteous use of their talent in the midst of scorners , are justly taken away from an unthankfull generation and the evill day , to rest from their labours , that their workes may follow them ; and of judgement , because the selfe conceited pride and partiality of the wise and prudent of this world , shall be judged and condemned by the worke of his spirit , when he shall bring all the effects thereof together to make out his compleate designe against the world , and by the conjunction of the seemingly scattered parts which his servants have acted upon their stages , produce the new frame of a perfect scene , the catastrophe whereof shall make up a building fit for the kingdom of his son. i am fallen upon these thoughts , and acquaint you thus with them , partly to support mine owne spirit against the contradictions which i meet withall in the way wherein god hath set me , for the constant prosecution of peace and truth without partiality amongst my brethren ; partly to apologize for the drift of your spirit , whereby i perceive you have been led these many yeares in some of your studies ; for it is very evident to me , that you have sought after a matter , which to most men will seem incredible , rediculous and extravagant ; and to tell you the truth , before i had read your discourse and seriously weighed matters , when i thought upon your theme , that the americans should be of the seed of israell , it seemed to me some what strange and unlikely to have any truth in it ; but afterward when i had weighed your deduction of the matter , and lookt seriously upon gods hand in bringing into those parts of the world where the americans are , so many religious professors , zealous for the advancement of his glory , and who are possessed with a beliefe from the scriptures , that all the tribes of israell shall be called to the knowledge of jesus christ , before the the end of the world : and when i had recollected and laid together some other scattered and confused thoughts which at several times i have received , partly from the places of scripture , which foretell the calling of the jewes , and their restitution to their owne land , together with the bringing back of the ten tribes from all the ends and corners of the earth , partly from some relations which i had heard a few yeeres agoe concerning the ten tribes , which the jewes here in europe had given out ; and partly from the observations of gods way , which he seemes to make by all these changes ▪ and the dissolution of the states and empires of the world , towards some great worke , and extraordinary revolution which may shortly come to passe : all which things when i had called to mind and represented unto my selfe , i was so far from derogating any thing from that which you have conjectured concerning the american indians ; that i beganne to stand amazed at the appearances of the probabilities which so many waies offered themselves unto me , to make out and confirme the effect of that which you have said : and then i begun also upon another account , to wonder at the strangenesse of gods conduct over your spirit , that he should have set you a worke twelve or more yeeres agoe , after the search of such a matter , by historicall observations , whereof then so few , and almost no footsteps at all were extant to be traced , and whereof now , of a suddaine , the world is like to be filled with such evidences , that it wil be an astonishment to all that shall heare of it , and lay it to heart ; and that all who have any ingenuity will be constrained to confesse , that indeed there is a god who ruleth in the earth , and that he hath ordered the affaires of the nations by an universal providence , to bring to passe his own counsels , and that the things which hee hath revealed by his word , should in the latter times be accomplished ; for to my apprehension , this will be the great benefit of these discoveries ; namely , that the mouths of atheists will be stopped , and convicted of irrationality and foolishnesse : for when it shall appear to all men undeniably , that the transmigration of nations , and the affaires of this world , have not been carried hitherto by meere chance , or by the craftinesse of humane counsels , or by force ; but by the wisdome of a supreame conduct , who hath ordered all things from the beginning towards an end which hath been foreknown , and to a designe foretold . ( i say ) when this shall appeare , and that in the midst of all these changes and confusions , there is a conduct over-ruling the force of man , and disappointing the councels of the crafty ; then the eyes of all men will be upon the lord , and god alone will bee exalted in righteousnesse , and the holy one of israell in judgement : for seeing it is evident that the ten tribes of israell have been as it were lost in the world neare about the space of two thuusand yeeres , if now they should againe appeare upon the stage , first as it were in another world by themselves , and then afterward speedily come from thence hither to the land of their ancient inheritance , where they shall be joyned to their brethren the jews ( which is clearly foretold by the prophets shall come to passe ) if ( i say ) those things should now begin to come to passe , what can all the world say otherwise , but that the lords counsell doth stand , and that he hath fulfilled the words spoken by his servants the prophets concerning israel ; that although all the sinfull kingdoms of the nations shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth , yet that the house of iacob shall not be utterly destroyed , but shall be corrected in measure , for loe i will command ( saith god by the prophet ) and i will sift the house of israell among all nations , like as corne is sifted in the sieve , yet shall not the least graine fall upon the earth . these prophecies must needs be fulfilled , if there be a god in heaven who hath foretold them , and when he shall make this his word good unto israell , he will thereby make it undeniably apparent , that it was he himselfe and none other who did foretell it : and that it is also none but hee who brings the worke about beyond all humane appearances , according as he did foretell it : and by all this he will shew to all the world , that which he oft-times repeates by the prophet isaiah , that he alone is the saviour , and that there is none besides him , isa. 45. 5 , 6 , 15. till the end . the destruction then of the spirituall babylon by the restauration of israel , shall make out this to all the earth , that god alone is the lord over all , and the saviour of the people that put their trust in his name . now the appearances which offer themselves unto me , that these prophecies are towards their accomplishment , are many , which now i shall not insist upon , ( perhaps god will direct me to declare them in due season more fully then now i can intend ) but i shall onely mention that which i find to be a confirmation of your conjecture , leaving it to your owne discretion , what use you will make of it . first then i shall impart unto you some stories which i heard five or six yeeres agoe , when i was in the low countries , concerning the ten tribes ; and then i shall adde some information concerning the state of the iewes in our europaean and asiaatique worlds , which i have learned at other times by some providences which god hath offered unto mee ; and upon the whole matter i shall leave you to your further conjectures , by that which i shall guesse at . the first story which i heard was at the hague , a person of chief quality about the queen of bohemia , and one of her counsell , and a discerning godly man , and my speciall friend told me , that the jew ( a jeweller residing ordinarily at the hague ) whom i knew , had been there at court , and with great joy had told , that they of his nation had received from constantinople letters , bringing to them glad tidings of two speciall matters fallen out there ; the one was , that the grand seignior had remitted the great taxes which formerly had been laid upon the jewes of those parts , so that now they were in a manner free from all burthens , paying but a small and inconsiderable matter to that empire ; the other was , that a messenger was come unto the jewes who reside neere about the holy land , from the ten tribes , to make enquiry concerning the state of the land ; and what was become of the two tribes and the half which was left in it ; when they were transported from thence by salmanasser . this messenger was described to be a grave man , having some attendance in good equipage about him . he told them that the people from which hee was sent were the tribes of israel , which in the daies of hosea the king , were carried captives out of their owne land by the king of assyria , who transported them from samaria into assyria and the cities of the medes ; but they being grieved for the tronsgressions which caused god to be angry with them , they tooke a resolution to separate themselves from all idolaters , and so went from the heathen where they were placed by salmanassar , with a resolution to live by themselves , and observe the commandements of god , which in the●… owne land they had not observed : in prosecuting this resolution , after a long journey of a yeere and six moneths , they came to a countrey wholly destitute of inhabitants , where now they have increased into a great nation , and are to come from thence into their owne land by the direction of god ; and to shew them that hee was a true israelite , hee had brought with him a scroule of the law of moses , written according to their custome . the gentleman who told me this story , as from the mouth of the jew , said that it brought to his mind fully ( by reason of the agreement of circumstances almost in all things ) the story which is recorded in the second booke of esdras , which is called apocrypha , chap. 13. ver . 40. till 50. which will be found a truth if that messenger came and made this narrative . this was the first story ; and not long after viz. within the space of five or six moneths , a little before i came from the low countries , i was told of a jew who came from america to amsterdam , and brought to the jewes residing there , newes concerning the ten tribes ; that hee had been with them upon the border of their land , and had conversed with some of them for a short space , and seen and heard remarkable things whiles he stayed with them , whereof then i could not learn the true particulars ; but i heard that a narrative was made in writing of that which he had related , which before i went from holland last , i had no time to seeke after , but since the reading of your booke , and some discourse i have had with you about these matters , i have procured it from the low countries , and received a copie thereof in french , attested under manasseh ben israel his hand , that it doth exactly agree with the originall , as it was sent me , the translation thereof i have truly made without adding or taking away any thing ; and because i was not satisfied in some things , and desired to know how farre the whole matter was believed among the jewes at amsterdam , i wrote to manasseh ben israel , their chiefe rabbi , about it , and his answer i have gotten in two letters , telling me that by the occasion of the questions which i proposed unto him concerning this adjoyned narrative of mr. antonie monterinos , hee to give me satisfaction , had written insteed of a letter , a treatise , which hee shortly would publish , and whereof i should receive so many copies as i should desire : in his first letter dated novem. last , 25. he saies that in his treatise he handles of the first inhabitants of america , which he believes were of the ten tribes ; moreover , that they are scattered also in other countries , which he names , and that they keepe their true religion , as hoping to returne againe into the holy land in due time . in his second letter , dated the twenty three of december , he saies more distinctly thus : i declare how that our israelites were the first finders out of america ; not regarding the opinions of other men , which i thought good to refute in few words onely : and i thinke that the ten tribes live not onely there , but also in other lands scattered every where ; these never did come backe to the second temple , and they keep till this day still the jewish religion , seeing all the prophecies which speake of their bringing backe unto their native soile must be fulfilled : so then at their appointed time , all the tribes shall meet from all the parts of the world into two provinces , namely assyria and egypt , nor shall their kingdome be any more divided , but they shall have one prince the messiah the sonne of david . i do also set forth the inquisition of spaine , and rehearse divers of our nation , and also of christians , martyrs , who in our times have suffered severall sorts of torments , and then having shewed with what great honours our jewes have been graced also by severall princes who professe christianity . i prove at large , that the day of the promised messiah unto us doth draw neer , upon which occasion i explaine many prophecies , &c. by all which you see his full agreement with your conjecture concerning the americans , that they are descended of the hebrewes : when his booke comes to my hand , you shall have it god willing . in the meane time i shall adde some of my conjectures concerning the jewes which live on this side of the world with us in europe and asia ; these are of two sorts or sects , the one is of pharisees , the other of caraits , the pharisees in europe and asia are in number farre beyond the caraits , they differ from one another wheresoever they are , as protestants doe from papists ; for the pharisees , as the papists , attribute more to the authoritie and traditions of their rabbies and fathers , then to the word of god ; but the caraits will receive nothing for a rule of faith and obedience but what is delivered from the word of god immediately : and their name imports their profession , that they are readers of the text , or textuaries , for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you know when it relates to bookes and writings , is to be rendred . these two sects are irreconcilably opposite to each other , and as the papists deale with protestants , so do the pharisees with the caraits , they persecute and suppres them and their profession by all the meanes they can possibly make use of : nay as mr ritangle ( of whom i have all the informations which i know concerning the caraits ) tels me , the hatred of the pharisees is so fierce against their opposites the caraits , that they have anathematized them so ; as never to be reconciled unto them ; insomuch , that it is counted unlawfull so much as to speake to any of them , or to any that belongeth unto them , but at the distance of foure cubits at least ; their bookes and all things belonging to them , are avoided as things abominable and to be abhorred ; nor will the pharisees , although the caraits should become penitent , and desire to be joyned to their congregations , and renounce their owne way , admit of them as a caraite reconciled unto them : but the caraite must first become a christian , a mahumetan , or an idolater , before he can be admitted to joyne with them , that it may never bee said that a pharisee was reconciled to a caraite , or that a caraite is become a pharisee . as their principles and affections are thus different , so are their opinions , and the course of their life extremely opposite ; the pharisees are full of superstitious imaginary foolish conceits , and thalmudicall questions and nicities in their sermons and bookes ; the caraits are rationall men that take up no doctrines but what the scriptures teach , by comparing one text with another : the pharisees have wild and extravagant fancies concerning the messiah and his reigne ; but the caraits have true grounds of spirituall and raised thoughts concerning the messiah and his kingdome , little different from that which the better sort of christians truly believe , and professe of these misteries . the pharisees in their sermons insist upon nothing but their traditions and ceremonies , and foolish curiosities ; but the caraits insist onely upon necessary and profitable duties , teaching the way of godlinesse and honesty , to bring men from the outward forme to the inward power and spirituall performance of divine worship . as concerning their course of life , the pharisees live every where by a way of trading & usury , which is destructive to those with whom they have commerce ; but the caraits abhor that way , as pestilent unto humane societies , and betake themselves to trades , and manufactures , to become husbandmen , and servants in the places where they live , and to serve as souldiers under the magistrate , who doth protect them . this being the state and difference of these two sects , ( as he who in asia and some part of europe hath been above twenty yeers conversant with them , and a doctor in their synagogues , hath informed me ) i shall acquaint you with my conjectures concerning the event of our present troubles in the world over all , and the revolution of the jewish state , which are these ; that it is not unlikely to me that the issue and effect of these changes which now are wrought , and afoot to bee wrought in the world , ( wherein the highest powers are shaken , and a generall distresse is brought upon all the nations of the earth ) will be a breaking of the yokes of tyranny and oppression , under which not onely the jewes every where groan , but with them most of the gentiles , or rather all of them that are under an arbitrary power of absolute potentates , and superstitious selfe-seeking teachers ; that the breaking of these yokes is already a great way advanced . first , in the easterne china empire by the invasion of the tartarians . secondly , in the northerne and easterne mahometane empire , by the changes brought upon , and likely to fall out in the ottoman house and line ; and by the liberty which of late hath been granted to the jewes , not onely from taxes , but of repairing to ierusalem , and having synagogues there , which heretofore was utterly prohibited . thirdly , in the westerne , which is called the roman or german empire , by these late troubles , and the assistance which the king of the north the swede , hath given to protestants to maintaine their liberty : all the power of these yokes must yet further be broken in the supreame and subordinate ministers thereof ▪ in respect of the whole bodies of these empires , and of the particular kingdomes and states which resort under the same ; for all nations by the light of naturall reason , but chiefely those , whom the gospel hath enlightned , and prepared in a measure , to apprehend the hope of the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god , will more and more every where resent their priviledge and right to a freedome , from which they have been restrained , by the mistery of iniquity in spirituall and corporall matters ; and when the grounds of righteous order , of impartiall love to mankinde , and of common preservation , shall breake forth at last , and be taken notice of in the midst of these confusions and great troubles which fall upon all sorts of men ; then the jewes will come and appeare in their owne ranke , and for their own interest , they will by others be respected ; for their interest will be upon the dissolution of the mahometan , to resist and oppose the spanish monarchy , that it may not propagate it selfe eastward , and southward , beyond the mediterranean sea ; and that the inquisition by which they have been so cruelly persecuted , may be every where abolished ; but above all things , kept out of the holy land and their beloved city ierusalem : if then there should be any transactions ( as it is said there is like to be ) between the ottoman house and the house of spaine about the holy land , the jewes who are now at some liberty there , and begin from all parts of the earth to lift up their eyes to looke thitherward , will quickely resent it , and finde their interest to be the enjoyment of their owne inheritance ; and to helpe them to it , they will finde assistance from all christians that are not slaves to superstition and tyranny , and that assistance and favour which by such christians will be given them , may in gods hand be a meanes to open the pharisee his eyes , to see somewhat in christianity , from which he hath been hitherto blinded , by reason of the prejudice which the idolatry of the papall sea , and the spanish inquisition hath begotten in him . as for the caraits , god hath so ordered it , that the greatest bodies of them are in the northerne parts of the world , by which the ten tribes , if ever they come to the holy land , are like to come ; there be some few in russia , some in constantinople , some in alcair , some in persia , and some in other places of asia and of africa ; but mr ritangle told me that their chiefe bodie is amongst the asiatique and european tartarians , who now appeare upon the stage as beginning to be conquerers . for besides that which they doe fully possesse in china , they have tasted somewhat of a victorious progresse of late in poland , and they are the next pretenders to the ottoman crowne , if the line faile , which is like to be : their rising and dissipation abroad from their owne centers to their circumferences towards neighbour nations , will weaken them at home ; and if then , when they are not strong within their owne bounds , and by their invasions have weakened their neighbours southward on ; god call the ten tribes to march toward the place of their inheritance : the caraits their brethren will be leaders of them on their way , and so their march may be , as manasseh ben israel saith , to make their rendezvous in assyria ; and on the other side , the jewes that are pharisees , may make their rendezvous from arabia and other neighbouring places , and out of all europe into egypt ; that so when the shunamite shall returne ( as it is said in the canticles , chap. 6. ver . 13. ) the world may looke upon her , and may see in her the company of two armies , which both shall look towards ierusalem . then will the great battaile of harmageddon be fought , whereunto all these troubles and changes are but preparatives : then shall the sword of the spirit , the word of god , prevaile mightily over the spirits of all men ; the two edges thereof on the right hand and on the left , will cut sharpe , and pierce to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit , and of the joynts and marrow , and to the discerning of the thoughts and intentions of the heart : and when this sword shall be thus powerfull in the hands of his saints , ( the true protestants with the one troope , and the true caraits with the other ) then shall be fulfilled the prophecie of the psalmist , that vengeance shall be executed upon the heathen , and punishments upon the people ; that their kings shall be bound with chaines , and their nobles with fetters of iron ; and that the honour due to all saints shall be given them , to be made executioners of the judgement written in the word of god against them . we know not how neare these things are at hand , let us therefore be watchfull , and put on the armour of light , to be ready , when the bridegroome comes , to goe with him in our wedding garment , having our lamps burning , and provision of oile , into the wedding chamber . and to this effect , the lord teach us to be diligent , to be found of him in peace , without spot and blamelesse , that in the midst of these fightings and confusions , we may not be found as many are , smiting their fellow servants , eating and drinking largely of the spoile of those that are spoiled , and being drunken with the passions of malice , entertained for the revenge of injuries , or of covetousnesse and ambition , prosecuted for self-interests : and with this prayer i shall commend you to the grace of god , and rest , st iames , this 27 ian. 1649. 50. your faithfull friend and fellow labourer in the gospel of christ. j. dury . ievves in america , or , probabilities that the americans are iewes . chap. i. it hath been much , and many times , in severall mens thoughts , what genius devoted our countreymen so willingly to forsake their friends , and nation , exposing themselves by voyages long and perillous to so many inconveniences , as are to be encountred with by strangers in a forraigne and unchristian land ; some were hastened by their dislike of church government ; other perhaps were in hope to enrich themselves by such adventures ; and 't is like , divers of them did foresee those epidemicall calamities , now for so many years oppressing this forlorne nation , following thereupon solomons counsell , a prudent man foreseeth the evill , and hideth himselfe , &c. prov. 22. 5. or else those pious soules by a divine instinct , might happily bee stirred up to despise all hazards , that the natives for their temporall accommodations might bee spiritually enriched by the english , and though this was little seen at first in the endeavours , at least the successe of many gone thither , yet who can tell but supreme providence might then dispose mens hearts that way , themselves not discerning that influence ; even as cyrus promoted the cause of the jewes , he knew not why , nor whence , esa. 45. 4 , 5. upon confidence that the gospell of christ shall be revealed in the midst of that yet most barbarous nation , the next desire was , if possible , to learne the originall of the americans , and by observations from printed books , and written letters , and by discourse with some that had travelled to , and abode in those parts severall years , the probability of that opinion as yet praeponderates , that the westerne indians be of jewish race . a r. verstegan proves the saxons to be germans , because their speech is alike , the names of persons and things sometimes agree , and the idols of them both are not different ; bo●…ine b mentioneth 3. arguments b , by which the beginnings of people are discoverable , the faire and true dealing of historians , the comparing of language , with the description of the countrey , such helps have assisted also in this enquiry : grotius c conceiveth these americans to have come out of europe , passing from norway into iseland , thence by friesland into greenland , and so into estotiland , which is part of that western continent , hee is induced to that opinion from the names and words of places and things in both sounding alike : but io. de l●…et d abundantly disproves this conjecture , which yet the governor of the dutch plantation e there told mr. williams was his judgement : some others take them f to be a remnant of those canaanites that fled out of that land when the feare of israel approaching thither fell upon them , iosh. 2. 9. others thinke g it most probable , that they are tartars , passing out of asia into america by the straights of anian . emanuel de moraes h willingly believes them to be derived from the carthaginians and jewes ; from which latter that they be descended , these following conjectures are propounded to consideration . chap. ii. the first conjecture that the americans are iewes . the indians doe themselves relate things of their ancestors , a suteable to what we read of the jewes in the bible , and elsewhere , which they also mentioned to the spaniards at their first accesse thither ; and here the speech of my●…silus b occurred as observable : if we would know , saith hee , the antiquity and originall of a nation , there is more credit to be given to the natives and their neighbors , than to strangers , and caesar c concluded the britons to be gaules , because that was the affirmation of them both . p. martyr d tells at large , how muteczuma the great king of mexico in an oration made to his nobles and people , perswading subjection to the king of spaine , minds his countrey-men , that they heard from their fore-fathers , how they were strangers in that land , and by a great prince very long agoe brought thither in a fleet , they boast their pedigree from men preserved in the sea by god himselfe , that god made one man , and one woman , bidding them live together and multiply , and how in a famine hee rained bread for them from heaven , who in a time of drought also gave them water out of a rock : many other things , themselves say were done for them , such as the scriptures relate concerning the israelites at their comming out of aegypt , as , their peregrination many ye●…res , the oracles they received , their arke of bulrush , wherein vitzi-liputzli was included , of the tabernacle the ark e carried by foure priests , and how they pitched their tents according to its direction , and who seeth not saith malvenda f much probability that the mexicans are iewes , how could they else report the manner of their comming into the promised land ; they affirme there is one chiefe god , who hath been from all eternity , by whom the lesser gods were made , who became assistants in the fabrick and government of the world , as some of the g rabbins also called the angells con-creators with god , to whom the lord did say , let us make man in our image , &c. gen. 1. 26. the indians judge the sunne , moone and starres to be living creatures , a thing a so avowed in the jewish talmud h , shewing it to be a thing easie enough for the heavens to declare the glory of god , psalme 19. 1. seeing they have understanding soules as well as men and angels ; they i say of themselves , that they be strangers , and came from another countrey . moraes k before named doth not onely averre that many learned men in brasile take the natives to be jewes , but that they themselves , taught by a most ancient tradition , acknowledge their fore-fathers to be of that linage ; and peter martyr l hath from them also such a kinde of assertion : and now whereas some conceive the ten tribes to be either shut up beyond the m caspian mountaines , whence they could not get out , though they begged leave of alexander the great , yet the way was made miraculously unpassable against them , as the same comester relateth : others suppose n them to be utterly lost , and if once so , 't is probable in the opinion of some that they are to be found in america ; o acosta acknowledgeth this to be the judgemen●… of divers , to which he is not onely adverse himselfe , but endeavours to answer their arguments , as will be shewd hereafter ; to these conjectures of the natives , let this chapter bee concluded with the judgements of two others , that have reason for what they say , the first is p emanuel de moraes , forespoken of , affirming those of brasile to be judaicall : first , because those brasilians marrie into their owne tribe and kindred . secondly , their manner is also to call their uncles and ants , fathers and mothers . thirdly , they are given much to mourning and teares in their funerall solemnities : and last of all , they both have garments much alike . the next is master q r. williams , one of the first , if not the first of our nation in new england that learned the language , and so prepared towards the conversion of the natives , which purpose of his being knowne , hee was desired to observe if hee found any thing judaicall among them , &c. he kindly answers to those letters from salem in new england , 20th of the 10th moneth , more than ten yeers since , in haec verba . three things make me yet suspect that the poore natives came from the southward , and are jewes or jewish quodammod●… , and not from the northern barbarous as some imagine . 1. themselves constantly affirme that their ancestors came from the southwest , and thither they all goe dying . 2. they constantly and strictly separate their women in a little wigwam by themselves in their feminine seasons . 3. and beside their god kuttand to the south-west , they hold that nanawitnawit ( a god over head ) made the heavens and the earth , and some tast of affinity with the hebrew i have found . chap. iii. second conjecture ▪ the rites , fashions , ceremonies , and opinions of the americans are in many things agreeable to the custome of the jewes , not onely prophane and common usages , but such as be called solemn and sacred . common and prophane customes in both alike . 1 the indians a weare garments fashioned as the jewes , a single coate , a square little cloake , they goe barefoot : if you should aske a man of brasile what vestment would please him best , he would answer presently , b a long cloake the habit of the jewes , and this may seem no light consideration to such as minde seneca's c confidence , that the spaniards planted themselves in italy , for they have the same kind of covering on their heads , and shooes for their feet . 2 ▪ they constantly d annoint their heads , as did the jewes also , luk. 7. 46. 3. they doe not onely pride themselves with eare-rings e but their noses are bored also , and have jewells hanging on them , which they call caricori , like that is read , esa. 3. 20 , 21. 4. in all india f they wash themselves often , twice or thrice in the day , and the women in brasile ten times saith lerius g and the jewes were frequent in this , mar. 7. 3 , 4. io. 2. 6. 5. they delight exceedingly in dancing , h men and women , yea and women apart by themselves ; and so they did in israell . exod. 13. 20. 1 sam. 21. 11 , 12. and thus especially after victories i and overthrows , of enemies , which is found also , iud. 11. 34. iud. 21. 21. 23. & 1 sam. 18. 6 ▪ 7. 6. as the jewes were wont to call them fathers and mothers , that were not their naturall parents , so k the indians give the same appellation to unkle and aunts ▪ 7. in america they eate no swines flesh l t is hatefull to them , as it was among the jewes , levit. 11. 7. esa. 66. 15. 8. they wash m strangers feet , and are very hospitall to them , and this was the known commendation of old israell . 9. the indians compute their times by nights n an use which laet o confesseth they had from the hebrews ; they reckon by lunary rules , giving the same name to their moneths they do to the moon , to●…a . 10. virginity is not a state praise-worthy among the americanes p and it was a bewaileable condition in iury , iud. 11. 37. 11. the natives q marry within their owne kindred and family , this was gods command to his people , num. 36. 7. 12. the indian women r are easily delivered of their children , without midwives , as those in exod. 1. 19. 13. they wash their infants newly born s and this you finde also , e●…k . 16. 9. 14. in faeminine seasons they put their women in a wigwam by themselves , t for which they plead nature and tradition ; another writes expresly such kind u of purification they have as had the jewes . 15. the widdow marrieth w the brother of the deceased husband , which was also moses law , mat. 22. 24. 16. dowries for wives are given x by the indians , as s●…l enjoyned david , 1 sam. 18. 25. 17. the husband hath power y over the adulterous wife , to turne her away with disgrace , they haue also other causes of divorce , as was in israel , mat. 8. 19. 18. they nurse their owne children , z even the queenes in per●… , and so did the mothers in israel . 19. the husbands come not at their wives till their children be weaned , a such an use is read hos. 1. 8. and at pe●… if they be forced to weane them before their time , they call such children ain●…o , i. ●… bastards . 20. among the indians b they punish by beating , and whipping , and the sachims if they please , put offendors to death with their owne hands , and secretly sometimes send out an executioner , as mark 6. 27. 2 cor. 11. 25. 21. if a brasilian wound another , c he must be punisht in the same part of his body , and with death , if the other die , for they also answer an eye for an eye , &c. as the law was . deut. 24. 19. 22. when the master of the family dieth , he is buried in the middle of the house , d with his jewells , and other things he delighted in ; the spaniards were often made rich by such sepulchars , and iosephus e tells of much treasure laid up even in davids grave . 23. the indians are given much to weeping , f their women especially , and at burialls ; this was in fashion among the jewes . ier. 19. 17. famous for this they were among the old heathen . 24. balsam●…m g was peculiar to the jewish countrey , and thought to be lost long agoe saith pliny ; h if it were , t is now found againe in america . 25. their princes and governours whom they generally call sachims , sachmos , sagamos , i are no other but heads of families , as it was of old in israel . num. 7. 2. 26. the indians have their posts k and messengers that were swift of foot , whom they dispatcht upon their affaires , and they ran with speed , and such were among the jewes . 2 sam. 18. 24 , 26 , 27. chap. iv. sacred and solemne rites and customes alike . acosta a affirmes the americans to have ceremonies and customes resembling the mosaicall . 1. circumcision b is frequent among the indians , which some not observing , have thereupon denyed them to be judaicall , and io. de laet c is forced to acknowledge such venereous people have somewhat like to circumcision occasioned by their lasciviousnesse ; but daily d experience declareth that they have indeed upon them this judaicall badge . her●…dotus e averreth the colchi for this to be of the aegyptian race , and that the phenicians and syrians of palaestina learned from them that rite ; and though some have judged the tartars to be jewes , because circumcised , others f yeeld not to this , because they were mahometans by religion , and from them received that custome ; but these people have cut off their foreskinne time out of minde , and it cannot be conceived whence they had this ceremony , but that it is nationall . and though the fore mentioned g writer endeavours much to prove , that there is no circumcision among them , and that some other people be so handled , whom none yet ever imagined to be judaicall , but that of ier. 9. 26. is not so fitly i thinke cited for his purpose ; and grotius tells him h confidently , we have so many witnesses that the americans be circumcised , as it becomes not a modest man to deny it ; and among the rarities brought from those quarters , pancirollus i speakes of stony knives , very sharpe and cutting , and his illustrator k h. salmuth , shewes that the jewes of old did use such in their circumcisings , knifes of stone , which sacrament omitted fourty yeeres in their travell , is revived by gods command to ioshua 5. 2. make thee sharp knives , cultros petrinos ; arias montanus reads , cultros lapideos in the vulgar latine , but the septuagint doth not only mention those rocky knives , but adds , taken from a sharpe rocke , as if the allusion also were to christ , the rocke , that doth circumcise our hearts ; lerius l affirmes he saw some of those cutting stones or knives at brasil . 2. the indians worship that god m they say , who created the sun , moon , and all invisible things , who gives them also all that is good . 3. they knew of that floud which drowned n the world , and that it was sent for the sin of man , especially for unlawfull lust , and that there shall never be such a deluge againe . 4. it is affirmed by them o neverthelesse that after many yeers , fire shall come down from above and consume all . 5. they beleeve the immortality of the soule , and that there is a place of joy , p another of torment after death , whither they shall goe that kill , lie , or steale , which place they call popogusso , a great pit , like the expression , num. 16. 33. and rev. 19. 1 , &c. but they which do no harme shall be received into a good place , and enjoy all manner of pleasure . 6. the americans have in some parts an exact form of king , priest , q and prophet , as was aforetime in canaan . 7. priests are in some things among them , as with the hebrewes , r physitians , and not habited as other men , and in tamazulapa there be vestments kept like those aaroniticall robes of the high-priest . 8. the temples wherein they worship , s sing , pray , and make their offerings , are fashioned and used as with the jewes ; at mexico they were built foure square , and sumptuous , as ezek. 40. 47. 9. the priests have their chambers t in the temple , as the manner was in israel . 1 reg. 6. 7. 10. they had places also therein u , which none might enter into but their priests . heb. 9. 6 , 7. 11. in their worship of viracoche w , and the sun , &c. they open their hands , and make a kissing sound with their mouthes , as iob 31. 27. 12. they had almost continuall fire before their idols , and took great care lest the x fire before the altar should dye , they call that the divine harth , where there is fire continually , like that in leviticus 6. 9. 13. none may intermeddle with their sacrifices but the priests , y who were also in high estimation among them as they were among the jewes . 14. every noble-man in mexico z had his priest , as israel had the levites within their gates . 15. in their necessities a they always sacrificed , which done , they grew hopefull and confident . 16. they burnt incense , b had their censars , and cake oblations , as ier. 7. 18. 17. the first fruits of their corne c they offered , and what they gat by hunting and fishing . 18. at mexico and some other places d they immolate the bodies of men , and as the jewes of old , saith p. martyr , did eate of their beasts so sacrificed , they feed on mans flesh so offered . 19. in all peru they had but one temple , e which was most sumptuous , consecrated to the maker of the world ; yet they had foure other places also for devotion , as the jews had severall synagogues , beside that their glorious temple . 20. the idols of america f were mitred , in a manner , much as aaron was . 21. a yeare of jubile g did they observe , as did israel also . 22. lerius tells a story of them , h much like that of apocryphall bel , and the dragon , and his priests . 23. in their idoll services they i dance and sing , men and women , almost as miriam , with timbrells , exod. 15. 20. and then they offer bread , as it is in malac. 1. 7. 24. they have hope of their bodies k resurrection , and for that cause are carefull in burying their dead ; and when they saw the spaniards digging into sepulchers for gold and silver , the natives entreated them not to scatter the bones , that so they might with more ease be raised againe . 25. the indians make account the world shall have an end , but not till a great drought come l , and as it were a burning of the aire , when the sunne and moone shall faile , and lose their shining ; thence it is , that in the eclipses of those two greater lights , they make such yellings and out-cries , as if the end of all things were upon them . chap. v. the third conjecture . the americans words and manners of speech , bee in many things consonant to those of the jewes , a seneca hath that other reason , perswading that the spaniards planted in italy , because they both speake alike ; and as volaterrane b for his countreymen , so some suppose the greeks long since mingled with the brittans , because we still have divers words of graecian idiome . for this reason c caesar judged the british to bee gauls , in that the cities of both the nations were called by the same names . giraldus cambrensis derives his countreymens originall from troy , because they have so many trojan names and words amongst them ; oenus , resus , aeneas , hector , ajax , evander , eliza , &c. and grotius d therefore imagines that the americans came from norway , because they have many words the same with the norwegians . it is then considerable to our purpose , how in this the jewes and indians be alike . 1. the aspirations of the americans have e the force of consonants , and are pronounced by them not as the latines and some other nations , but after the manner of the hebrewes . 2. the name of that great city mexico f is observed in sound and writing to come very neare unto that name of our deare lord , psalme 2. 2. meschico , and mexico in their language is a g spring , as of our master and messiah ; the day spring that from on high hath visited us . luk. 1. 78. 3. the ziims mentioned esa. 13. 21. and 34. 14. are h supposed to bee wicked spirits , deluding mankinde , as hobgoblins , fairies , &c. such are the zemes among the indians so often spoken of by i peter martyr , these they call the messengers of the great god ; every king among them hath such a ziim or zeme , and from them came those predictions constantly current among them , of a cover'd nation that should spoyle their rites . 4. acosta marvailes much k at the indians , that having some knowledge that there is a god , yet they call him not by any proper name , as not having any peculiar for him , a relique it may be of that judaicall conceit of the non-pronuntiable tetragrammaton . 5. t is very remarkable that escarbotus l tells , how he heard the indians often perfectly use the wvrd hallelujah ; at which hee marvailed the more , because hee could not at all perceive that they had learned it from any christian ; and this is with like admiration recorded m by the describer of nova francia . 6. in the island of st. michael or azores , which belongs to america , saith n malvenda , certaine sepulchers , or grave-stones are digged up by the spaniards , with very ancient hebrew letters upon them , above and below , thus above , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why is god gone away ; and beneath this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is dead , know god , which words seem to have a woefull enquiry of gods departure from them , with a comfortable declaration of his dying for them , together with an incitation to know him . 7. very many of their words are like the hebrew , which our novangles o have observed , and in the general attested : a more serious disquisition into their language would conduce much to finde out their descent , and helpe exceedingly towards their conversion ; and if it be said , the jewes were ever tenacious of their language , which p elias levita saith , they changed not in aegypt , but if they be now in america , all in a manner is lost . 't is fit then to consider , that in all nations , in two or three ages there is a great alteration in their tongues ; the words of the league between the carthaginians and romans in fifty yeares space , sayth q polybius , were so uncouth , and little knowne , that they could scarce bee understood ; and r keckerman sheweth , r that the german language in almost as short a time received the like mutation , and our saxon ancestors translated the bible into english as the tongue then was , but of such antique words and writing , that few men now can read and understand it , which waxing old , and hard , it was againe translated into newer words , saith arch-bishop s cranmer , and many even of those words are now strange andneasie to us ; in such suddaine change of language universally , wee need not wonder , that so little impression of the hebrew tongue remaines among them , if the indians be jewish ; but wee may marvaile rather , that after so many yeares of most grosse and cursed blindnesse , and having no commerce , nor converse with other nations , that any the least similitude thereof should be left . chap. vi ▪ the sixth conjecture . this which followeth next , at first sight , will appeare a paradox rather than a probability , that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 americanorum , the man-devouring that is in america ; for what an inference may this seem to bee ; there bee carybes , caniballs , and man-eaters among them , therefore they be jewish ? but let it be considered , among the curses threatned to israel upon their disobedience , wee read levit. 26. 29. yee shall eate the flesh of your sonnes and of your daughters , &c. so deut. 28 53. which predictions , according to common supposalls , seeme to be fully verified in the famine mentioned , 2 kings 6. 28. and lament . 4. 10. and those words are spoken of things then done and past ; but the prophet ezekiel , that lived about the same time , speakes in the future tense of some new , and till then unheard ▪ of calamity , but such as should bee common afterward ; i will doe in thee that i never did before , for in the midst of thee the fathers shall ea●… their sons , and the sons their fathers , &c. ezek. 5. 9 , 10. before indeed , and at the romans beleaguering ierusalem , women did eate their children , but there is no relation of fathers and sonnes devouring one another , though this be foretold , and as a thing easily to bee taken notice of , a iosephus in that last siege tells but of one woman eating her childe , and 't is like there was no other , because the whole city was astonish'd at the newes , and the seditious themselves did abhorre it ; yea and when the romans heard thereof in their campe , it exceeded credit at first , and their generall comforted himselfe against that most inhumane and hideous fact , by remembring he had often proffered them peace , and they had as often wilfully refused it ; but that prophet foretells an infelicity without parallel , both de praeterito , and de futuro ; i will doe in thee that i never did before , neither will i ever doe the like , verse 9. and it should be a publick and notorious calamity , for in the midst of thee the fathers should eate their sonnes , and their sons their fathers , ver. 10. words implying , yea expressing more than wee can read was done , either when the chaldees or romans begirt their city : and the glosse of st. ierome b strengthens this conjecture ; when the fathers , saith he , did eate the sonnes , or the sonnes their fathers , is not related in any history , and yet it was to be done openly in the midst of them , and as it were in the sight of the sunne . but if the jewes bee planted in that westerne world , we shall soone find the accomplishment of that prophecie from heaven , for c there be caniballs and man-eaters in great multitudes ; some whose trade is homo cupium , & homo capium , hungring and hunting after mans flesh , and devouring it , whose greedy bellies have buried millions of them , these carybes are scattered all the countrey over , the ma●…hacks are such , and so neare they are , or were to some of our d planters , that finding an englishman , they eate one part of him after another , before his face , while he was yet alive . if it be said , they eate none but strangers , or enemies , not fathers their sonnes , & à contra , f peter martyr removes that scruple , by affirming , if they want the flesh of foes and forraigners , they eate then one another , even their owne g kinred & allies , as he writes that added the centons to h solinus . if it be objected , those caniballs are of a different nature and nation from the rest , peter martyr answers that also , supposing all the inhabitants to bee of one stock , because they use all one and the same kind of bread , every where called maiiz , and their cymbae uni-ligneae , their canoes and boats are in all places alike , and as i those western nations generally call their boats canoes , and their bread maiiz , so their common word for wine is chichia , for swords macanas for kings caciques . and if the americans bee jewish , the spaniards have yet in another sense fulfilled that prediction of ezekiel , for their owne bishop k bartholomeus de las casas writes , how they tooke indians 10000 , sometimes 20000 abroad with them in their forragings , and gave them no manner of food to sustaine them , but the flesh of other indians taken in warre , and so christian-spaniards set up a shambles of mans flesh in their army ; children were slaine and roasted , men were killed for their hands and feet sakes , for those they esteemed the onely delicate parts : this was most hideous and most barbarous inhumanity , the tidings whereof was soone carryed through the land , and overwhelmed the inhabitants with horror and astonishment . chap vii . fifth conjecture . the people that have not yet received the gospell of jesus christ are jewes , but the americans have not yet been gospelized ; and here three things come to consideration . 1. all other nations at first received the gospell . 2. the jewes before the end of the world shall be converted . 3. these indians have not yet heard of christ. 1. as the scripture foreseeing that god would justifie the gentiles through faith , preached before the gospell unto abraham , saying , in thee shall all the gentiles be blessed , gal. 3. 8. gen. 12. 2 , 3. 18. 8. in like manner the glorious gospell was soon conveyed to them , soon after the comming of christ , even before the death of the apostles ; holy david spake of this promulgation , when he said , psal. 19. 1. the heavens , i. e. the apostles did declare the glory of god , &c. for the fourth , their line is gone out into all lands , and their words into the end of the world , is applied by saint paul to this very purpose , rom. 10. 18. it was the command of their master , goe teach all nations , &c. mat. 28. 19. and preach the gospell to every creature , mar. 16. 15. and they gave hereto most willing obedience , which we must have believed , though it had not bin so exactly recorded in undoubted ecclesiasticall histories . there we read often a that they divided the world into 12 parts , every apostle accepting that which fell to his lot ; but first they compiled the creed , called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or collation , saith cassian , b who was chrysostomes scholar ; because that which was at large expressed in the severall volumes of the bible , was by them briefly contracted into that forme ; and to this he applieth that of the apostle , rom. 9. 28. a short worke we read it now , but of old it was rendred , verbum abbreviatum a short word , a short rule , to which all of them were to conforme their doctrine , and the fifteenth of iuly was afterwards , and is still celebrated by c some christians , in memory of their thus going to gospellize the world ; and it is called festum divisionis apostolorum : yea and the place is yet shewed to travellers at this day , d where they are said to assemble upon this occasion . very e many ancient writers , historicall and others , f agreeing with vigilius in this , authenticum symbolum quod apostoli tradiderunt ; and a little before he blameth some for venting such doctrines , as were neither g delivered by the prophets , nor had the authentique authority of the apostles creed , and yet suppose it dubious whether that symboll be indeed of apostolicall constitution ; and that they did not so divide the world to further their worke , which is so confidently avouched by the ancient , together with the countries where each of them had their portion ▪ yet we are sufficiently assured such was their commission , which they pursued with exactnesse and successe ; so that in their life time by their diligence the whole earth was enlightned : thus saint paul tell his romans , 1. 8. their faith was published through the whole world ; the same is said to the collossians also , 1. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in neither place , lest curiosity should restraine it to the roman world , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is the former expression , and the latter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the whole and every part of the world ; and is it not considerable , as the injunction was , preach the gospell to every creature , as was before remembred from saint marke , 16. 5. so saint paul avoweth that in his time it was preached to every creature , col. 1. 23. such was then the use of that word ; the name creature was especially given to man , the chiefe of all creatures below . and this is unanimously acknowledged by the next writers , ignatius h thought to be that little child called by christ mat. 18. 1. hath this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ there i is one church which the apostles setled from one end of the earth to another in the bloud of christ , by their sweat and labour . tertullian k in the following century affirmes that the gospel in those very first times went beyond the roman monarchy , even to us britons ; and l eusebius sheweth how the doctrine of salvation by divine power and cooperation , was carried into all the world : and iulius firmicus maturnus m professeth that in his time 1300 yeeres since , there was no nation under heaven , east , west , north , or south , unto whom the sunne of the gospel had not shined ; and not onely in all the continent , but in every island saith greg. nissene ; thus n bernard also , and others ▪ for when the jewish fleece was dried up , all the world saith ierome o was sprinkled with that heavenly dew . 2. the jewes before the end of the world shall be converted to christianity ; this truth is to be found in the old and new testament , and hath bin the constant beliefe of the faithfull in every age . the children of israell shall remaine many daies without a king , and without a prince , &c. hos. 3. 4. yet ver. 5. afterward they shall convert , and seeke the lord their god , and david their king , i. e. christ the sonne of david the king of his church , thus zephan . 3. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. zach. 12. 10 , 11 , &c. and some predictions in that evangelicall prophet esay . saint paul applies to this very purpose , rom. 11. 26 , 27. from esa. 59. 20. & 27. 9. yea and our common master christ telleth us , ierusalem shall be trodden under foot of the gentiles , untill the time of the gentiles shall be fulfilled , luke 21. 24. so saint paul , when the fulnesse of the gentiles is come in , all israell shall be saved , rom. 11. 25. some by israell here would understand , israell according to the spirit , that is , the elect from all the nations : but all along the jewes and gentiles are spoken of as distinct people according to the flesh , so all israell shall be saved , that is , p a very great and numerous company , or many from every tribe , as we use to say genera singulorum , not singuli generum , or all the elect of them ; for when their heart shall be turned to the lord , the veile shall be taken away , 2 cor. 3. 16. ancient christians have subscribed to this ; in the end of the world saith ierome q the jewes receiving the gospel , shall be enlightned , thus augustine ( r ) , gregory s , bernard t , primasius u , this was , this is the common opinion of christians . coepit ab his , defertur ad hos , referetur ad illos w nostra fides , & erunt sub mundi fine fideles . from the jewes our faith began , to the gentiles then it ran , to the jewes returne it shall , before the dreadfull end of all . 3. the third consideration hath a twofold branch . 1. the americans have not , but 2. shall be acquainted with christianity : and to the first all are not of this mind that the indians have not heard of the gospell : for x osiander speaking of vilagagno , and his planting there in brasil , writes confidently , without doubt those people received the gospel of christ by the preaching of the apostles 1500 yeeres since , but they lost it againe by their unthankfulnesse ; and malvenda y allegeth some conjectures that christianity might have been among them , but these are so few , and so forced , that himselfe supposeth them rather satanicall suggestions , illusions , and imitations , than remembrances indeed of the gospell . there be z some records where every one of the apostles planted the faith of christ , in what nations and kingdomes , but they are all silent touching this part of the world , which indeed was not knowne till of late ; yea some a conceive , they had no being at all in former ages , and that there was not so much as land or earth in those places ; however questionlesse they be but of late discovery ; for though some b will have america to be those atlantique islands mentioned by plato , others that the phaenicians arived thither more than 2000 yeeres since , and some further improbable conjectures there be , 't is concluded neverthelesse by many judicious and observant men , that it was never heard of in this world , till c christopher columbus of genoa brought newes thereof about 1590. when then , or by whom should they be made christians ? is it credible there should be no records thereof in the annalls of any nation ? could so great a part of the world become christians , without any whispering thereof to any other ; is it likely that all gospel impressions should be utterly obliterate among them ? all the light thereof quite extinguished ? and not so much as the least glimpse thereof remaine ? as is also acknowledged by him d that hath written and observed so much of these nations . 2. seeing they were never yet enlightned , without question they shall be , for the gospell of the kingdome must be preached every where for a witnesse to all nations , mat. 24. 14. surely so large a part of the world shall not alwaies be forgotten : is it imaginable that the god of mercy , who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a lover of soules , wisd. 11. 23. should suffer so great a portion of mankind ever to remaine in darknesse , and in the shadow of death ? is it credible or fit to be believed , that the wisdome of the father who taketh his solace in the habitable parts of the earth , and his delight is to be with the children of men , prov. 8. 31. should have no compassion of such an innumerable multitude of soules ? the earth was inhabited e by degrees , from the place where noahs ark rested they went as the sunne , from the east , and so planted themselves forward ; and the progresse of the gospell saith f eusebius , was in the same manner , and for this there is more than allusion in psal. 19. 5. compared with rom. 10. 18. that westerne part of the world was last inhabited , and it shall heare of christ also in due time , as certainely as there be people to receive him , for he shall be salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to the last end of the earth , act. 13. 47. and the americans have a tradition among themselves , g that white and bearded nations shall subdue their countries , abolish all their rites and ceremonies , and introduce a new religion . chap. viii . the sixth conjecture . the americans calamities are suitable to those plagues threatned unto the jewes , deut. 28. such a comment upon that terrible scripture is not any where to be found , as among the indians , by this also it will appear probable that they be jews : and here three things shall be touched upon . 1. the jewes were a very sinfull people . 2. the indians were and are transcendent sufferers . 3. in that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 litterally , as was threatned to the jewes . 1. the jewes were grand offenders ; a galatinus mentions fon●…e of their enormous transgressions , with their ensuing vengeances . 1. the selling of ioseph into egypt , where themselves were kept afterwa●…d in an iron furnace , and dwelt a long time in an house of bondage . 2. their first rejection of the messiah , typified in david , 2 sam. 20. 1. which was punished by the assyrians . 3. the sacrificing of their owne children to idols , and murthering the prophets that deterred them from such abominations , he calls their third great offence , for which the babylonian captivity fell upon them . 4. their fatall and most grievous crime was the denyall of the holy one , and the just , with desire that a murtherer should be given them , act. 3. 14. and this brought upon them , first the tyranny of the roman conquest , and then all those hideous and horrid tribulations that presse and oppresse them to this day . 2. the natives of america have endured the extremities of most unspeakable miseries : they are a nation saith lerius b cursed and forsaken of god , and the men of spaine to their other cruelties added that most abominable reproach , these barbarians are c dogs , unworthy of christendome ; t is too true they were so used by them , as if they had bin such or worse , they did so weare them up with labour , that they became weary of their lives , the poore creatures chusing rather to die any kind of death , than to live under such bloody masters and monsters ; they scared the indians into woods , where the men and women hanged themselves together , and wanting instruments sometimes for such selfe execution , they helped one another to knit their long locks about the branches of trees , and so cast themselves downe headlong , their owne haires being their halters ; and thus many thousands of them ended their daies with most lamentable yellings and out-cries ; their intestine violences and injuries among themselves were woefull by rapine , warre , and sacrificings of one another , many d thousands of them have been immolated in one day at mexico ; but their sufferings by the spaniards exceed not onely all relation , but beliefe , and surely the savages could not have outstripped the spaniards in barbarous savagenesses , if those infidells had gotten the upper hand of these christians ; a very prudent cacique saith benzo e , that was neere an hundred yeeres old , reported freely , that when he was young , a very strange disease invaded those countrys , the sick commonly vomited many filthy wormes , such a wasting plague he said followed this calamity , that we feared none of us could survive it : and a little before your comming we of iucatana had two cruell battailes with the mexicans , in which above one hundred and fifty thousand were slaine , but these were all light and easie vexations , in respect of those terrible examples of intollerable insolence , avarice , and cruelty , exercised by your selves upon us ; thus he : we read , when the prophet of god soretold hazael , the evill hee should bring upon israel hazael said , is thy servant a dog that he should doe this ? 2 king. 8. 13. but the spaniards did more evill things to the indians , and shewed themselves with shame to be worse than dogs , witnesse that bloody bezerill , though not so bloody as his master didacus salasar f , who set that his mastiffe upon an old woman , employed by himselfe , as hē feigned with letters to the governour , who seeing the cruell curre , by his more cruell masters setting on , with open mouth comming upon her , falls to the ground , bespeaking him in her language , sir dog , sir dog , i carry these letters to the governour , holding up to his view the seale , be not angry with me , sir dog , the mastiffe as becalmed by that begging posture and language , abates his fiercenesse , liftes up his leg , and besprinkles the woman , as dogs use to doe at the wall : the spaniards ▪ that knew well his curstnesse at other times , saw this with astonishment , and were ashamed ▪ to hurt the woman , that so cruell a dog had spared . 3. the indian sufferings have runne so parallel with those threats , deut. 28. as if they had been principally intended therein also . was israel offending to be calamitous , in all places , towne and field , at home and abroad , &c. the poore indians g for their gold and labour , were by the spaniards hunted out of all places , corners and islands , as if the end of their discovery had been indeed to make a full end , and a totall devastation of the american nations . against the sinning jewes it was said , cursed shall be the fruit of thy body , &c. vers . 18. the pestilence shall cleave unto thee , &c. the lord shall smite thee with a consumption , &c. ver . 21 , 22 , 35 , 29. strange diseases have destroyed the natives , as the histories of those countries doe relate ; their cruell task-masters the spaniards , did so much overburthen them with load and labour , that the h cohabitation of man and wife did cease : seven thousand infants of cuba did perish in three moneths space , their mothers worne out with toyling had no milk to give them . the lord said , he would smite israel with blindnesse , madnesse , and astonishment of heart , and thou shalt grope at noone day , as the blind gropeth in darknesse , &c. ver . 28 , 29. and woefull indeed is the veile of ignorance that is come over the natives i ; they imagined the island hispaniola to be a living creature , eating and digesting like a monster : that vast sea den or hollow place which they call guacca-jarima , is the voider of its excrements , a fancy like that antique fable of the demogorgon lying in the wombe of the world , whose breath causeth the flux and reflux of the sea : the darke part of the moone k they take to be a man throwne thither , and tormented for incest with his owne sister , whose eclipse they guesse to be caused by the sunnes anger ; those responsalls of the aires reverberation , which we call eccho , they suppose to be soules , wandring thereabouts . how were those poore creatures astonish'd , when they saw themselves torne by l spanish dogs , whose masters would borrow quarters of indians , men and women , for their hounds , and as commonly expose them to such a kind of death and buriall , as if men and women had bin made for dogs meate ? how were they affrighted when the feare of spanish cruelties provoked fathers , mothers , children , to hang themselves together ? that bishop knew of two hundred and more so perishing by the tyranny of one spaniard . no m marvaile therefore if when the fryer told hathuey , the cacique , of heavens happinesse , and the torments of hell , and hee understanding upon enquiry that the spaniards dying went to heaven , because they were christians , let my lot saith he fall in hell rather than with that most cruell people . god said of the jewes , they should be oppressed and spoyled evermore , ver . 29. thou shalt betroth a wife , and another shall lie with her , ver . 30. you shall be left few in number , though yee were as starres for multitude , &c. ver . 62. and these americans were made by the spaniards every where and every way miserable , without any helpe or reliefe : barthol ▪ las casas upon fourty two yeeres sight of their suffering , sympathized so much with them , that he represented the same to king philip , in hope to obtaine for them some favour and mercy , but he little prevailed . one of them boasted of his care to leave as many indian women as he could with child , that in their sale he might put them off to his better profit : from n lucaios to hispaniola , about seventy miles , dead carkases were cast so abundantly into the sea , that they needed no other direction thither ; and wee know it for truth , saith hee , that countreys longer than all europe and a great part of asia , by horrid cruelties were destroyed , and more than twenty millions of the natives o yea in hispaniola alone , scarce one hundred and fifty , of two millions were left alive . in another place hee professeth their tyranny was so cruell and detestable , that in fourty six yeeres space they caused , he verily believed , more than fifty millions of them to pay their last debt to nature ; for i speak , saith hee , the truth , and what i saw : they dealt with the poore indians , not as with beasts , hoc enim peroptarem , but as if they had bin the most abject dung of the earth : and is this the way saith benzo to convert infidels ? such kindnesse they shewed to other places also , cuba , iamaica , portu ricco , &c. it was said against israell , cursed shall thy basket be , and thy store , ver . 17. the fruit of thy land , the encrease of thy cattle . ver . 18. all shall be devoured by enemies and other nations , &c. ver . 30 , &c. for very much is said of their suffering in riches and honour &c. and the spanish christians that brake into america shewed themselves so covetous of their treasure , that the natives with wonder said p surely gold is the spaniards god ; they broiled noble indians on gridirons , to extort from them their hidden wealth , giving no respect at all to their caciques or kings . memorable in q many respects is the history of attabaliba the great king of peru , who being conquered and captivated by francis pizarro , redeemed his liberty by the promise of so many golden and silver vessels , as should fill the roome where they were so high as one could reach with his hand , and they were to take none away till he had brought in the whole summe ; expecting thereupon according to covenant his freedome and honour , he dispatched his officers and servants with great care and diligence , and did faithfully performe his bargaine , in bringing that vast heape of treasure together ; but they resolve neverthelesse most impiously to murder him , though with many arguments and tears he pleaded for his life , desiring sometime to be sent unto caesar , then expostulating with them for their perfidiousnesse and falsehood , but neither words nor weeping , nor their owne inward guilt could mollifie those hard hearts , they sentence him to death by a rope , and the cruell execution followed ; but r benzo observed a miraculous hand of vengeance from heaven upon all that gave consent thereto : so that as suetonius s records of caesars stobbers , nullus eorum suamorte defunctus est , every one of them found that consultation and contrivance fatall ; almager is hanged , didacus his sonne is slaine by vacca de castro , the indians kill iohn pizarro at c●…sco , who fell upon fryar vincent also of the green valley , and slew him with clubs in the isle puna , ferdinandus pizarro was sent into spain , where he consumed his daies in a prison , gonsallus pizarro was taken by gasca and hewen in pieces , and francis pizarro that was the president , and gave judgement , died an evill death also , being slaine by his owne countrey men in that strange land ; so just was god in avenging so perfidious a regicide and king-murder , so ominous was their presumption against the honourable , vile swine-herds sentencing so great a king to so foule a death : those are his words , in whom , and his interpreter t , he that please may read further , those murderers were base in birth and life , and they instance in despicable particulars . it were endlesse to mention all the parallels that the spaniards have drawne upon the poore indians , according to the threats of god upon the sinning jewes , deut. 28. 43 , the stranger that is within the●… shall get up above thee very high , and thox shalt come downe very low . 48. thou shalt serve thine enemy in hunger , and thirst , and nakednesse , and in want of all things , and he shall put a yoake of iron upon thy necke till he have destroyed thee . 59. the lord will make thy plagues wonderfull , &c. 61. and every plague which is not written in this law will the lord bring upon thee , untill thou be destroyed . their kings and caciques were no more regarded by them than the meanest , they enthralled all the natives in most woefull servitude and captivity ; their sufferings have bin most wonderfull , such as the book of the law hath not registred , nor any other record ; they spared no age nor sex , not women with childe ; they laid wagers who could digge deepest into the bodies of men at one blow , or with most dexterity cut off their heads ; they tooke infants from their mothers breasts and dash'd their innocent heads against the rockes ; they cast others into the rivers with scorne , making themselves merry at the manner of their falling into the water ; they set up severall gallowses , and hung upon them thirteen indians in honour they said of christ and his twelve apostles : and yet further the same bishop mervailes at the abominable blindnesse and blasphemy of his countrymen , impropriating their bloudy crimes unto god himselfe , giving him thanks in their prosperous tyrannies , like those thieves and tyrants he sayth spoken of by the prophet zachary , 11. 5. they kill , and hold themselves not guilty , and they that sell them say , blessed be the lord , for i am rich . and now if all these parallels will not amount to a probability , one thing more shall be added , which is the dispersion of the jewes , t is said , the lord shall scatter thee among all people , from one end of the earth , even to the other , &c. deut. 28. 64. the whole remnant of thee i will scatter into all winds , ezek. 5. 10 , 12 , 14. & zach. 2. 6. i have spread you as the foure winds of heaven . now if it be considered how punctuall and faithfull god is in performing his promises and threats mentioned in the scripture of truth , wee shall have cause to looke for the jewes in america , one great , very great part of the earth ; esay had said , 1. 8. the daughter of syon shall be left as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers , and as helena u found it in her time , pomorum custodium an apple-yard ; so ( w ) cyrill assirmeth in his daies it was a place full of cucumbers ; ieremies prophecies of babylons destruction , even in the circumstances thereof , are particularly acknowledged and related by xenophon x , the lord had threatned to bring a nation upon israell swift as the eagle flieth , deut. 28. 49. iosephus y saith this was verified in vespatians ensigne , and the banner of cyrus was an eagle z also , as the same xenophon relateth ; and if the jewes bee not now , never were in america , how have they been dispersed into all parts of the earth ? this being indeed so large a portion of it ; how have they bin scattered into all the four windes , if one of the foure did never blow upon them ? much more might be said of their sufferings from the spaniards , whom the barbarous indians thereupon counted so barbarous and inhumane , that they supposed them not to come into the world like other people , as if it were impossible , that any borne of man and woman should be so monstruously savage and cruell ; they derived therefore their pedigree from the wide and wild ocean , and call'd them a viracocheie , i. e. the foame of the sea , as beeng borne of the one , and nourished by the other , and poured upon the earth for its destruction . b acosta indeed gives another interpretation of that word in honour of his nation , but other c writers unanimously accord in this ; and d benzo confidently averreth , that the conceit and judgement of the indians touching the originall of the spaniards , is so setled in them , that none but god himselfe can alter their minds herein ; for thus saith hee they reason among themselves , the winds tumble downe houses , and teare trees in peeces , the fire burnes both trees and houses , but these same viracocheies devoure all , they turn over the earth , offer violence to the rivers , are perpetually unquiet , wandering every way to finde gold , and when they have found it , they throw it away at dice , they steale , and sweare , and kill , yea and kill one another , and deny god : yea these indians in detestation of the spaniards , he saith , doe execrate and curse the sea it selfe for sending such an intractable , fierce , and cruell a generation into the earth : but thus have wicked sinnes drawne woefull punishments , threatned to the jewes , and suffered also by these americans , wherein the more hath bin spoken , not onely to deter all christians from such inhumane barbarities , but to provoke the readers every way to compassionate such transcendent sufferers , the rather because as canaan of old was emanuels land , hos. 9. 3. the holy land , zach. 2. 12. and the jewes were gods peculiar people , so these surely are either a remnant of israell after the flesh , or else god will in his good time incorporate them into that common-wealth , and then they also shall become the israel of god. part second . some contrary reasonings removed , and first in the generall . chap. i. there be some that by irrefragable arguments , they suppose , evince and overthrow all conjectures that the americans be jewes : apocryphall esdras in historicalls may be of some credit , and that sentence of his by many is applyed to this very purpose ; and these very people , the ten tribes led away captive by salmanasar , tooke this counsell among themselves , that they would leave the multitude of the heathen , and goe forth into a farther countrey , where never man dwelt , that they might there keepe their statutes , which they never kept in their owne land , and they entred into euphrates , by the narrow passages of the river , for through that countrey there was a great way to goe , namely of a yeere and an halfe , and the same region is called arsareth , &c. 2 esdr. 13. 40. &c. a acosta is of opinion that these words thus produced by many , make in truth against this conjecture , and that for two reasons . 1. the ten tribes went so farre to keepe their statutes and ceremonies , but these indians observe none of them , being given up to all idolatries : and is this at all consequent , such was their purpose , therefore the successe must be answerable ? is it likely they should be so tenacious in a farre and forraigne land , that never kept them in their owne , as the next words expresse ? his second argument is of like force , for t is not said , that euphrates and america be contiguous , or places so neere one the other , muchlesse that the entries of that river should stretch to the indies ; but hee tells of a very long journey taken by them , suitable to the places of their removall , and approach , which was to a countrey where never man dwelt , and what countrey could this be but america ? all other parts of the world being then knowne and inhabited : besides there hath bin a common tradition among the jews , and in the world , that those ten tribes are utterly lost ; in what place are they then like to be found if not in america ? for they shall be found againe . some conjectures that they came from norway , and be of that nation , have bin mentioned , with the improbability also thereof ; and now lately t. gage sets forth his new survey of the west indies , his long abode there , and diligent observation of many , very many remarkable passages in his travells ; there i hoped to read somewhat of their originalls , and finde him b affirming that the indians seeme to be of the tartars progeny , his reasons are , 1. quivira and all the west side of the countrey towards asia is farre more populons than the east next europe , which sheweth these parts to be first inhabited ; but if the meaning be , the nearer tartary the more populous , therefore they came from thence , its falls in with the third reason . 2. their barbarous properties are most like the tartats of any ; this argument militates with more force for their judaisme , to which many of their rites be so consonant , both sacred and common , as hath been said . and thirdly the west side of america , if it be not continent with tartary , is yet disjoyned by a small straite ; but the like may be said of some other parts , that they be or may have been neer some other maine lands , and so by that reason of some other race and extract . 4. the people of quivira neerest to tartary , are said to follow the seasons and pasturing of their cattell like the tartarians ; this particular , a species of the generall , delivered in the second reason , is there glanced upon , but all he saith of this nature , and others with him , are so farre from weakening our conjecture , that they may be embraced rather as friendly supports thereunto , if others have guessed right that conceive the tartars also themselves to be jewes . mathew paris c , no meane man in his time , was of that opinion ; in his famous history he mentions it as the judgement of learned men in that age , it is thought the tartars , quorum memoriaest detestabilis , are of the ten tribes , &c. yea and of latter times dr fletcher d a neere neighbour to them while he lived among the russes as agent for queen elizabeth , supposeth the same , and giveth divers probable arguments inducing him thereto : the names of many townes in tartary the same with those in israell , tabor , ierico , chorasin , &c. they are circumcised , distinguished into tribes , and have many hebrew words among them , &c. for hee addeth other probabilities ; yea and the same m. paris e shewes that the jewes themselves were of that mind , and called them their brethren of the seed of abraham , &c. there was another transmigration of them when vespatian destroyed ierusalem ; their owne , and other histories speake little thereof : it might be well worthy the endeavours of some serious houres to enquire after the condition of that nation since ou●… most deare saviours ascension ; a strange thing is reported by themselves , and of themselves , and with such confidence f that t is in their devotion . it saith when vespatian wan ierusalem , he gave order that three ships laden with that people might be put to sea , but without pilot , oares , or tackling , these by windes and tempests were woefully shattered , and so dispersed , that they were cast upon severall coasts ; one of them in a countrey called lovanda , the second in another region named arlado , the third at a place called bardeli , all unknown in these time , the last courteously entertained these strangers , freely giving them grounds and vineyards to dresse , but that lord being dead , another arose that was to them , as pharaoh to old israell , and he said to them , he would try by nabuchedonosors experiment upon the three young men , if these also came from the fire unscorch'd , he would believe them to be jewes , they say adoni-melech , most noble emperour , let us have also three daies to invoke the majesty of our god for our deliverance , which being granted , ioseph and benjamin two brothers , and their cosin samuell , consider what is meet to be done , and agree to fast and pray three daies together , and meditate every one of them a prayer , which they did , and out of them all they compiled one which they used all those three daies and three nights ; on the morning of the third day one of them had a vision upon esa. 43. 2. which marvelously encouraged them all : soone after a very great fire was kindled , and an ininnumerable company of people came to see the burning , into which they cast themselves unbidden without feare , singing , and praying till all the combustible matter was consumed , and the fire went out ; the jewes every where published this miracle , and commanded that this prayer should be said every monday and thursday morning in their synagogues , which is observed by them to this day saith buxtorfius : in this narration if there be any truth wee may looke for some confirmation thereof from america . but that there be no jewes in those parts , io. de laet endeavours otherwise to evince ; as 1. they are not circumcised , therefore not jewes ; but their circumcision hath been made so manifest , that this reason may well be retorted ; they are circumcised , therefore they be jewes . againe the indians are not covetous , nor learned , nor carefull of their antiquities , therefore they are not judaicall ; in which allegations if there be any strength , it will be answered in the examination of those three following scrupulous and difficult questions . 1. whence and how the iewes should get into america . 2. how multiply , and enpeople so great a continent , so vast a land . 3. how grow so prodigiously rude and barbarous . chap ii. answer to the first quere , how the iewes should get into america . the jewes did not come into america , as is feigned of ganimed a , riding on eagles wings , neither was there another arke made to convey them thither , the angels did not carry them by the haires of the heads , b as apocryphall habakuk was conducted into babylon , these were not caught by the spirit of the lord and setled there , as saint philip was from ierusalem to asotus , act. 8. 5. they were c not guided by an hart , as t is written of the hunns , when they brake in upon the nearer parts of europe d , procopius reports of the maurisii , an african nation , that they were of those gergesites or jebusites spoken of in the scriptures , for he had read a very ancient writing in phaenician characters thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. we are they that fled from the face of the destroyer iesus the sonne of nave ; and so the septuagint names him , whom wee call the sonne of nun , and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formerly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not in those daies of such odious signification : it may be said these might passe from the parts of asia into lybia by land , but the jewes could not so get into america , which is thought by some to be very farre distant on every side from the continent ; e acosta therefore supposeth the natives might come at first by sea into that maine land , alledging some experiments to that purpose , but in the next chapter he judgeth it more probable , whosoever the inhabitants be , that they travelled thither by land ; for though some few men happily by tempests , might be cast on those shores , yet it is unlike , so large a part of the earth by such mishaps should be replenished . f. cotton ( f ) , it seemes was puzled with this scruple , therefore in his memorialls he propounded to the daemoniaque that interrogatory , quomodo animalia in insulas , &c. quomodo homines , how got men and other creatures into those islands and countries . acosta g subscribes at length to the sentence of st. austin h for the entrance of beares , lions , and wolves , that they arrived thither , either by their owne swimming , or by the importation of curious men , or by the miraculous command of god , and ministration of the angels , yet his i finall determination is , and he lived seventeen yeeres in that countrey , america joyneth somewhere with some other part of the world , or else is but by a very little distance separated from it . and it may yet be further considered , the scituation of countries is much altered by tract of time , many places that were formerly sea , are now dry land saith strabo k , a great part af asia and africa hath bin gained from the atlantique ocean , the sea of corinth was drunk up by an earthquake , lucania by the force of the water was broken off from italy , and got a new name ; sicily saith l tertullian , the sea gave unto the m earth the island rhodes ; pliny n mentions divers places , islands long since , but in his time adjoyned to the continent , and the sea hath devoured many townes and cities , that were anciently inhabited ; that vallis silvestris as the latin translation renders , gen. 14. 3. or of siddim , i. e. laboured fields , as t is in hebrew , was certainely a vaile of slime-pits in the daies of abraham and lot , ver . 10. which very place about foure hundred yeeres after , was a sea , the salt sea , ver . 3. between thera and therasia an island suddenly appeared , saith o eusebius , and the sea perhaps hath broken into some places , and of one made a double island ; all ages and nations tell of the water and the earth , how they gain one from the other : and thus some p have conjectured , that our brittaine since the floud , was one continent with france , for the distance between them , at callis and dover is but small , about twenty foure miles , and the cliffes on both sides are like each other , for length and matter , equally chalk and flinty , as if art , or suddaine violence had made an even separation . thence hollinshead writes confidently , because lions and wild bulls were formerly in this island , that it was not cut from the maine by the great deluge of noah , but long after ; for none would replenish a countrey with such creatures for pastime and delight . and if these be no more but conjectures that america was once united to the other world , or but a little divided from it , time and the sea two insatiable devourers have made the gap wider : but the question is not in what age , before , or since the incarnation of our lord the jewes tooke their long journey , and planted there ; but how the way was passable for them : malvenda q speakes confidently that they might come into tartary , and by the deserts into grotland , on which side america is open ; and mr brerewood r assures us that the north part of asia is possessed by tartars , and if it be not one continent with america , as some suppose ▪ yet doubtlesse they are divided by a very narrow channell , because there be abundance of beares , lions , tigers , and wolves in the land , which surely men would not transport to their owne danger and detriment , those greater s beasts indeed are of strength to swimme over sea many miles , and this is generally observed of beares : and t herrera saith , the inhabitants of the west indies came thither by land , for those provinces touch upon the continent of asia , africa , and europe , though it be not yet fully discovered , how , and where the two worlds be conjoyned , or if any sea doe passe between them , they are straites so narrow , that beasts might easily swimme , and men get over even with small vessells ; our countrey-man nich. fuller u gives in his suitable verdit for the facile passing into columbina , so he calls it from the famous first discoverer , saying , from other places they might find severall islands not farre distant each from other , and a narrow cut at last through which passengers might easily be conveyed ; and acosta w tells that about florida the land runs out very large towards the north , and as they say joynes with the scythique or german sea ; and after some other such mentionings , he concludes confidently , there is no reason or experience that doth contradict my conceit , that all the parts of the earth be united and joyned in some place or other , o●… at least , approach very neere together , and that is his conclusive sentence . it is an indubitable thing , that the one world is continued , and joyned with the other . chap. iii : answer to question 2. how such a remnant should enpeople so great a part of the world . the whole countrey of jewry , whence wee would have it probable that the americans came , is not above one hundred and sixty miles long , from a dan to beersheba , and the breadth is but sixty miles , from ioppa to iordan , in st. ieromes account , who knew it so well ; and how some few colonies , as it were removing from thence should multiply into such numbers , that so large a countrey should be filled by them , is a scruple that hath troubled some considering men . america in the latitude of it is b is foure thousand miles ; and bishop casa's c hath said already , that the spaniards in his time had forraged and spoyled countries longer then all europe , and a great part of asia ; it seemes incredible therefore that the incommers , who were but few in comparison , as a little flocke of kids , should so marvelously spread into all the westerne world ; for the americans before that spanish devastation , filled all the countrey . but this will not seeme so difficult , if former examples be taken into consideration ; d some have made speciall observation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as had many children ; t is much that acosta e writes of one of the inguas or kings of peru , that hee had above three hundred sonnes and grandchildren ; t is more that philo iud●…us f tells of noah the patriarke , who lived , hee saith , to see twenty foure thousand proceeding from him , all males , for women were not numbred . we use to say , rome was not built in one day ; and indeed eutropius g speaking of the empire of that city , saith , at first none was lesse , but in its increment it exceeded all others by many degrees , so that he who reades the story thereof , reads not the acts of one people , but of all nations saith florus h ; yea and seneca i looking on rome in its minority , and her immense magnitude afterward , is amazed thereat ; this one people saith he , how many colonies did it send into all provinces , he writes of numerous encreases from other cities also , as athens and miletus , but it will be nearer to our purpose to observe , how small the number of israell was at his first discent into egypt , how short a time they tarried there , what cruell waies were taken to stop their encrease , and yet how much , and how marvelously they multiplied , and then it will not be strange , that a farre greater number , in a longer time should or might grow into such vast multitudes . and for the first t is most certaine , all the soules of the house of iacob which came into egypt were seventy . gen. 46. 27. t is true also , though not to all so manifest , that the time of their abode in egypt was about two hundred and fifteen yeers , and not more ; at first appearance indeed it seems to be otherwise , because wee read , exod. 12. 40. the sojourning of the children of israell who dwelt in egypt , was foure hundred and thirty yeeres , but the septuagints addition is here remarkable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they dwelt in egypt and in the land of canaan , they and their fathers , foure hundred and thirty yeeres , and this is one of those thirteen mutations that the seventy interpreters made ; when at king ptolomes appointment they translated the scripture into greeke , which they said was done rightly by them , for israell was indeed in egypt but two hundred and ten yeeres , which collection they make from k the numerall letters of that speech of iacob . gen. 42. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there be many impressions in the scripture , evidencing that their abode in egypt was according to this computation . saint paul first taught this high point of chronology , where and how the account must begin , namely at the time when the promise was made to abraham , for the law was foure hundred and thirty yeeres after , gal. 3. 16 , 17. god bidding abraham get out of his owne countrey , &c. gen. 12. 1. makes a covenant with him , ver . 2. 3. and abraham was then seventy five yeeres old , ver . 4. isaac is borne twenty five yeeres after , gen. 21. 5. iacobs birth is sixty yeeres after that , gen. 25. 26. iacob was one hundred and thirty yeeres old when hee went downe into egypt , gen. 47. 28. which together make two hundred and fifteen yeeres , and two hundred and fifteen yeeres after they came all out of egypt ; for when the foure hundred and thirty yeeres were expired , even the selfe same day departed all the hosts of the lord out of the land of egypt , exod. 12. 41. the computation of suidas l l in the margent is consonant hereunto ; and how these seventy in the space of two hundred & fifteen yeers did encrease , is next to be declared , which is also plainly expressed , ver . 37. they tooke their journey from rameses to succoth , about six hundred thousand men on foot , beside children , so great a multiplication of so few in so short a time , may easily convince the possibility of a far greater augmentation from a beginning so vastly different , and the continuance so much surmounting . the spaniards first comming into america was about the yeere one thousand foure hundred and ninety : the great dispersion of the jewes immediately after our saviours death at the destruction of ierusalem , was more then fourteen hundred yeeres before , and their former importation into the city of the medes was seven hundred and fourty yeeres before that ; if therefore upon either of the scatterings of that nation , two thousand or fourteen hundred yeeres , or lesse then either number be allowed for the encrease of those that were very many before , such multitudes will not be miraculous : besides , in all that time no forraign power did breake in among them ; there were thence no transplantations of colonies , no warres did eate up the inhabitants , but such light battailes as they were able to manage among themselves , in all that long time they did encrease and multiply without any extraordinary diminution , till that incredible havocke which was made by the spanish invasions and cruelties . chap. iv. answer to the third quaere , about their becomming so barbarous . if such a passage through tartary , or some other countrey for them were granted , and the probability of so numerous multiplication acknowledged , the perswasion will not yet be easie , that jewes should ever become so barbarous , horrid and inhumane , as bookes generally relate of these americans . villagagno a writing of the brasilians to master calvin , speakes as if he had bin uncertaine at first whether he were come among beasts in an humane shape , so stupid he found them and sottish beyond imagination : but here every reader may take occasion to bemoane the woefull condition of mankinde , and into what rude , grosse , and unmanlike barbarities we runne headlong , if the goodnesse of god prevent us not . wee marvaile at the americans for their nakednesse , and man-devouring , we cannot believe the jewes should be given over to such barbarity : but in our own nation the inhabitants were anciently as rude and horrid , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith herodian , the britons knew not the use of apparell , lest their cloathing should hide the severall formes and figures of beasts and other creatures which they paint , and imprint upon their bodies ; and hierome saith , when he was a young man , he saw the scots , gentem britannicam humanis vesci carnibus , and that even here of old were anthropophagi , is averred by diodorus siculus , and strabo . and to what hath bin said of the jewes formerly , shall here be added . it seemes strange to us if they be jewes , they should forget their religion , and be so odiously idolatrous , although after so many yeeres ; but , if the scripture had not spoken it , could it have bin believed of this very people , that they should fall so often into such foule offences , as , if circumstances be considered , have no parallell . israel , when but newly delivered out of egypt , by many signes and wonders , with severall evident and miraculous impressions of gods majesty and power ; yet in six moneths space all is forgotten , they make unto themselves a god of their owne , attributing unto it all their deliverance , and say , these be thy gods o israrael which brought thee out of the land of egypt . exod. 32. 4. which base idoll of theirs had not it s nothing , till they were all come out safe thence ; who can sufficiently wonder that those very people who saw and heard those terrible things mentioned , exod. 19 , & 20. which forced them to say but a while before to moses , talke thou with us , and wee will heare , but let not god talke with us , least wee die , exod. 20. 19. yea god himselfe seems to admire at this , and for this to disowne them , telling moses , thy people which thou hast brought out of the land of egypt , they are soon turned out of the way , &c. exod. 32. 8. it may seeme past beliefe any of iacobs race should be so unnaturall as to devoure one another , as is frequent among these indians ; and would it not bee as much beyond credit , if the scripture of truth , dan. 10. 21. had not asserted it , that these sonnes of iacob in former times when they had priests and prophets among them , and the remembrance of gods justice and mercy was fresh in their minds , that they should then offer their sonnes and daughters unto devills , psal. 106. 36. as they did in the valley of hinnom , 2 king 23. 10. smiting b on the tabrets while their children were burning , that their cry could not be heard ; t is not impossible therefore that the jews should be againe overwhelmed with such savagenesses and inhumanity ; nor improbable neither , if to what hath bin said three other things be added . 1. the threats of god against them upon their disobedience , deut. 28. where be words and curses sufficient to portend the greatest calamity that can be conceived to fall upon the nature of man , as hath already bin in severall things declared ; and m. paris c so answers the objection , that the tartars are not jewish , because they know nothing of moses law , nor righteousnesse , &c. if when moses was alive , saith he , they were so stubborne and rebellious , and went after other gods , they may be now much more prodigiously wicked , even as these americans , being unknowne to other people , confounded also in their language and life , and god so revenging their abominations . 2. the ten tribes in their owne land were become extreamely barbarous , renouncing all almost they had received from moses , ezek. 36. 17. & 2 king. 17. their captivity is mentioned , and the sinfull cause thereof , more then abominable idolatries ; and they were not onely guilty of wicked , but even of witlesse impieties : god forbad them to walke after the customes of the nations , deut. 4. 8. and yet , as the heathen in all their cities , they built high places , making images and groves upon every high hill , and under every green tree , and made their sonnes and daughters to passe through the fire , using witchcraft and enchantment , &c. 2 king. 17. 8 , 9. this was their religion and wisdome while they were in their own countrey , and they were no better in the land of their captivity ; for it may be , they had not there the books of the law , nor any prophets among them , because t is said againe and againe , they left the commandments of their god. and if it seeme unlikely , that the jewes being in america should lose the bible , the law , and ceremonies , then let the prophesie of hosea be remembred , where t is foretold , that the children of israel shall remaine many daies without a king , and without a prince , and without a sacrifice , and without an ephod , and without a teraphim , hose . 3. 4. yea and before that time there was a lamentable defection of religion in israell . while they were in their owne land , for a long season they were without the true god , and without a reading priest , and without law , 2 chron. 15. 3. yea and as chrysostome d affirmes that the book of deuteronomy had been lost along time among christians , and was lately recovered from dust and rubbish a little before his daies ; so t is most certaine that in iosiahs reigne , hilkiah the priest found the booke of the law in the house of the lord , which when the king heard read unto him , hee was astonisht , as at a new and strange thing , and rent his clothes , 2 king , 22. 8. &c. and this was the booke of the law of the lord given by moses , 2 chro. 34. 14. which was then little knowne or regarded among them , ver . 24 , 25. &c. but thirdly , the stupor and dulnesse of israell was even admirable , when our saviour came into the world , for they give no credit to their owne prophets read in their synagogues every sabbath , the shepherds publish what they received from the angells concerning christ , luk. 2. 17. simeon proclaimes glorious things of jesus , and they will not heare , ver . 25. wise men came from the east to ierusalem enquiring and discoursing , but still they apprehend not ; yea they shut their eyes against all the marvailes that christ performed among them , such as would have convinced not onely tyre and sidon , but even sodome and gomorrha : the heavenly sermons of the sonne of god wrought upon stones , harlots , publicans and sinners , but those jewes remaine inflexible against all , and at his death they still continue feared and stupified ; the veile of the temple is rent , the earth did quake , the stones were cloven asu nder , and the graves did open , but their hearts are shut up still ; yea and at his resurrection there was a great earthquake , the angel of the lord comes downe from heaven , his countenance is like lightning , for fear of him the keepers become as dead men , christ riseth againe in glory , and the watch shew the high priests all these things , they are hereupon convinced , but they will not be convinced ; for they take counsell together , and with mony hire the souldiers to say , the disciples stole away his body while they slept ; if it be therefore well considered of what dark & darkned condition the israelites were in these times , how many yeeres have passed since , what meanes they have had to increase their rudenesse and incivility , and irreligion ; no way , commerce , or means left to reclaime them , it will not seem so strange if they be wholly barbarous , seeing also the vengeance of god lies hard and heavy upon them for their injustice done to his sonne , nam crucifixerunt e salvatorem suum & fecerunt damnatorem suum , saith st. austin , they crucified their saviour , and made him their enemy and avenger . it is no marvaile then , supposing the americans to be jewes , that there be so few mentionings of judaicall rites and righteousnesse among them ; it may be , and is , a wonderfull thing rather , that any footstep or similitude of judaisme should remaine after so many ages of great iniquity , with most just divine displeasure therupon , and no possibility yet discerned how they should recover , but manifest necessities almost of praecipitation into further ignorance , grossenesse and impiety ; the losse of which their customes and ceremonies , in so great a measure , in time may prove advantagious towards their conversion , seeing they cannot be obstinate maintainers of mosaicall ordinances , the love and liking whereof and adhesion to them , was ever a prevailing obstacle to the knowing jewes , and that is a consideration tending directly to the last part , and particular , and will helpe , i trust , to encourage us who are already desirous , not to civilize onely the americanes , but even to gospellize and make them christian. part third . humble desires to all , for hearty endeavours in all , to acquaint the natives with christianity . chap. i. to the planters , and touching the cause of their removall hence . this discourse will be directed to the english planted there , and our selves at home ; concerning the former , three or foure things may be minded . 1. cause of their removall . 2. hope of the natives conversion . 3. directions to it . 4. cautions , and some other additions . deep considerations , without doubt , and mature , were in those that hence transplanted themselves into that other part of the world , but quo jure , by what right and title they could settle in a forraigne land was surely none of their last enquiries . io. bodin a reckons five reasons why colonies may be planted in other regions . 1. expulsion from their own native countrey . 2. increase of inhabitants upon a land . 3. want of necessaries at home , and unseasonable times . 4. desire to preserve and enlarge their owne territories . 5. favour to prisoners and captives . the ampliation of the kingdome of christ was expected here as a motive in vaine ; but i finde it elsewhere among our novangles , and it shall be mentioned in due place : for those are causes why men goe out of their owne land , but for the jus and right of setling in another they say nothing . when the bishop de las casas had set forth his tract of the spanish cruelties committed in the indies , some guilty persons he supposeth suborned doctor sepulveda , the emperours historian , to undertake their patronage , which he did in an elegant and rhetoricall discourse , endeavouring to prove , that the spanish wars against the indians were just and lawfull , and that they were bound to submit unto the spaniards , as ideots to the more prudent ; but he could not obtaine leave to print a booke so irrationall and unchristian . their more plausible plea is , that columbus was first employed by them to discover some of those parts ; but the same offer was before tendred to this our nation , and the king thereof ; yea and the english were as early in that very designe as the portingales , for our b chronicles shew that sebastian gabat or cabot , borne at bristol , was employed by king henry the seventh , and he with some london merchants , adventured three or foure ships into those new-found lands , anno one thousand foure hundred ninety eight ; and it cannot be doubted , but they had made some former sufficient experiments , before that their so confident engagement : thence t is affirmed by others c , that the english were there before columbus , and about the yeere d one thousand five hundred and two , three of those natives were brought unto the king , they were cloathed in beasts skinnes , did eate raw flesh , spake a language none could understand , two of those men were seen at the court at westminster two yeeres after , cloathed like englishmen . but wee of this nation have yet a more ancient claime , three hundred yeeres before columbus , in the time of henry the second , anno dom. one thousand one hundred and seventy ; when madoc ap owen gwineth did not onely discover the countrey , but ●…lanted in some part of mexico , and left monuments of the brittish language , and other usages , taken notice of by the spaniands , since their arrivall thither . mr. herbert e in his travailes doth not onely remember this , but sheweth it to have bin mentioned by many worthy men of late , and ancient times , as cynwic ap greut , meredith ap rhice , gul. owen , lloyd , powell , hackluit , davis , broughton . and purchas . l. 4. c. 13. p. 807. but yet more particularly , dr donne f allowes that as a justifiable reason of mens removall from one place to another , publique benefit ; interest reipublicae ut re sua quis bene utatur , every one must use his private for the common good : and if a state may take order that every man improve what he hath for the benefit of the nation where he lives , then , interest mundo , all mankinde may every where , as farre as it is able , advance the good of mankinde in generall , which not being done by the natives there , others are bound , at least have liberty to interpose their endeavours , especially , when by divine providence one land swells with inhabitants , and another is disempeopled by mutuall broiles , infectious diseases , or the cruelty of invaders , all which have helped to sweepe away the americans , while the english in the meane time did multiply in such manner and measure , as they could scarcely dwell one by another ; and because man is commanded more than once to bring forth , multiply , and fill the earth , gen. 1. 28. 9. 1. he may well therefore , and justly looke abroad , and if he finde convenient and quiet habitation , he may call the name of that land rehoboth , because the lord hath made him roome , gen. 22. 26. that is also a lawfull cause of setling in other lands , when a right therein is acquired by purchase , as abraham bought of ephron the field of machpelah , gen. 22. 17. and thus paspehai h one of the indian kings sold unto the english in virginia land to inhabit and inherit ; and when mr williams of late i called upon our planters in new england to be humbled for making use of the kings patents , for removing hence , and residing there , he is well answered among other things , that they had those lands from the natives by way of purchase and free consent . againe , the territories of strangers may be possessed upon the donation and fore-gift of the naturall inhabitants , as abimelech said to abraham , behold the land is before thee , dwell where it pleaseth thee , gen. 20. 15. and pharaoh said to ioseph , in the land of goshen let thy father and brethren dwell , gen. 47. 5 , 6. so in virginia king k powhatan desired the english to come from iames town , a place unwholsome , and take possession of another whole kingdome , which he gave them ; thus the surviving l indians were glad of the comming of the english to preserve them from the oppression of the next borderers ; and surely divine providence making way , the care of emprovement , the purchase from the natives , their invitation and gift , some , or all these , may satisfie the most scrupulous in their undertaking , or else what will such our inquisitors say to maintaine the right of their owne inheritances ? the english invaded the britons the ancient inhabitants of this island , and crowded them into the nooke of wales , themselves in the meane time taking possession of the fat of this land ; by what right , or by what wrong i dispute not , saith m crantzius ; but such in those daies were the frequent emigrations of people to seeke out new habitations . to these that other expression of the eloquent deane n may be added , accepistis potestatem , you have your commissions , your patents , your charters , your seale from that soveraigne power upon whose acts any private subject in civill matters may rely ; and though our forenamed country-man seemeth to slight the pattent of new-england , as containing matter of falsehood and injustice , that o imputation also is sufficiently removed by mr cotton in that his answer before mentioned . and yet further , the desire and endeavour to plant christianity there , will fortifie the former reasons , and sufficiently vindicate the transplantation of people , this p seales the great seale saith that doctor , authorizeth authority , and justifies justice it selfe , and christians may have learned this from our deare master christ , who coasted the countrey , and crossed the seas q saith chrysologus , not to satisfie humane curiosity , but to promote mans salvation ; not to see diversities of ●…ces , but to seeke , and finde , and save lost mankinde . and if such be the aime of our nation there , we may with more comfort expect and enjoy the externalls of the indians , when wee pay them our spiritualls , for their temporalls , an easie and yet most glorious exchange , the salvation of the salvages , to the hope of the one , the like sound of the other may give encouragement ; but that is the next consideration . chap. ii. hope of the natives conversion . saint paul enforced himselfe to preach the gospell where christ was not yet named , rom. 15. 20. such is the condition of that forlorne nation , a good subject to worke upon , and if so good an end be propounded , the successe by divine blessing will be answerable : and though the countrey hath been knowne more than a century of yeeres to christians , yet those that came first among them , minded nothing lesse than to make them such . benzo a relates abundantly how the spaniards laid the foundation of their endeavours in bloud , their fryers and religious persons at first instigating them thereto . that christian king indeed gave them leave to subdue the caniballs , but they destinate all the nations to bitter bondage , proceeding therein with so much rigour and severity , that the dominicans are constrained at length to complaine thereof to the pope paul the third , imploring from him a bull for the reinfranchisement of the indians , which they obtained , and brought into ●…aine , and presented it to charles the fifth , who made them free to the griefe and losse of some of the grandees , whose wealth and grandour consisted most in slaves ; they were most prodigiously libidinous b also , contracting upon themselves most foule and pernicious diseases , that loathsome lust first brought into this world , the filthy and infectious contagion , now so much spoken of . their covetousnesse was notorious also , the indians scorned them for it , and for their sakes abominated the name of christianity ; and when they tooke any c of the spaniards , they would bind their hands , cast them upon their backs , and poure gold into their mouths , saying , eate , o christians , eate this gold : yea their lives were generally so odious , and opposite to godlinesse , that the same writer professeth , their scandalous conversation deterred the americans from the gospell ; they did indeed teach some children of their kings and nobles , to read , and write , and understand the principles of christianity , which they acknowledged to be good , and wondered that the christians themselves so little practised them ; and thus one of them bespake a d spaniard , o christian thy god forbids thee to take his name in vaine , and yet thou swearest upon every light occasion , and forswearest ; your god saith , you shall not beare false witnesse , and you doe nothing else almost but slander , and curse one another ; your god commands you to love your neighbour as your selfe , but how are the poore injured by you ? how doe you cast them into prison , and fetters , that are not able to pay their debts ? and you are so farre from relieving needy christians , that you send them to our cottages for almes , spending your meanes and time in dice , thefts , contentions , and adulteries : he tells also of an indian prince , that was very apt and ingenious , he attained to a very good measure of learning and knowledge in religion , and was hopefull above others in both ; but about the thirtieth yeere of his age , he deceived the expectation of friends , and became extremely debauched and impious , and being blamed for his bad change , his excuse was , since i became a christian i have learned all this , to sweare by the name of god , to blaspheme the holy gospell , to lie , to play at dice ; i have gotten a sword also to quarrell , and that i may be a right christian indeed , i want nothing but a concubine , which i intend also shortly to bring home to my house ; and benzo further addes , when himselfe reprehended an indian for dicing and blaspemy e , hee was presently answered , i learned this of you christians , &c. and if it be said , benzo was an italian , and laies the more load upon the spaniards , as no friend to that nation , bartholomeus de las casas f one of their owne , and a bishop also , is as liberall in telling their faults , as hath been in part mentioned already ; the natives indeed are capable and docible , but these other tooke no care to lead them unto godlinesse , either by word or example ; but this , saith that spanish bishop , was the manner of their gospelizing them ; in the night they published their edict , saying , o yee caciques and indians of this place , which they named , wee let you all know , that there is one god , one pope , one king of castile , who is the lord of these lands , come forth therefore presently and doe your homage , and shew your obedience to him ; so in the fourth watch of the night the poore indians dreaming of no such matter , men women and children were burnt in their houses together : he affirmeth againe , they regarded no more to preach the gospell of christ to the americans , than if they had bin dogs , and their soules to perish with their bodies ; he tells further of one colmenero , who had the soule-care of a great city , being asked what he taught the indians committed to his charge , his answer was , he cursed them to the devill ; and it was sufficient if he said to them , per signin santin cruces , by the signe of the holy crosse . the spanish instruction then , it is evident , was the natives destruction , and not so much a plantation as a supplantation , not a consciencious teaching , but a lion-like rather devouring of soules ; their errors may warne and rectifie us , yea and sharpen our edge , seeing these poore indians be not indocible , and shall be converted ; and be they jewes or gentiles , as there is much rudenesse and incivility among them , so many hopefull things have bin observed of them ; and as aristotle said of the humane soule at its first immission , it was a new planed table , the americans in like manner saith p. martyr g , are capable , and docible , mindelesse of their owne ancient rites , readily believing and rehearsing what they be taught concerning our faith ; acosta h declares them not onely to be teachable , but in many things excelling many other men , and that they have among them some politique principles admired by our wisest statists ; their naturall parts and abilities were visible in that their whale-catching and conquest mentioned i already , yea they are saith benzo k , very apt to imitate the fashion of the christians ; if wee kneele at our devotion , they will kneele also ; if wee reverently lift up our hands or eyes at prayer , they will do the like : lerius l writeth severall observable things , of their aptnesse and capacity , that they be quickely sensible of their owne blindnesse , easily deterred from lying and stealing ; they told us , m saith he , that very long agoe , they could not tell how many moones since , one came among them cloathed and bearded like unto us , endeavouring to perswade us unto another kinde of religion , but our ancestors would not then heare ; and if wee should now forsake our old usages , all our neighbours would scorne and deride us ; hee found them of tenacious memories , if they heare but once one of our names , they forget them no more : and as hee walked in the woods upon a time with three of those brasilians , his heart was stirred up to praise god for his workes , it was in the spring of the yeere , and hee sang the hundred and fourth psalme , one of them desired to know the reason of his joy , which when he had mentioned , with the meaning also of the prophet , the indian replyed , oh mayr , so they call the french , how happy are you that understand so many secret things , that are hidden from us ! and when the natives of virginia o heard mr harriot speake of the glory of the great god , shewing them his booke , the bible , many of them touched it with gladnesse , kissed , and embraced it , held it to their breasts , and heads , and stroaked their bodies all over with it , and in p guiens they desired captaine leigh to send into england for instructors , and one of them was so well taught , that he professed at his death , he died a christian , a christian of england . but the q sunne-rising of the gospel with the indians in new england , with the breaking forth of further light among them , and their enquiry after the knowledge of the worlds saviour , &c. hath been abundantly discovered by our brethren there of late , to our very great rejoycing , and for the encouragement of them and others . to what hath been said , let me adde what some r suppose they read foretold concerning the americans accesse to christ , out of philip. 2. 10. at the name of iesus every knee shall bow , of things in heaven , things on earth , and things under the earth , i. e. heavenly things , saints already converted , earthly , such of the knowne world as the apostles were then labouring to gospellize , under the earth , that is , the americans which are as under us , and as antipodes to us , and live as it were under , beneath , in the lower parts of the world ; for it is not like hee should speake of the corporally dead , their bodies not being under , but rather in the earth , & inferi , infernus , doe not alwaies meane hell , and the place of the damned , but the regions as under us sometimes , that be opposite to us , as that epistle , said to be brought by a winde from the upper to the nether world , had those words first , superi inferis salutem , wee above the earth wish health to them under it ; and thus the captive indians s told the english planters : wee therefore seeke your destruction , because wee heare you are a people come under the world to take our world from us . others finde their conversion praefigured in that threat , mat. 25. 30. cast the unprofitable servant into utter darknesse , those tenebrae exteriores , outward darknesses t are regiones exterae , the outer and forraigne nations in the judgement of remigiu●… ; and some conceive the same to be fore-signified by the prophet obadiah , ver . 20. the captivity of ierusalem shall possesse the cities of the south . i. e. of america , so situate , or , the dry cities , that countrey being much under the torrid zone ; acosta u confidently applyeth thus this text , as some others doe that of esa. 66. 19. fredericus lumnius w in his booke de vicinitate extremi judicii , findes or makes divers other scriptures look this way , upon that ground , three sorts of people should be in the church of christ at severall times , jewes formerly , christians now , and these indians afterwards ; he citeth hilary thus understanding that parable of the talents , the possessor of five is the jew , hee that had two talents is the gentile , then knowne , hee that received one , a people all carnall and stupid ; and according to this triple time of the church , and order of believers , hee expoundeth other scriptures , zach. 13. 8. mat. 13. 3. and the three watches , luk. 12. 38. and craving pardon of his rashnesse , or rather fidei nescientis mensuram suam , of his faith not knowing its owne measure , hee further allegorizeth the former parable , the jewes had one talent , the ancient and present christians two , law and gospell , and the servant to whom five talents were given , by which hee gained other five , is the indian and american nation , last in time converted , and called after others into the vineyard ; but it shall be more abundant in obeying the gospell , more fervent in charity , more zealous of good workes , and therefore malvenda x will have those to be the dry cities before mentioned out of obad. ver . 20. because they shall so much thirst after the gospell ; for that younger sister of the foure , saith y one of her friends in this england , is now growne marriageable , and daily hopes to get christ to her husband by the preaching of the gospel . comines z said of the english that they were much addicted to , and taken with prophecies and predictions , i believe that is incident to all nations , some even among these have foretold of the mutation of their rites , and religion , as hath bin mentioned , and in reference to their gospelizing a a divine and propheticall poet hath printed his thoughts hereof in severall particulars . religion stands on tiptoe in our land , ready to passe to the american strand ; when height of malice , and prodigious lusts , impudent sinning , witchcrafts , and distrusts , the markes of future bane , shall fill our cup vnto the brim , and make our measure up ; when sein shall swallow tiber , and the thames by letting in them both pollute her streames ; when italy of us shall have her will , and all her calendar of sins fulfill , whereby one may foretell what sins next yeer shall both in france and england domineer , then shall religion to america flee , they have their times of gospell even as wee : my god , thou dost prepare for them a way , by carrying first from them their gold away , for gold and grace did never yet agree , religion alwaies sides with poverty ; wee thinke wee rob them , but we thinke amisse , wee are more poore , and they more rich by this ; thou wilt revenge their quarrell , making grace to pay our debts , and leave our ancient place , to goe to them , while that , which now their nation but lends to us , shall be our desolation , &c. here is a sad prognosticke for this england , but a joyfull calculation for america , longing , thirsting america ; and if such be their ripenesse and desire , wee should also make haste to satisfie them , the harvest there is great , and the regions are already white thereto ; the laborours indeed are few , t is more then time that the lord of the harvest were more earnestly intreated to send , to thrust forth labourers into this harvest : they that have gone into those parts have not all had a care of this , the harvest of soules . it was indeed the profession of villagagno , and the purpose surely of peter richiers , and will. charter pastors , and others from geneva , anno , one thousand five hundred fifty six , to publish the gospel there , and they were very serious therein , yea and lerius , b one of them , believes they had bin successefull also , if that apostate governour had not become a most cruell persecutor of the reformed religion in that strange land , where he most barbarously mutthered three of those his owne countrey men , and the aforesaid lerius piously took care that their martyrdom should be commemorated by io. crispin in his history ; and though these were not so happy in that holy attempt , others have not been , will not be discouraged in such a worke ; a worke worthy of the choicest diligence of those that professe the glorious gospel in sincerity , who have had also many and manifold experiments of divine favour in their severall preservations , directions , and accommodations ; and because their friends ( with praise to god , and thanks to them for what is done and declared already ) desire to know more of those their pious and blessed endeavours , let me adde a third consideration , wishes of furtherance and direction in such great and gracious employments , which shall be , i hope , and pray , as a spurre to more able advisers to bring in every one somewhat or other towards the erecting of a tabernacle for our god in america . chap. iii. directions towards the conversion of the natives . some give violent counsell here , presuming they find it in that parable , luk. 14. 23. compell them to come in ; but judicious a austin calls this amoris , non timoris tractum , not a force of feare , but of love , producing the example of a sheepe following the shepherd holding a green bough in his hand ; and t is the sentence of a serious historian b among the gentiles , such are worthy of pitty not hatred , that erre from the truth , for they doe it not willingly , but being mistaken in judgement , they adhere to their first received opinions ; and the saints in the first times never thought outward compulsion a fit meane to draw on inward assent . the evangelicall prophet foretold this , they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the lord , esa. 65 last . and our most deare lord himselfe saith , the sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives , but to save them , luk. 9. 56. saint iames derives the pedigree of that wisdome which hath bitter envying and strife , though it be but in heart , though it may rejoyce and thinke highly of it selfe , yet its parentage is from that cerberus of iniquity , the world , the flesh , and the devill , jam. 3. 15. but regenerated saints delight surely in that wisdome which is from above , and that is first pure , then peaceable , gentle , easie to be intreated , full of mercy , &c. jam. 3. 17. full of mercy , no roome therfore for violence and cruelty ; and the holy men of the next ages were children of this wisdome . 't is not religion , saith tertullian c , to compell religion , which ought to be introduced by perswasion , not force ; for even sacrifices of old were expostulated from willing mindes ; our church hath nothing to doe with murther , and bonds . d athanasius never committed any man to a goaler , saith hee himselfe in his apology ; and againe , the truth is not to be preached with swords , and darts , and armies , but by reason and arguments , which finde no place among them whose contradiction is requited with suffering , banishment , and death : the ancient christians abound with mentionings of this kind ; it is said indeed of e charles the great , that conquering the saxons , he commanded them to embrace christianity , and that he dealt in such a manner with the hungarians , and some others ; yea and though there be that speake the like of constantine , yet eusebius f writeth confidently , he wished all , commanded no man to be a christian , and for this orosius g commends him , that he shut up the pagan temples , but offer'd no violence to mens persons . the devill indeed , because he is no friend to truth , comes with axes and hatchets , but our saviour is gentle , and with a sweet voice saith , open unto me my sister , my love , &c. cant. 5. 2 , 5. and if they open , he enters , if not , he departeth , saith athanasius in the fore-cited place . foure things did especially assist in the first coverting of people to christ , besides those miraculous helps ; and if they be now conscienciously practised , god will shew himselfe mervellous in his blessing . 1. language , the necessity thereof was visible in those cloven tongues as of fire , the history whereof wee read act. 2. 1. &c. men must learne the speech of the natives , that dealing by interpreters must needs be difficult , tedious , and not so successefull ; meinardus h of old first gained the tongue of the livonians , and then became an happy instrument of their conversion ; and i chrysostome did the like with the scythians ; and the french colony k propounded and promised the same course at their first planting in america , as they certified mr calvin in their letters ; and the english in l virginia labouring to bring the natives to christianity , were woefully impeded therein by the ignorance of their language , which defect in themselves they did both acknowledge and bewaile . 2. labouring in the word was required and practised , mat. 28. act. 20. 18. and passim preachers should be appointed with all diligence to instruct the indians ; for men are begotten to christ by the word of truth , jam. 1. 18. the iberians m received the first inckling of the gospell by a christian maid-servant that was a captive among them ; and they sent afterwards unto constantine the emperour for preachers ; the old indian told the spanish priest n complaining of their aversenesse to the gospell , the lawes of christ wee confesse are better than ours , but wee cannot learne them for want of teachers , wherein he spake the truth , the very truth saith acosta , to our very shame and confusion . 3. the piety and holinesse of those apostolicall christians was exceeding and exemplary , by which as well as by their preaching they woo'd and wonne kingdomes and people to christianity ; their enemies could find no other fault in them , but that that they were christians : our deare masters generall command was universally practised , the light of their holy lives did shine to gods glory , and the benefit of others ; thus victor vticensts o sheweth that caprapicta was converted as well by the piety and godlinesse , as by the preaching of the africans ; as on the other side the impiety of the spaniards deterred the americans from the gospell . 4. blessing was fetched downe from heaven by prayer , this was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their only worke in a manner , prayer and ministration of the word , act. 6. 4. thus p socrates reporteth , that after seven daies fasting and supplication the burgundians were christianized ; so crantzius q tells of those northern nations that by prayer and preaching they prevailed to bring many other people to christ : if men doe now worke with these tooles , the building will goe up a pace , the foundation being laid in the honour of god by the conversion of those that yet remaine in the shadow of death ; in all which some furtherance might be found , by knowing and observing the dispositions , fashions , and customes of the natives , which would also in a good measure be understood by serious converses with them , and by severall bookes that from severall places upon severall occasions have been written of them ; and to all let be added studious industry , that some indian children be taught christianity , and trained up to such abilities that they may have skill to instruct their own countrey men . it was gregories counsell to further the conversion of our countreymen here , they should buy english children and youths of seventeen or eighteen yeeres , that might be educated in gods service , and helpful this way . the franciscan that had been so many yeeres among them , and learned two of their languages , and used much diligence in this worke in his way , told benzo r , that of necessity such a course must be taken to gospellize them , all other endeavours would be fruitlesse and labour in vaine ; and that writer s sheweth how those of peru were well contented to deliver their young ones to be taught in christianity ; and surely their fathers and countrey-men would sooner listen unto them than unto strangers . and in all these the good counsell of the holy apostle must be remembred , walke wisely toward them which are without , colos. 4. 5. not onely in watchfulnesse and care to prevent all dangers from them , but in the most pious wisdome of winning soules , prov. 11. 30. by setting before them in practise also the examples of every grace and vertue , with the perfect hatred of all vice and ungodlinesse ; and let me have favour here to commend 3 or 4 cautions . chap. iv. cautions . 1. take heed and beware of cruelty , the god of mercy hates nothing so much , saith a theophilact as unmercifulnesse ; the badge of christ is clemency , his livery love ; by this it shall be knowne that you are my disciples , saith our deare master himselfe , if yee love one another , io●… . 13. 35. other mens followers were known by their garments and colours , but charity and love made the first christians famous over all the old heathen world , but in the new world the spaniards die was not so black as bloudy , and the indians called them b yares , i. e. devills , so little humanity , as they conceived , was visible among them . the same bishop , when he made an whole book of the spanish cruelties which he saw executed by them on the indians , protesteth it was his opinion , that hee scarce mentioned one of a thousand of their tyrannies ; and more than once or twice he averreth , that they allwaies grew from bad to worse , and exceeded themselves in their diabolicall doings . nothing is more odious to this day than their name in those countries ; for where ever the spanish christians displayed their banners saith benzo c , they imprinted upon the natives by their horrid cruelties , eternall monuments of implacable hatred towards them ; but the faire , civill , and gentle deportment of our nation to the natives , hath already wonne much upon them , as is acknowledged by a d forraigne pen. 2. take heed and beware of covetousnesse , t is our sweet saviours own ingeminated command , luk. 12. 15. happy shall the natives be , and we also , if they find our conversation without covetousnesse , heb. 13. 5. that they may see and say , the englishmen seeke not ours , but us , and us , not to make us slaves to themselves , but fellow servants to christ our common master ; they saw the spaniards so guilty of this e evill , that they conceived them to adore no other god but gold , the observation of which fetched from f benzo that pious exoptation , i wish to god , saith hee , wee were no more addicted to earthly things than they , the name of christian would be glorious were it not for our covetousnes ; the spaniards indeed tell faire stories , some of them , as if their sole desire had been to christianize the natives , when indeed all their endeavour was to satisfie their lust and avarice ; and acosta g himselfe cannot deny but that his countreymen did commit many great outrages for gold and silver ; but where those metalls were not to be found , they made no stay , continued not in such places ; and ▪ benzo h is large in producing their frequent and suddaine removes upon this occasion , and he tells that the bracamorians are unsubdued by the spaniards to this day , not so much because they are a warlike people in their kind , but especially by reason of their poverty and indigence . 3. take heed and beware of complying with them in any of their rites and ceremonies , if we intend they should indeed come out of egypt , let not an hoofe be left , as exod. 10. 25. let them have christian religion purely , without blinding or blending ; the wisdome of the flesh must not here be heard ▪ wee must listen to no other but the counsell of the spirit . it was l good advice the godly bishop and martyr hooper gave to king edward the sixth and his honourable privy councellors , as yee have taken away the masse from the people , so take from them her feathers also , the altar , vestments , and such like as apparell'd her : there hath not doubtlesse , been any one thing so powerfull in begetting and maintaining doctrinall quarrells in christendome , as the unhappy complication with nations and people in some of their supposed tollerable rites at their first approaching to christianity ; the pagans of old , saith rhenanus m , were relieved by the mutation of some things in their religion , whose universall abolition had irritated , if not totally scared them from us ; and acosta n concurres with him in this matter , even in reference to the indians : how this policy prevailed at first in the church was long ago observed , and it became the lamentation of latter times , when men were more tenacious of humane superstructures , than of the fundamentalls laid by jesus christ , the shell and shadow of gentile ceremony is yet more carefully hunted after by the man of rome , than the most solid and substantiall truths of the gospel ; pitty it is , that sense and eyedazlelings should prevaile more than divine verities , that abundance of good things should breed surfets , and yet it will ever be thus , where there is want of care and spirituall exercise at home , and but cold endeavours to promote piety and godlinesse abroad . 4. take heed and beware of all and every ungodlinesse , not onely for your owne sakes , but that the sweet name of our god be not blasphemed among the nations , rom. 2. 24. holy examples are a nearer way to righteousnesse than verball precepts and instructions ; the indians may , even without the word , be won to the truth by a godly conversation , as st. peter speaketh in the like case , 1 pet. 3. 1. a corrupt life is a violent argument perswading to evill ; the americans were scared from christianity by the scandalous iniquities of the spaniards . the evil example of one ungodly christian did more hinder the indians conversion , than an hundred of their religious could further it , * he saith it , who saw what he spake , for they are verily perswaded that of all the gods in the world , the spaniards god is the worst , because hee hath such abominable and wicked servants . benzo i tells of a confabulation himselfe had with an old indian , who in serious discourse said unto him , o christian ! what kind of things be christians , they exact mayz , honey , silke , an indian woman for a concubine , they require gold and silver , christians will not worke , they dice , blaspheme , &c. when i replyed , evil christians onely doe such things , not such as be good , his answer was ready , but where are those good christians ? i could never yet see one of them ; and not this american onely , but a franciscan fryer publickly affirmed , that not a priest , nor monke , not bishop in all india , was worthy of the name of a good man ; didacus lopez k in his epistle to the bishop of guattimala , saith , the christians were so prodigiously wicked , that they were odious not onely to heaven and angells , but even to the earth , and devills ; doe you believe saith hee , the indians will become christians , when your selves are not so but in name onely , and in title ? surely those silly nations will sooner be perswaded to good by the example of one daies conversation , than by an whole yeers preaching ; for to what purpose doe wee strew among the people odoriferous roses with ou●… tongues and language , if we sting and vex them in the meane time with the thornes of our wicked doings . but our countrey men take care to follow the aforementioned injunction of the holy apostle , col. 4. 5. they walke righteously , or as in our old english it was , in right wisenesse , so they called righteousnesse , towards them without ; and so their charter on earth , as well as those letters patents from heaven , wills that the english be so religiously , peaceably , and civilly governed , as their good life and orderly conversation may winne and inci●…e the natives of the countrey to the knowledg and obedience of the onely true god and saviour of mankinde , and the christian faith , which in our regall intention and the adventurers free profession , is the principall end of this plantation . and let these words be understood , as awakenings to those of our nation there , and our selves also , that wee all labour mutually , and from our hearts , to propagate the gospell there , because wee , who eate every man of his owne vine , and of his owne figtree , and drinke every man water out of his own ●…isterne , esa. 36. 16. should witnesse our thankfulnesse unto god , for these favours , by sympathizing affections towards our brethren there , and the natives . chap. v. to the english here , and first in behalfe of the planters there . they should have our hearts and love for many seasons , how many felicities did they forsake , both of the right hand , and of the left , in respect of estate , friends , and the comfort of their owne native soile ? it was said by the prophet , weepe for him that goeth ou●… , for hee shall returne no more to see his owne countrey , jer. 22. 20. besides , that dulcis amor patriae , how many hazards did they runne into by dangerous and tedious sea-voyages ? they were exposed to divers certaine inconveniences , not only in regard of externalls , change of aire , diet , &c. but change of men especially , having little security , because they were in daily dread of indian trechery , which might then fall upon them , when they supposed it most remote ; they have also left more roome at home , of which wee were wont to have more need than company , which encreased so fast , that wee were ready to extrude one another ; and by them we have more strength abroad , because transplanted colonies a be domestique fortifications , though they have been invented sometimes , and used to abate popular undertakings , but i meane it in the roman interpretation , the nations where they fix , are reduced by degrees to their fashions , lawes , and commands : yet some have unnaturally followed those our countrey men with reproaches , accounting them so base , as not worthy to be set with the dogs of their flocke , as one to them applyed that of job 30. 1. to the westerne plantation indeed , at first men of meane condition generally resorted , but soon after people of better ranke followed ; divers of good families , and competent estates went into virginia , and setled in some islands thereabouts , but because those of new-england pretended more to religion than the rest , they are more loaden with uncivill language , but most injuriously ; for the transplanting novangles were many of them severally eminent , some of noble extract , divers gentlemen descended from good families ; their first charter mentions three knights , among other men of worth ; and it seemes their example , or somewhat else was like to prevaile with many others of no meane condition , so that eleven of the then privy counsell directed their letters in december , one thousand six hundred thirty foure , to the warden of the cinque ports , taking notice that severall persons went over with their families , and whole estates , forbidding subsidy men , or of the value of subsidy men to be imbarqued without speciall licence and attestation of their taking the oaths of supremacy and allegiance , submission also to the orders and discipline of the church of england : and three yeeres after , viz. one thousand six hundred thirty seven , a proclamation issued from the king to the same purpose , and in the same words . others instead of affections and hearts , sling darts after them , and say , they are gone out from us indeed , but they were not of us , 1 joh. 2. 19. neither liking our doctrine nor governement . yet surely they differ not at all from us in religion , witnesse our owne confession and their profession ; and for the first , our learned men have continually acknowledged the puritans to consent with them in doctrinalls , archbishop sands b in his sermon before queene elizabeth more than once asserteth this , we have here saith he , to praise our god , that in publique doctrine touching the substance of religion wee all agree in one truth , the greater pitty it is we should so much dissent in matters of small importance , in rites and circumstanees ; the puritanicall errors did not at all oppose any part of our religion , but it continued most sound even to the dying day of that most renowned princess , saith he that c analysed our thirty nine articles , and so printed them by authority ; and king iames d averreth the like of his scottish puritans , we all god be thanked agree in the grounds , and after his reception of this crowne , hee calls e the english puritan a sect rather than a religion ; and in his declaration against vorstius f , hee joyneth his churches of great britaine with those of france and germany , opposing them all against vorstius , bertius , and the arminians ; notwithstanding the disciplinarian quarrell saith g bishop andrewes , we have the same ●…aith , the cardinall is deceived , or deceiveth , in using the word puritans , as if they had another religion differing from that publiquely professed , and this hath been the unanimous asseveration of english bishops , and other learned divines , as were easie abundantly to declare . but themselves have spared us that labour , by their constant acknowledgement thereof ; mr. rogers h in his forecited analysis , produceth their owne writings to this purpose , and what one of them can be named that refused subscription to those 39 articles in reference to matters of doctrine ; mr. browne t is thought , went as farre astray as any here , yet i have seen his owne i hand declaring at that time his allowance of all those synodicall articles ; and left any should imagine the novangles differing from us in dogmaticall truths , besides many , very many printed bookes testifying their concurrence with us herein , beside divers private letters , that subscribed by the governour and principall assistants sufficiently manifests their judgement and affection , wherein they desire to be accounted our brethren , and implore our prayers ; adding , howsoever our charity may have met with some discouragements through the misreport of our intentions , or through disaffection , or indiscretion of some among us , for wee dreame not of perfection in this world , yet would you be pleased to take notice of the principall and body of this company , as those that are not ashamed to call the church of england our deare mother , and cannot part from her without teares in our eyes , but shall ever acknowledge that such part and hope as we have obtained in the common salvation , we received it in her bosome , and sucked it from her breasts , &c. from south-hampton . iohn winthrop ▪ governour . rich : s●…ltonstall . tho : dudly , &c. chap. vi. there is another injaculation that hath gone current among many , that the puritane of old and new-england is antimonarchicall , the former is sufficiently cleared by that bishop , who hath left this testimony , a presbyterio lis est cum episcopis , cum rege nulla est , or if that be not enough , king iames b in this is an irrefragable assertor , the puritans do not decline the oath of supremacy , but daily take it , never refused it ; and the same supremacy is defended by c calvin himselfe . and in new-england mr. williams d seemed in other things to be extravagant , yet thus he writes to this point : for the government of the common-wealth from the king , as supreme , to the inferiour and subordinate magistrates , my heart is on them , as once deborah ▪ spake : and as the governours and assistants doe themselves take the oath of allegiance , so they have power by their charter to give the same to all that shall at any time passe to them , or inhabite with them ; but , tempora mutantur , and it may be t is with them , as with us , & nos mutamur in illis . and t is further said , that their ecclesiastique government , is not onely opposite to the ancient episcopacy of the land , but to the discipline of the other reformed churches , even that which the covenant calleth for : it may be worth our consideration , that as there was a time when forraigners reformed were not so opposite to our bishops , but those divines e thought well of them , willingly gave to them titles of reverend fathers , and illustrious lords ; and in their publique convenings , f spake of that government with good respect , and the valedictory epistle of mr. cotton , to the then bishop of lincoln , full of respective expressions , is yet to be seen , so the bishops then were not such antipresbyterians , caecus sit , saith g bishop andrewes to p. moulin a presbyter , qui non videat stantes sine ea ecclesias , ferreus sit , qui salutem eis n●…get , nos non sumus illi ferrei , let him be blind that seeth not churches consistent without such an hierarchy , let him be accounted iron-hearted that shall deny them to be in a way of salvation , we are not such iron-hearted men , yea and severall reformed congregations of severall nations have not onely been tollerated , but much refreshed under the bishops of london , norwich , winchester , &c. these times have widened all differences every where , even among such as are or should be one in covenant ; how are disaffections increased , divisions heightened , which have not only wofully abated christian love , but miserably augmented iniquities of all sorts ? many being scrupulously curious about mint and annis , having little respect in the meane time to faith , righteousnesse , and the more weighty things of the law ▪ and here may be taken up the lamentation of erasmus h , bemoaning himselfe exceedingly , that he had in bookes cryed up , libertatem spiritus , liberty of the spirit , which i thinke this age would call liberty of conscience , i wished thus saith hee , a diminution of humane ceremonies , to that end , that divine truths and godlinesse might be enlarged , nunc sic excutiunt ut illae , ut pro libertate spiritus succedat effraenis carnis licentia , and he doth justly call it carnall licenciousnesse , for the spirit of our god , gal. 5. 20. names contentions , seditions , heresies , &c. workes of the flesh , which being but lately sowne , have strangely growne up and multiplyed , so that a forraigne penne hath to englands shame printed it thus to the world , i anglia his quatuor annis facta est colluvies , & lerna omnium errorum , ac sectarum , nulla à condito orbe provincia tam parvo spatio tot monstrosas haereses protulit atque haec , episcoporum tempora intra sexaginta annos non nisi quatuor sectas protulerunt , & eas plerunque in obscure latentes , &c. for i had rather bewaile than reveale the nakednesse of the nation , i had rather stirre up my owne soule and others to piety , and peace , oh , when will men lay aside all bitternesse , and wrath , and anger , and clamour , and evill speaking , with all malice ; and instead thereof be kinde one to another , tender-hearted , forgiving one another , as god for christs sake forgave you , ephes. 4. 32. i wish there were a law to forbid all needlesse disputes , i wish that it and those other severall lawes were put in execution impartially , so that all men by all meanes were provoked to godlinesse , that would preserve from every error , for god is faithfull that hath promised , if any man will doe the fathers will , he shall know the doctrine whether it be of god , joh. 7. 17. hearty endeavours for holinesse in our owne persons , and those related to us , would take away the occasions of many unkind controversies , for the kingdome of god is not meate or drinke , this or that government , or any such externalls , no further then they serve to promote righteousnesse and peace , and joy in the holy ghost , rom. 14. 17. and this is the best way to shew our obedience unto christ , for hee that in these things serveth christ is acceptable to god , and approved of men . ver . 18. when our countreymen planted themselves first in america , the name of independency was not knowne ; hee indeed that lately hath wrote k of the state of the churches in england , drawes so the scheme that our novangles are thus become independents , but with the epithete of orthodox . schema sectarum recentium , puritani presbyteriani , angli . scoti . erastiani , sive colemaniani . independentes , sive congregationales . orthodoxi novo-anglici , londinenses . pseudo-independentes , sive fanatici . anabaptista , quaerentes , antinomi , & mille alii . and for our novangles it cannot be denyed , but many of them well approve the ecclesiastique government of the reformed churches , as of old , communi presbyterorum consilio ecclesiae regibuntur , they desire it were so now ; and some of them in new england are amazed at the manner of our gathering of churches here : thus one writeth l that had bin a long time a pastor among them ; what more ungodly sacrilege , or man-stealing can there be than to purloine from godly ministers the first borne of their fervent prayers , and saithfull preachings , the leven of their flocks , the encouragement of their soules , the crowne of their labours , their epistle to heaven ? if men will needs gather churches out of the world as they say , let them first plough the world , and sow it , and reape it with their owne hands , & the lord give them a liberall harvest . he is a very hard man that will reape where he hath not sowed , and gather where he hath not strowed , mat. 24. 25. and if i mistake not , such kind of unkind and hard dealing was practised here in england even in popish times , what meanes else that canon among the saxon councells , vt sacerdotes aliorum parochianos ad se non alliciant , how like this lookes to that i leave to the judgement of others , but these be the words of that rule , let no presbyter perswade the saithfull of the parish of another presbyter to come to his church , leaving his owne , and take to himselfe those tithes ; but let every one bee content with his owne church and people , and by no meanes doe that to another , which he would not should be done to himselfe , according to that evangelicall saying , whatsoever yee would that men shonld doe unto you , doe yee the same to them ; but whosoever shall walke contrary to this rule , let him know hee shall either lose his degree , or for a long time be detained in prison . i shall by and by speake more to this on their behalfe , now adde onely , that as many in new england approve of the discipline of the other churches reformed , and some of them sufficiently dislike the way and manner of our church-gathering here , so all of them have now seen by experience the necessity of synods : for in their great storm of late that was so like to wracke all , the meanes to settle it was as strange as the disease , so he writes that was an eye , and care witnes , they that heretofore slighted synods , and accounted of them as humane inventions , and the blemish of those reformed churches that made use of them , are now for the preservation of themselves enforced to make use of that meanes which in time of peace they did slight and contemne ; the synod , saith he , being assembled , much time was spent in ventilating and emptying of private passions , but afterwards it went on and determined with such good successe , that in token thereof , hee saith , wee keepe a solemne day of thanksgiving , as there was cause , and the two men most different in opinion , were selected for the publike exercise , wherein they behaved themselves to admiration , the acts and conclusions of the synod , &c. i would further aske , if the independent government , so farre as it is congregationall , be not as rigidly presbyterian as any ; sure i am , unkinde they are not to the other presbyterians , mr winslow is an irrefragable testis herein , who mentions some there that are in that way , and knowne to be so , yet never had the least molestation or disturbance , but have and finde as good respect from magistrates , and people , as other elders in the congregationall way ; yea divers gentlemen of scotland , that groaned under the late pressures of that nation , wrote into new england to know whether they might freely be suffered to exercise their presbyteriall government , and it was answered affirmatively they might ; and yet further none of them here or there , that continue true to their first principles , differ at all in fundamentalls and doctrine from the other presbyterians , and t is not unlike , but when god shall enlarge their borders , they will finde it needfull to approach yet neerer to the way of other reformed churches in their discipline : and there is of themselves , that upon observation of their former very great danger , have left their judgement , with which i will conclude this chapter : an excellent way they have , meaning their ecclesiastique government , if pastors and people would ever be of one opinion , but when they shall come to be divided into as many opinions , as they are bodies , what will the sequell be ? and i see little probability of subsistence , where independency yeelds matter of divisions , but no meanes to compound them . chap. vii . to our selves , in behalfe of the natives towards their conversion . it is the unfeigned desire of every pious soule , that god would please to guide and blesse some holy and happy hand , in taking up the differences that are growne up among those that are named by the sweet name of christ , that all who love the lord jesus in sincerity , would also sincerely love one another ; that mutuall forces were conjoyned to promote the glory of our common master , not onely every man in his owne person , family , place , and countrey , but by apprehending all opportunities to publish the eternall gospell of our lord even to those other ends of the earth . gregory the great a did willingly encourage himselfe in his desire to christianize our ancestors the saxons from hints of his owne observation , for seeing children of beautifull feature offered to sale in the market at rome , as then the manner was , hee sighed within himselfe , and said , when he understood they were not christians , alas that the prince of darkenesse should possesse such faire and lightsome countenances ; enquiring further after their names , angles , they have angels faces indeed said hee , and t is meet all diligence be used that they be as the angels of god in heaven ; when hee asked of what province they were , it was answered deiri , or deira , for so was then that b seventh kingdome called , northumberland , in the time of the saxons , dei ira eruti saith hee , being made christians they shall be delivered from the wrath of god ; and upon demand , hearing that their kings name was aelle , he said allelu jah , and praises to god must be sung there : in this worke if that may be any invitation , we have the like allusions , the whole countrey is called the new world in the generall , and particularly there is new spaine , new france , new netherland , new scotland , new england , why should not there be solicitous endeavours that all the natives of that new world , should be made a world of new creatures ; and if upon occasion and enquiry the inhabitants be called barbarians , such were we our selves in the common acceptation of the word , being neither jewes nor greekes ; if salvages , t is a name of hope that they are a salvable generation , and shall in due time be partakers of the common salvation ; their complexion indeed is darke and duskish , as t is made after birth , but their soules are the more to be pittied , that yet bee in a farre more unlovely hue , even in the suburbs of that darkenesse , that blacknesse of darknesse , which is so terrible to thinke of : it was gregories desire that hallelu-jahs should bee sung to and for the english , then heathen , the christian english may observe and wonder at that very word of frequent use among the indians , as hath already been mentioned ; finally there is a constellation or starre , called the crosse , peculiar to that countrey , saith acosta c , and it is so named because foure notable starres make the forme of a crosse , set equally , and with good proportion , a good omen i wish it may be , and that a starre may leade them also to their saviour , that christ may be made knowne to them , and his peace through the bloud of his crosse , col. 1. 20. to which employment wee have likewise other perswasions , besides what hath been formerly sprinkled here and there . 1. the necessity of the poore natives require this care , who stand so much in need of spirituall bread , and so few prepare to breake it to them , they yet walke in the vanity of their minde , having their understanding darkned , being alienated from the life of god through the ignorance that is in them , &c. eph. 4. 17. &c. and the lesse sensible they be of their owne forlorne condition , the more sollicitous should others be to acquaint them therewith , together with the way of their deliverance . when d austin the monke came hither among the saxons to preach the gospell , king ethelbert opposed him not , but said i cannot so easily forsake my owne religion , and embrace theirs that is new ; yet seeing these strangers are come so farre and bring that to us which they esteem most excellent , wee will use them kindly , they shall want nothing for their work : and surely were the americans but a little civiliz'd , they would by degrees understand their owne miserable estate , and themselves would then bespeake further enlightning ; yea this is already in some of their fervent desires , e as hath been intimated also formerly . 2. christians have a care of this for christ their masters sake , good subjects wish the ampliation of their soveraignes honour , and how glad should wee bee when the kingdome of darknesse is empaired , and there be continuall accresses to the kingdome of gods deare sonne , col. 1. 14. t is our daily prayer , hallowed be thy name , divulged , and made glorious all the world over , wee cannot better improve our interest and power , then by being active & industrious instruments thereof ; wee endeavouring as much as wee may that the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdomes of the lord , and of his christ , revel . 11. 15. non est zelus sicut zelus animarum f , this zeale for soules carries in the wombe thereof glory to god , and honour to the zealots themselves , dan. 12. 3. and unutterable comfort and benefit to them that are warmed thereby , iam. 5. 20. and their debtors in this verily we are , if the words of another apostle be with a little mutation applyed hither , for if wee be made partakers of their carnall things , our duty it is also to minister unto them in spirituall things , rom. 15. 17. 3. the severall patents to severall planters call for this endeavour , such was that first granted to the virginians by king iames , it intended principally the propagation of the christian faith ; the like is to be read in the patents and confirmations made by him and king charles to others . and in the beginning of this parliament , that honourable committee of lords and commons were appointed chiefely for the advancement of the true protestant religion , and further spreading of the gospell of christ among the natives in america . yea and in the charter to mary-land , the pious zeale for the spreading of the gospel is first mentioned , and what ever suggestions be made , or aimes otherwise , there is a speciall proviso against the prejudice , or diminution of gods holy and truly christian religion , and the allegiance due to the kings majesty , his heires , and successors ; it is not well then if romish designes have been mannaged there , injurious to religion , and offensive to our other plantations , but herein stands the force of this motive , the mutuall and interchangeable pact and covenant of donor and receiver is in all those charters and patents the conversion of the natives . 4. i finde another encouragement from a doctor lately lapsed into popery g , yet professing his willingnesse to returne upon protestants successes this way ; for he deemes it improbable , that ever they should convert any nation , or so much as any one single person , except some poore wretch or other , whom feare or gaine will drive , or draw to any thing ; but if ever the historicall relation of gods wonderfull workings upon sundry of the indians , both governours and common people , in bringing them to a willing and desired submission to the ordinances of the gospell , and framing their hearts to an earnest enquiry after the knowledge of god the father , and jesus christ the saviour of the world ; i say if ever those discourses come to the doctors view , hee may once againe change his minde , how ever the happy progresses of our countrey men in that worke , if they be knowne and well considered of by the papists themselves , they may be carried to admiration , expectation , and it may be further . 5. the honour of our nation may be another argument to this undertaking , that as to charlemaine of old h the saxons owe their christianity , and those of phrysia , dithmarse and holsatia , the vandalls also and hungarians : it will be glorious for the chronicles and annalls of england , that by the meanes of this nation the nansamonds were brought to the true and saving knowledge of jesus christ , and so were the sasquehannockes , wicomesses , conecktacoacks , massachuseuks , mouhacks , aberginians and others ; thus will the renowne of the english name and nation , ring over all the westerne world. gregory complaines more then once , that those angles our ancestors were willing to become christians , but the priests of france refused to give help and instruction . the britons also refused to joyne with austin here in his preaching to the saxons , not out of pride and contempt as beda i reporteth , but for that those people , invited hither as friends , became their onely enemies , driving them from their possessions , which themselves invaded as their owne , but these indians give harbour to our nation , whose faire and free accomodating of our countrey men hath fully purchased to themselves all the spirituall favour wee and they are able to afford them , of which , when they also become sensible , honour will redound to this england , not onely from ours there , who professe truly , if they prosper , we shall be the more glorious , but the natives enlightned by us will returne hither the tribute of their abundant thankfulnesse . and that every one of us may be cordiall coadjutors of our countrey men in this most glorious undertaking , let me endeavour to warme the affections of the english there , and at home , by proposing a trafficke in a threefold stock for the promotion of this designe . chap. viii . further helpes to this worke . the first of these is already going , the stocke of prayers , both hence and thence on that behalfe to heaven , and not now in a vision , as to st. paul once , there stood a man and prayed him , saying , come over into macedonia and helpe us , act. 16. 9. but the natives begin to be really sensible of their spirituall necessities , and call earnestly for that bread , and our countrey men desire the assistance of their brethren here in many respects , all their letters earnestly bespeak us in this , and o that we did heartily answer them in our constant and fervent prayers , in reference to this worke . there was indeed of late a generation of men , though extreme lovers of that lethargy , yet forgate to be in charity with all men , they were content in their letany to pray it would please god to have mercy upon all men , yet deemed it piacular to pray for the novangles ; the directory guides otherwise , even by name advising to prayers for those plantations in the remote parts of the world. 2. this worke would be much prospered by a stocke of wise and constant correspondence mutually betwixt old and new england in regard of this businesse , what progresse is made in the worke , what meet to bee done for its furtherance , &c. such communication of counsells would marvelously encourage and quicken the americans conversion . the french were spoiled of this help and intercourse from brasil , by the governour a villagagno's apostacy to popery , and t is not credible , but if the poore indians were made to understand that all the nation of england were thus solicitous with god , and among themselves , in all industrious endeavours to recover them from their sinfull and lost condition by nature , but they would looke up also , and in earnest cooperate with them , and say also it may be , as was in the precedent chapter mentioned of our saxon king , who said , those preachers should be kindly dealt with , and want nothing for their worke ; yea somewhat like to this was long since spoken of by b colonchi one of the princes of peru , when he was invited to be a christian , his answer was , sir i am old and unfit to forsake the rites and lawes of my ancestors , but take my children as you will , and teach them what you please , they are young , and can more easily apply themselves to your customes , and instructions . 3. and a stock of money must be remembred , which in some sense , is as it were the soule of this worke ; the poet said truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if wee meane the indians shall be gospellized , they must first be civilized , who are yet a very wild olive , both by nature and life , they must bee weaned from idlenesse , and hunting , and nakednesse , they must be perswaded to labour , planting , learning , arts , and manufacture , that they may get cloathing , they must be taught to build for their owne habitations , for meeting houses or churches on the lords dayes , schooles must be erected for instruction of their youth at other times , books of all kinds , tooles and instruments of all sorts must be provided , many and necessary materialls towards this structure may be easily mentioned , but are not so easily purchased : if our countrey men there have for their owne comfort and subsistance , t is little lesse then a miracle , all things considered , and a wonderfull mercy , it cannot be expected , that they should be able to adde considerable supplie towards all the forenamed particulars , and other emergent needfull occasions , though there be that can beare them record , that to their power , yea and beyond their power , they are willing of themselves as the apostle said of his macedonians , 2 cor. 8. 3. i crave leave therefore to pray every christian reader with much entreaty to take upon him the fellowship of ministring to this worke , that you may abound in this grace also , that i may use to you the same holy apostles words ; chrysostome d desirous to plant the gospel in phaenicia , stirred up many godly men , and devout women , by their liberality to contribute towards those endeavours . yea and here let it be remembred , that as gregory commends queen brunechild of france , and queen adilberga of kent , for their charitable furtherance of this worke , the gaining of soules , the first gospellizing of our saxon ancestors ; so some pious christians among us of both sexes , have shewed much bounty this way , encouraging and exampling others : the spanish bookes relate strange things of their zeale in this kinde , and one e whom wee may credit tells us , that america hath foure arch-bishops , thirty bishops , and many other houses as they call them of religion , and if it be said their lot fell into the golden part of that world , and out of their superfluities they might well spare very much , t is very much indeed , and yet t is f somewhat more that the same writer observeth how the king of spaine maintaines the lists and bonds of missionaries , priests , fryers and jesuits , that are continually transported into america , hee provides for every of them ten yeeres , and that to this day , and shall the children of this world in this also be wiser then the children of light , luk. 16. 8. shall they be enlarged for the promoting of themselves , and their abominable superstitions , and shall not wee be as forward in that which directly aimes at the glory of christ and the good of souls , as st. paul saith of his thessalonians , that they were examples to all that believed in macedonia and achaia , 1 thes. 1. 7. i trust the liberality of some will invite and open the hands of many to be very forward in this worke , for the administration of this service , will not onely supply their wants , but will be abundant also by many thanksgivings unto god , 2 cor. 9. 12. and i hope to heare once of a liberall collection and benevolence to be advanced in every parish and congregation of the land , to be put into safe hands , and such profitable employment , as may indeed further the reering up of a christian tabernacle in america . and while these papers were thus in their framing , an act , before mentioned , for propagating the gospell of iesus christ in new england , declareth much forwardnesse towards a nationall contribution in reference to this worke , and the disposall thereof to be according to the desires of those that have bin most industrious that way , and good care , i trust will be taken that the monies run into the right channel ; and for the better gale and conduct , the two universities cambridge & oxford , have affectionately expressed their christian longings that this soule-businesse may obtain all possible furtherance , in their letters to their reverend and deare brethren the ministers of the gospell in england and wales , the divines of london are desired also in their sphere cordially to act in this common cause of the gospel , that no obstruction be left in the way of this most glorious endeavour , why should any then bee straightned in their owne bowells , why should not all learne willingnesse to this worke , by reading , considering , and practising what we find the old jewes did in a like case , exod. 35. chap. ix . the novangles religious care to advance piety and learning . it hath been laid and left at the doores of those whom some call independents here in this england , that they have shewed little love to others going astray , and that their zeale hath been wanting against those blasphemies and heresies that have manifestly dishonoured the most sweet and holy name of god , father , son , and spirit . our booke tells us of a a good man in former times when hee was accused of lust , pride , &c. he said , i confesse i am a sinner , and i beseech you pray for me , but when they laid heresie to his charge , his heart was hot within him , his zeale was inflamed , and hee said , haereticus non sum , & hoc vitium nulla patientia possum aut volo dissimulare , hoeresis enim separat hominem a deo , & adsocrat diabolo : alienatus a christo non habet deum , quem oret propeccatis suis. t is not for me to judge any , every one shall stand or fall to his owne master , rom. 14. 4. but i would remember my selfe and others of his zeale , who said b fateor in causa fidei etiam vitam negligendam ; i finde this grace very warme and working in our novangles , for whom i have some few words more to mention in this particular , that my readers may be invited to thinke well of them , to doe well to them , and for them , or for the poore indians rather , or rathest for christ himselfe , who shall have honour from us all , if wee all by communication of counsells , prayers , purses , and every other way endeavour the furtherance of their conversion to our lord jesus ; and to procure our cordiall conjunction with our brethren there in this , i shall transcribe some things out of their owne late printed booke of the lawes and liberties concerning the inhabitants of massachusets , by which their love to truth , godlinesse , peace , and learning will be evident , together with their liberall and enlarged care to propagate the eternall gospell of our lord among the natives . at the title of haeresie , c this is the preface . although no humane power be lord over the faith and consciences of men , and therefore may not constraine them to believe or professe against their consciences , yet because such as bring in damnable heresies , tending to the subversion of the christian faith , and the destruction of the soules of men , ought duly to be restrained from such notorious impiety , it is therefore ordered and decreed by this court : that if any christian within this jurisdiction shall goe about to subvert and destroy the christian faith and religion , by broaching or maintaining any damnable herefie , as denying the immortality of the soule , or the resurrection of the body , or any sinne to be repented of in the regenerate , or any evill done by the outward man to be accounted sinne , or denying that christ gave himselfe a ransome for our sinnes , or shall affirme that wee are not justified by his death and righteousnesse , but by the perfection of their owne workes , or shall deny the morality of the fourth commandement , or shall endeavour to seduce others to any the heresies aforementioned , every such person continuing obstinate therein after due meanes of conviction shall be sentenced to banishment . 16●… . and before d having said , that the open contempt of gods word , and the messengers thereof is the desolating sinne of civill states , &c. it is therefore ordered , and decreed , that if any christian , so called , within this jurisdiction , shall contemptuously behave himself towards the word preached , or the messengers thereof — either by interrupting him in his preaching , or by charging him falsely with any error , which he hath not taught , or like a son of korah cast upon his true doctrine , or himselfe , any reproach — every such person or persons ( whatsoever censure the church may passe ) shall for the first scandall be convented and reproved openly by the magistrate at some lecture , and bound to their good behaviour , and if a second time they breake forth into the like contemptuous carriages , they shall either pay five pounds to the publique treasury , or stand two houres openly upon a blocke or stoole foure foot high on a lecture day with a paper fixed on his breast , written in capitall letters , an open and obstinate contemner of gods holy ordinances , that others may feare and be ashamed of breaking out into the like wickednesse . 1646. there be some in this england that account it piety and religion to speake evill of christs ministers , and cast off his ordinances ; now blessed of god from heaven and earth be our novangles , magistrates , ministers , and people that have so seasonably witnessed against these abominations . they are great lovers of peace and government , these therefore be their words in another place ; e for as much as experience hath plentifully & often proved that since the first rising of the anabaptists about an hundred yeeres past they have bin the incendiaries of common-wealths , and the infectors of persons in maine matters of religion , and the troublers of churches in most places where they have been , and that they who have held the baptizing of infants unlawfull , have usually held other errors or heresies together therewith ( though as heretiques use to doe they have concealed the same untill they espied a fit advantage and opportunity to vent them by way of question or scruple ) and whereas divers of this kinde have since our comming into new-england appeared amongst our selves , some whereof , as others before them , have denyed the ordinance of magistracy , and the lawfulnesse of making warre , others the lawfulnesse of magistrates and their inspection into any breach of the first table , which opinions , if connived at by us , are like to be increased among us , and so necessarily bring guilt upon us , infection and trouble to the churches , and hazard to the whole common-wealth : it is therefore ordered by this court and authority thereof , that if any person or persons shall either openly condemne or oppose the baptizing of infants , or goe about secretly to seduce others from the approbation , or use thereof , or shall purposely depart the congregation at the administration of that ordinance , or shall deny the ordinance of magistracy , or their lawfull right , or authority to make warre , or to punish the outward breaches of the first table , and shall appeare to the court willfully and obstinately to continue therein , after due meanes of conviction , every such person or persons shall be sentenced to banishment . 1644. and that wee may discerne how worthy they are that wee should doe all the good wee can for them , for they love the nation where they inhabite , and are very serious in preparing them for one husband , to present them a pure virgin unto christ , 2 cor. 11. 2. severall therefore are their decrees in order to their conversion . f 1. every towne shall have power to restraine all indians from prophaning the lords day . 1633. 1639. 1641. 2. the english shall not destroy the indians corne ▪ but shall help them to fence in their grounds . 3. considering one end in planting these parts was to propagate the true religion unto the indians , and that divers of them are become subjects to the english , and have engaged themselves to be willing and ready to understand the law of god ; it is therefore ordered and decreed , that such necessary and wholesome lawes which are in force , and may be made from time to time , to reduce them to civility of life , shall be once in the yeer ( if the times be safe ) made knowne to them , by such fit persons as the generall court shall nominate , having the helpe of some able interpreter . 4. considering also that interpretation of tongues is appointed of god for propagating the truth ; it is therefore decreed that two ministers shall be chosen every yeer , and sent with the consent of their churches ( with whomsoever will freely offer themselves to accompany them in that service ) to make knowne the heavenly counsell of god among the indians , and that something be allowd them by the generall court to give away freely to those indians whom they shall perceive most willing and ready to be instructed by them . 5. they decree further that no indian shall at any time powaw , or performe outward worship to their false gods , or to the devill , and if any shall transgresse this law , the powawer shall pay 5 l. the procurer 5 l. &c. 1646. their love to learning also is meet to be remembred , and encouraged , wherein they have g observed a chief project of that old deluder satan to keepe men from the knowledge of the scriptures , as in former times keeping them in an unknowne tongue , so in these latter times by perswading from the use of tongues , that so at least the true sense and meaning of the originall might be clouded with false glosses of saint-seeming deceivers , and that learning may not be buried in the graves of our forefathers in church and common-wealth , the lord assisting our endeavours , it is therefore ordered by this court and authority thereof , that every township encreasing to the number of fifty housholds , shall appoint one within their towne to teach all such children as shall resort to him , to write and read , whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children , or by the inhabitants in generall by way of supply , as the major part of those that order the prudentialls of the towne shall appoint , and where any town shall encrease to an hundred families or househoulders , they shall set up a grammer school , the masters thereof being able to instruct youth so far , as they may be fitted for the university , and if any town neglect this above a yeere , every such towne shall pay five pound per ann . to the next such schoole , till they shall performe this order . 1647. and an academy or university is not onely in their aime , but a good while since they had more than begun well , and therefore wee read these words in another h part of their lawes , whereas through the good hand of god upon us there is a college founded in cambridge in the county of middlesex , called harvard college , for incouragement whereof this court hath given the sum of four hundred pounds , and also the revenue of the ferry betwixt charles towne and boston , and that the well ordering and mannaging of the said college is of great concernment ; it is therefore ordered by this court , &c. then follow directions for the president and commissioners to establish orders and dispose gifts , &c. 1636. 1640. 1642. mr. coleman that was erastianly principled , preached publikely that except some other way be found to keepe up learning , our universities will be but uselesse places , and learning it selfe an unnecessary thing ; for under this notion of independency , weavers and tailors may become pastors , so that if some stop be not , the issue may be , that one may binde his sonne apprentice to a cobler , and at seven yeeres end he may go out a free minister , &c. but our brethren of new england wee see have other principles and practises , and notwithstanding that they went out as exiles hence , m extra anni solisque viam — yea as iacob of old with his staffe onely passed over iordan , and suddenly became two bands , gen. 32. 10. these ventured upon the wide and wild ocean with poore and small provision , and how great how many are the mercies that our god hath shewed unto his servants there , that they are not onely furnished themselves with necessaries of all sorts , and have made large steps in an academicall way , having acts , degrees , and commencements according to the commendable fashion of england , as their own words are ; the theses at their commencements disputed upon have been printed severall yeeres at cambridge in new england , and thence dispersed here ; but they have also industriously furthered by their godlinesse , gentlenesse , and good orders , the conversion of a miserable people that have lien so long in darkenesse . to warme the affections of the english here , to raise all our hearts and endeavours to joyne all possible forces here and there in this soule-worke , the next chapter is added . chap. x. the successe of the novangles in gospellizing the indians . the reader here shall have a breviate inviting him to peruse those larger discourses , printed on purpose to raise our hearts in lifting up the high praises of god , that hath given this grace unto men . first treatise . foure of the english , having sought god , went among the indians , oct●… . ●…8 . 1646. to make knowne the things of their peace , they were conducted into the principall wigwam of waaubon , their chiefe minister of justice , who like another cornelius , act. 10. 24. had called together many men , women , and children to hear and learne , they began with prayer in english , not for want of language , but to shew them the duty was sacred , and that wee might agree together in the same heart-sorrowes for them , even in that place where god was never wont to be called upon : it was an affecting spectacle , after prayer , to see a company of forlorne outcasts diligently attending upon the word of salvation , which in the space of an houre and a quarter discovered to them the grounds of religion , repeating , expounding , and applying the ten commandements , then preaching jesus christ the onely meanes of recovery from sinne and wrath , perswading them to repentance for severall sinnes which they live in . wee next asked them if they understood what was spoken , which they affirmed with many voices , and then wee desired to know if they would propound any questions to us , for their further satisfaction , and this they did , but not such curiosities as some others of them had done before , as , what was the cause of thunder , of the ebbing and flowing of the sea , of the wind : no , the wisdome of god directed them to aske , how wee may come to know iesus christ ? one of them after wee had answered , said , hee was praying in his wigwam to christ that hee would give him a new heart , but another indian interrupted him , saying , hee prayed in vaine , because christ understood not what indians speake in prayer , as not being acquainted with their language , his question therefore was , whether iesus christ did understand the prayers of indians ? another demanded , if english men were once so ignorant of christ as themselves ? and how can there be an image of god , seeing it is forbiden in the second commandement ? if the father be bad , and the child good , will god be offended with that child ? for t is said in the second commandement , hee will visit the sinnes of the fathers upon the children ? how is all the world become so full of people , being all were once drowned in the floud ? wee then asked them three questions . 1. if they did not desire to see god , and if they were not tempted to thinke there was no god , because they could not see him ? some of them replyed they did indeed desire to see him , but we had taught them that could not be , yet they believed , though their eyes could not see him , hee was to be seen with their soules within . 2. wee asked if it were not strange to them there should be but one god , yet this god should be in massachusets , conectacut , quimipenik , in old england , in this wigwam , in the next , every where ? it is strange one of them said , as all else is we hear preached ; yet they thought it might be true that god was so big every where . 3. whether they did not finde something troubling them within after the commission of sinne , as murther , adultery , theft , lying , &c. they confest the trouble , but could not tell what to say to it , he therefore that first spake to them concluded with a dolefull description ( as far as his language permitted ) of the trembling condition of every soule that dies in sinne , and shall be cast out of favour from god. having thus spent three houres , wee asked them if they were not weary , they said no , wee resolved to leave them with an appetite ; the chiefe of them seeing us conclude with prayer , desired to know when wee would come againe , wee appointed the time , gave the children some apples , and the men what was at hand , they asked more ground to build a towne together , which wee liked well , and promising our furtherance for them at the generall court , wee departed with many welcomes from them . november 11. 1646 , wee came againe to the same wigwam , there was a greater concourse , and seats provided for us , wee began againe with prayer in english , and then catechized the younger sort , wee asked them onely three questions in their own language . 1. who made you and all the world ? 2. who shall save you from sinne and hell ? 3. how many commandements hath god given you to keepe ? the preacher then proceeded , wee are come to bring you good newes from the great god , and to shew how evill men may come to be good , and be happy while they live , and goe to god when they die ; then in familiar descriptions hee set forth god to them in his glorious power , goodnesse and greatnesse , shewing what his will was , and what he required , even of the indians , in the ten commandements , and how angry god was for any sinne , yet that hee sent christ to die for their transgressions , and to pacifie god by suffering in their roome , if they did repent and believe the gospell , and that hee would love the poore indians if now they sought god , threatning wrath against all such as stood out and neglected so great salvation , &c. in hearing these things about sinne , and hell , and christ , one of them shewed much affliction , desiring to conceale his griefe ; about an houre thus spent , wee desired them to propound some questions , and the first was by an old man , if it were not to late for such an old man as hee to repent and seeke after god ? which cleared , 2. they demanded , how the english came to differ so much from the indians in knowledge , seeing at first they had all one father ? 3. being satisfied in this also , they said , how may wee come to serve god ? which being answered , their fourth question was , why the seawater was salt , and the land water fresh ? and their fifth , if the water be higher then the earth , why did it not overflow it ? a philosophicall answer was given to this , and they conferred much among themselves about these questions , but night hasting wee desired them to proceed , thereupon one of them said , if a man hath committed adultery , or stollen goods , and the sachim doth not punish him , and hee restore the goods , is not all well , will no punishment come from god , as if restitution made god amends ? this answered , wee asked two things . 1. what doe you remember of that spoken to you the last time wee were here ? after some speech among themselves , one of them said , they did much thank ▪ god for our comming , and the things they heard were wonderfull to them ; then secondly ▪ wee said , do you believe the things we tell you , and that god is musquantum , i. e. very angry for the least sinne in your thoughts , or words , or works ? they said yes , and we spake further of the terrors of god against sinners , and his mercy to the penitent , seeking after christ ; night being almost come , considering the indians desired to know how to pray , and thought that christ did not understand their language , one of us therfore prayed in their tongue above a quarter of an houre , divers of them holding up eyes and hands , and one of them hung downe his head , with his rag before his eyes , which when hee had wiped , hee held up his head againe , yet such was the power of god upon his heart , that hee hung downe his head againe , covered his eyes , wiping them and weeping abundantly , till prayer was ended , then hee turned to a corner of the wigwam , and wept more by himselfe , which one of us perceiving , spake encouraging words , hee then wept more and more ; when he came out of the wigwan , wee spake to him againe , hee then fell into more abundant weeping , like one deepely affected , so as wee could not forbeare weeping over him also ; wee departed greatly rejoycing for such sorrowing . and while i am transcribing this , i know not whether first , to pitty the poore natives in their spirituall distres , or sympathize with the english in their holy compassion , or praise god more for discovering to the indians their lost condition by n●…ture , or that hee hath made our countreymen so industrious in recovering them out of it ; however i cannot but remind my reader of the relators observations hereupon , at least some of them . 1. that none of them slept sermon , nor derided gods messengers ; woe to those english that are growne bold to doe that which indians will not , heathen dare not . 2. there is need of learning in ministers , who preach to indians , much more preaching to gracious christians , these had sundry philosophicall questions which could not have bin answered without some knowledge of the arts ; worse than indian ignorance hath blinded their eyes , that renounce learning as an enemy to gospel minister●…es . at a third meeting it did appeare that the indians notwithstanding discouragements from other indians , did encrease in their desires after the word , and propounded more questions . what is the meaning of the word humiliation , so often heard of by them in our churches ? 2. what a spirit is ? 3. whether they should believe dreames ? 4. how the english know god so much , and they so little ? being satisfied in this , they desire a place for a town . a day or two after wampas a wise indian offered his own sonne , and three more indian children , to be trained up by us , saying they would grow wicked at home , and never know god , hee with two other young lusty indians tendred their service to dwell in some of our families , they are two of those weeping indians , and they are received into two of the elders houses , where one of them confessed his former adulterous life , and feared that god would never looke upon him in love ; upon our declaring the greatnesse of that sinne , yet hope of pardon through repentance and faith in christ , hee wept bitterly ; the other then present also confessed his like guiltines , & brak out into great mourning , wherein they both continued above halfe an houre . an english youth occasionally lodging in waaubons wigwam the third night of their hearing , assured us he instructed his company in the things he heard , and prayed among them . while the generall court was considering where to lay out a towne for the indians , they consulted about lawes for themselves . 1. if a man be idle a week , at most a fortnight , hee must pay five shillings . 2. if a man unmarried lie with a woman unmarried hee shall pay twenty shillings . 3. if a man beat his wife his hands shall be tied behind him , and he severely punish'd . 4. if a womans haire hang loose , or cut as a mans , she shall pay five shillings . 5. if a woman goes with naked breasts she shall pay two shillings six pence . 6. all men that weare long locks shall pay five shillings , &c. they were desirous to know the name of their town , it was said noonanetum , i. e. rejoycing , because the english rejoyced at their desires to know god , and god did rejoyce at it ; this pleased them much . the two honest indians told us that waaubon and the rest used these expressions in prayer , take away lord my stony heart , another , o lord wash my soule , another , lord lead me when i die to heaven . december 9. the children being catechized , and that of ezechiel touching the dry bones opened , they offered their children to be instructed by us , complaining they had nothing to give us . we propounded sundry questions to them , and one of them being asked what was sinne , said , a naughty heart , another old man complained of his feares , he purposed to keepe the sabbath , yet he was afraid whether he should goe to hell or heaven , another complained of other indians ▪ reviling and calling them rogues for cutting off their lockes , for since the word hath wrought upon them , they discerne the vanity of their pride in their hair , of their owne accord therefore they cut it modestly . second treatise . the awakening of these indians raised up a noise round about , a sachim from concord side came to noonanetum to an indian lecture , where the lord spake so to his heart , that hee desired to cast off his sinnefull courses , &c. some of his men opposed him therein , he called the chiefe of them about him , and spake to this effect , that they had no reason at all to oppose the way of the english for their good ; while you lived after the indian fashion , what did the sachims for you ? onely sought their owne ends out of you , taking away your skinnes , kettles , and wampam at their pleasure , but the english care not for your goods , onely seeke your good , &c. upon this they desired mr elliot should come among them and preach , and they framed to themselves certaine lawes for their more religious and civill government . 1. abusers of themselves by wines or strong liquors shall pay for every time 20 s. 2. there shall be no more powawing , the penalty 20 s. 3. they desire to be stirred up to seeke god. 4. and understand the wiles of sathan . 5. and detest them . 6. that they may improve their time better . 7. a lyar shall pay for the first fault 5 s. for the second 10 s. for the third 20 s. 8. against stealing . 9. having more wives than one . 10. against pride . 11. for paying their debts to the english. 12. observing the lords day , prophaners of it pay 20 s. 13. vveare their haire comely as the english , offendors pay 5 s. 14. none grease themselves as formerly , penalty 5 s. 15. set up prayer in their vvig●…ams , before also , and after meate . 16. adultery punish'd with death . 17. so wilfull murther . 18. not come to an english mans house without knocking . 19. vvhosoever beates his wife shall pay 20 s. &c. most of these indians set up prayer morning and evening in their families , before and after meate , keep the lords day , cut their haire , minister what edification they can one to another , manifesting great willingnesse to conforme unto the english fashions . march , 3. 1647. at the lecture in noonanetum , wee saw some indian women well affected , and considering how unmeet it is for women to aske questions publikely , they were desired to acquaint their husbands privatly therewith , or the interpretor , the first was propounded by the wife of one vvampooas , vvhether said she doe i pray when my husband prayeth , if i speake nothing as he doth , but i like what he saith , and my heart goes with it ? the wife of one totherswampe proposed this , vvhether an husband should doe well to pray with his wife , and yet continue in his passions and be angry with her , &c. an aged indian complained of an unruly sonne , asking what should be done with him , when hee will not heare gods word , though his father command him , nor forsake his drunkennesse . an aged indian told us openly , that the very things which mr elliot taught them of god and his commandements they have heard some old men speake , &c. and many of them have now this apprehension among them , that their forefathers did know god , but after this they fell into a great sleepe , and when they did awaken they quite forgate him . another indian told his dreame , that about two yeeres before the comming over of the english , one night hee could not sleepe a good while , then he fell into a dream , thinking he saw a great many men come into those parts cloathed as the english now are , a man rose up among them all in blacke , with a thing in his hand , which hee now sees was all one englishmans booke , hee stood upon a higher place than the rest , on one side the english , and a great many indians on the other , he told all the indians that god was moosquantum or angry with them , and would kill them for their sinnes , whereupon himselfe hee said stood up , and desired to know of the blacke man what god would doe with him , and his squaw , and papooses , but hee would not answer him a first time , nor a second , till hee desired the third time , and then hee smiled on him , and said , hee and his papooses should be safe , god would give unto them mitchen , i. e. victualls , and other good things , and so he awakened . at noonanetum the indian men women and children , especially upon the lecture daies , are clad partly by the gift of the english , and partly by their owne labour . iune ▪ 9. the first day of the synods meeting at cambridge , the morning spent in a preparative sermon to that worke , in the afternoone there was a great confluence of indians from all parts , to heare ▪ mr ▪ elliot out of ephe. 2. 1. shewed them their miserable condition out of christ , dead in trespasses and sinnes , pointing unto them the lord jesus who onely could quicken them . they then propounded questions . what countreyman christ was ? how far that place from them ? where christ was now ? how they might lay hold on him ? and where being now absent from them ? the english magistrates , ministers ; and people , were much affected at what they saw and heard . an indian brake out into admiration , that god should looke upon them that had bin so long in darknesse ; me wonder saith he at god , that hee should thus deale with us . that winter many questions were propounded . why some so bad that they hate those that would teach them ? a squaw said , might she not goe and pray in the wood alone , when her husband was not at home , because she was ashamed to pray in the wigwam before company ? to what nation iesus christ came first , and when ? if a man should be inclosed in iron a foot thicke and thrown into the fire , what would become of his soul , would it come forth thence ? why did not god give all men good hearts ? how long is it before men believe that have the word of god made knowne unto them ? how they should know when their faith and prayers bee good ? why did not god having all power , kill the devill , that made all men so bad ? if we be made so weake by sinne in our hearts , how can wee come before god and sanctifie a sabbath ? they propounded three cases about the sabbath . in the exercises , besides prayer for a blessing , mr. elliot doth four things . 1. he catechizeth the children and youth , by which the aged learne . 2. he preacheth out of some scripture plainely and briefely . 3. if there be cause , admonition follows . 4. they aske us questions and we answer them . some cases and admonitions are there mentioned . 1. wampoonas upon a light occasion beat his wife , for this hee was brought before the assembly , where the quality of the sinne was opened , as against gods command , cruelty to his owne body , &c. hee turned his face to the wall and wept , hee was so penitent and melting , that all forgave him , but the indians would have his fine notwithstanding his repentance , which he paid also willingly . another case of was of cutshamaquin a sachim , who had a son fourteen or fifteen yeeres old , hee was drunk , and behaved himselfe disobediently against his father and mother , they rebuked him , but he despised their admonition , hee was brought before the assembly , stood out a long time , though his father for his example confessed his owne faults , the young man still persisted , divers of us called upon him to acknowledge his offence against his parents , and entreat their forgivenesse , yet he refused ; the indians also affectionately put him on , divers spake one after another , and some severall times , at last hee humbled himselfe , confessed his sinne , and asked forgivenesse of his father , taking him by the hand , at which his father burst into teares , he did the same to his mother , who wept also , as did divers others , and many english wept also , the house was filled with weeping , wee went to prayer , all the time thereof the sachim wept so abundantly , that the boord hee stood upon was all dropt with his teares . some questions were after this propounded . an old powoow asked , why we had not taught them to know god sooner ? another said , before he knew god he was well , but since i have knowne god and sin , i finde my heart full of sin . whether their children goe when they die , because they have not sinned ? if any of them shall goe to heaven , seeing their hearts are so full of sin , especially nanwunwudsquas , mad after women ? if they leave powawing and pray to god , what shall they doe when they are sicke , having no skill in physick ? what shall we say to such indians as oppose our praying unto god , and believing in christ , what g●…t you say they by this , you goe naked still and are as poore as we , our corne is as good as yours , and we take more pleasure then you , &c. they bring their cases to mr. elliot . a law is now among them against gaming , other indians demand their old debts , which they refuse to pay because it was a sinne to play , and they must not pay such sinnefull debts . they tooke it to heart when mr. elliot told them he was afraid they were weary and cooled in their love to religion , and enquired when they did heare and pray aright , how they might know when they were weary of them , what time it might be before the lord might come and make them know him , &c. some other cases were moved by them . a man before hee knew god had two wives , the first is barren , the second brought forth sweet children , which of these must hee put away ? if the former , they offended god , if the latter , they illegitimate their owne deare children ? and , a squaw leaves her husband , commits adultery with remote indians , heares the word ; repents , and returnes to her husband still unmarried , is not he bound to receive her ? an old widdow squaw said , if when men know god , god loves them , why then are any afflicted after they know him ? mr. elliot preaching upon ephes. 5. 11. have no fellowship , &c. they asked what englishmen thought of him , because he came among the wicked indians and taught them ? another said , suppose two men sin , one knowes it , the other doth not , will god punish both alike ? againe , if a wise indian teach good things to other indians , should not he be as a father or brother to such ? one t●…taswampe prayed at the buriall of an indian child , with such zeale , variety of gracious expressions , and abundance of tears , that the woods rang with their sighs and prayers , the englishman that heard him , said , hee was ashamed of himselfe and some others , that have had so great light , but want such good affections . third treatise . that woman that propounded the first question according to appointment by another man ( 2. treatise , p. 6. hujus p. 4. ) moved this also . when my heart prayeth with my husband praying , is this praying to god aright ? this woman kept at home , learned quickly to spinne well , held her children to labour , after she submitted to the gospel her life was exemplary , she died of a sicknesse taken in childbed ; mr. elliot visited her severall times , prayed with her , asked her about her spirituall estate , she said she still loved god though he made her sicke , and was resolved to pray unto him as long as she lived , and to refuse powawing , shee believed god would pardon all her sinnes , because jesus christ dyed for her , that god was well pleased in him , that she was willing to die , believed shee should goe to heaven , and live happy with god and christ ; of her owne accord she called her children , and said to them , i shall now die , and when i am dead , your grandfather , grandmother , and unkles , &c. will send for you to live among them , and promise you great matters , but i charge you doe not believe them , live not among them ; for they pray not to god , keepe not the sabbath ; commit all manner of sinnes , and are not punisht ; but i charge you live here , for they pray to god , his word is taught , sins are supprest , and punish'd by lawes , therefore i charge you live here all your daies , she died , and it fell out as she said . t is observed many other indians would come in , but they have neither tooles nor skill to fence in their grounds ; if the word were constantly taught , government exercised ; encouragements for the industrious , with meanes to instruct them in letters , trade and labour , as building , fishing , flax , hemp ; &c. many well-minded indians would thus be drawne together . mr. elliot stirres up the ministers to learne the language , and assist in the worke , there is nothing else to invite but the good of soules ; not so much as meate , drinke , and lodging to be had among the indians , but such as wee must carry with us , beside what wee give away to them , &c. severall questions they then propounded . doth the devill dwell in us , as we dwell in an house ? when god saith honour thy father and thy mother , doth he meane three fathers ; our father ; our sachim ; and god ? when a soule goes to heaven what doth it say ? and what saith a wicked soule when it comes to hell ? why did christ die in our steads ? why must we love our enemies , and how shall we do it ? how doth christ redeeme and deliver us from sin , when every day my heart thinkes i must die , and goe to hell for my sins ; what shall i doe in this case ? how long was adam good before he sinned ? if two families dwell in one house , one prayeth , the other-doth ▪ not , what shall they that pray do to them that pray not ? now the indians desire to go to heaven , what shall we doe that we may goe thither when we die ? how shall i bring my heart to love prayer ? doe not englishmen spoile their soules to say a thing cost them more than it did , and is it not all one as to steale ? i see why i must feare hell , and do so every day , but why must i fear god ? if i reprove a man for sin , and he answer why do you speak thus angerly , mr. elliot teacheth us to love one another , is this well ? if a wife put away her husband because he will pray to god and she will not , what must be done in this case ? may such women as pray to god , marry those that do not pray to god ? if my wife doth some worke on the night before the sabbath , and on the sabbath night also , is it a sin ? if i do that which is a sin , and know it not to be a sin , what will god say to that ? whether is faith set in my heart or in my minde ? why have not beasts a soule as well as man , seeing they have love , anger , &c. as man hath ? why doth god punish in hell for ever , man doth not so , but after a time lets out of prison againe ? what is faith ? how shall i know when god accepts my prayers ? how doth christ make peace betwixt god and man , what is the meaning of that point ? in wicked dreames doth the soule sin ? doth the soule in heaven know things done here on earth ? if my heart be full of evill thoughts , and i repent and pray , and a few houres after it be full againe , and i repent and pray againe , and after this it be full of evill thoughts again , what will god say ? what force of wicked men is lawfull , and what not ? what if a minister weare long haire , as some other men do , what will god say ? why doth god so hate them that teach others to commit sinne ? if a man will make his daughter marry one she doth not love , what will god say ? &c. there be sundry of them begin to enquire after baptisme and church ordinances , and mr. elliot with consideration speakes solemnly not suddenly , nor lightly , but before the lord , as i apprehend , saith he , in my conscience , were they but in a setled way of civility and government , cohabiting together , and i called , according to god , to live among them , i durst freely joyne into church fellowship with them , and could find out at least twenty men and women in some measure fitted of the lord for it . that indian that was mr elliots interpreter , and first taught him words , was joyning himselfe to the church of dorchester , and the very day of this writing was the day for the triall of that indian in order to his admission , and this was 2. of the 12. 1648. since which time these labourers with the lord have not been idle in this vineyard , they are digging , and fencing , and gathering out the stones thereof , and planting it with the choisest vine , &c. esa. 5. 2. and though some informations of their happy endeavours have unhappily miscarried , there be other passages that have arrived hither , to give us assurance that they wax not faint in that gospel worke , they are not indeed yet printed , but i have obtained leave to give the reader a little taste thereof , for as we here long to understand what further footsteps be made , so the discoveries thereof will in due time and better manner be recommended . mr elliot in the beginning of the last spring prepared for his journey among the indians , to a great fishing place upon merimak , and hired an indian to mark trees , and pilot him thither , which he did , with the helpe of some indians , they passed by other of the natives , who had heard of his preaching , and were very glad of his comming that way , but sicknesse prevented him at that time ; howbeit upon his recovery , he went to another place call'd pantukct , where from all parts they meet , there he asked them if those indians were desirous to pray to god , and when they said yea , he demanded how many desired it , they answered wam●…e , i. e. all . the chiefe sachim of this place had heard him before , and now shewed great affection to him , and the word of god , using many arguments to perswade him to tarry among them , saying , his comming but once a yeere did them little good , it was as if one should come and throw a fine thing among them , and they like it well , but cannot tell what is within , whether something , or nothing , but if it be opened and they see it precious , they should believe it , &c. another indian learning from mr. elliot that hee had five sonnes , asked him if they should all teach the indians to know god , as he did , which when hee affirmed , the other was well pleased , and mr. elliot himselfe much encouraged , for hee had often dedicated them in his prayers to that service of the lord , desiring no better preferment for them , than to be fitted for that worke , hee endeavours therefore with that smal meanes he hath to traine them up in learning , and god will i doubt not raise up some liberall hearts and hands to assist him therein . this summer hee was making another journey , but in regard of some quarrells among the indians , the church was doubtfull at first of his going , which when the nashaway sachim heard , he took twenty men armed after their manner , and was his guard , with many other neerer indians , so much do they hunger after instruction ; this was a long journey into the wildernesse of sixty miles , it proved very wet and tedious , so that hee was not dry three or foure daies together night nor day , but the lord upheld him and his company in strength and health . one of the indians would needs know of mr elliot the reason why they that pray to god , love the indians so doing , more than their owne brethren , and when the rest of them said they all found it so in their hearts , this gave him occasion to discourse to them of the unity of the spirit . they propounded questions . if a man know gods word , but believe it not , and yet teach others , is that good teaching , and if others believe that teaching , is that good believing ? and when mr. elliot asked them how they could tell , when a man knoweth gods word , and doth not believe it , they answered , when he doth not in his practise answerable to that he knoweth . if i teach on the sabbath that which you taught us , and forget something , is that a sin ? what should i pray for at night , what at morning , and what on the sabbath day ? what is true repentance , and how shall i know when it is true ? how must i waite on god ? when i pray for a soft heart , why is it still hard ? can one be saved by reading the booke of the creature ? when such die as never heard of christ , whither do they go ? vvhat is the meaning of the name hebrews , why doth god say he is the god of the hebrews ? if one purpose to pray , and die before that time , wither goeth his soule ? doth god know who shall repent and believe , and who not ? why then did god use so much meanes with pharaoh ? vvhat meanes that , blessed are they that mourne ? vvhat meaneth lifting up hands to god ? vvhat anger is good , and what is bad ? if a child die before he sin , whither goeth his soule ? if one that prayes to god sin , like him that prayes not , is not he worse ? and while they discoursed of this , and about hating of wicked persons , one of them said , they must love the man and doe him good , but hate his sin , &c. for i will not forestall but prepare the publication of those other remarkeable occurrences ; and now ex pede herculem , when this little of those many matters worthy of observation , is seen together , none will call it a day of small things , zach. 4. 10. shall we call this a day of small things ? shall not those poore natives in new england rise up in judgement against old england and condemne it ? they at once or twice preaching of the law and gospel , repent , and weepe , and pray , and heare , and most earnestly enquire after god ; but wee , when the sunshine of truth hath been so long cleare among us , degenerate into those very sinnes which they abandon and detest , and with indignation say , get ye hence , es. 30. 22. they willingly forsake their powawing , and inchantments ; but the devill is broke loose among us , and many desire commerce with those that have familiarity with him . the indians set a mulct upon those women that tie not up their haire , that goe with naked breasts , what would they say , what would they doe , if that sex were as immodest as some in this nation , bepainted , bedaubed , debauched , not more with spots in their faces , then stains in their glory , if christianity be to them any honour ? the indians weare their haire comely as the english , and punish those that doe otherwise ; there be among us that would account it piacular it should be said of them that in the least they looke rome-wards , yet like those locusts having the faces of men , they have haire as the hair of women , rev. 9. 8. grace is pleased to borrow that from nature , if a man have long haire , it is a shame to him , 1 cor. 11. 14. those natives surely will rise up in judgement with the men of this generation and condemne them ; they pray in their families morning and evening , and upon other occasions , they sanctifie the sabbath ; wee have those among us , that scoffe and scorne these practises of piety , and call the practisers thereof duty-mongers . the indians desire publique meetings , and delight in the places where god is worship'd and his word is taught ; but there be those in this england that make it a great piece of religion to divide and separate , though god himselfe would not have us forsake the assembling of our selves together , as the manner of some is , hebr. 10. 25. the indians asked mr. elliot , if any teach us good things should wee not love him as a father , or a brother ? but t is now among some esteemed a signe of grace , and a badge of holinesse , to despise their teachers , as if that scripture of truth were never againe to be fulfilled . they mocked the messengers of god , and despised his words , and misused his prophets , untill the wrath of the lord arose against his peaple , till there was no remedy , 1 chron. 36. 16. but many other be the sad symptomes of our englands defection and danger , and our god hath made himself many waies marvelous in new-england , wee cannot call it a day of small things , or if at first it was like a little cloud arising out of the sea as a mans hand , 1 king. 18. 44. certainely it carried with it a a sound of abundance of raine , ver . 41. even that raine that commeth downe from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth , and maketh it bring forth and bud , that it may give seed to the sower , and bread to the eater ; gods word hath not returned unto him void , it hath accomplished that which he pleased , and it shall prosper in the thing whereto i send it , es. 55. 10 , 11. now the blessing of the god of iacob be upon them and their endeavours , even the blessing of iacob upon ioseph , the god almighty help them and blesse them with blessings of heaven above , blessings of the deep that lieth under , gen. 49. 25 , 26. that god by their meanes may say to the north give up , and to the south keepe not backe , bring my sonnes from farre , and my daughters from the ends of the earth , esa. 43. 6. so from the uttermost parts shall we hear songs , songs of praise , even glory to the righteous , 24. 16. and not onely glory to the lord our righteousnesse , but those that winne many to this righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever and ever , dan. 12. 3. and not onely hereafter in that heaven of heavens , but this shall bee told as englands memoriall , in present and succeeding generations , and those american nations especially shall call them blessed ( mal. 3. 12. ) yea the blessings of them that were ready to perish , will come upon them , job 29. 13. for they have done worthily in ephrata , and are famous in bethelem ( ruth 4. 11 ) and when they be indeed sensible of this great mercy , they will not onely say , thanks be unto god for this unspeakeable gift , 2 cor. 9. 15. but they will long to requite this kindnesse to the english also : and as of old almost all nations receiving from ierusalem the first meanes of their christianity , expressed their gratefull mindes by their charitable beneficence upon all occasions to those that dwelt there , this began in the apostles daies , act. 11. 19. rom 15. 26. those of macedonia and achaia distributed to the poor saints at ierusalem , so it was the use till ieromes k time , that all the churches of the gentiles sent collections to the christians at ierusalem , because they all from thence received first the glad tidings of the gospel ; where the same christ is preached , there will be the like christian affections , which likewise will be demonstrable upon every possible opportunity . gregory in severall epistles , not lesse then twenty foure , to the great personages of those times , shewes much zeale in this kind , sometimes encouraging them , afterwards commending them for their assistance afforded to that glorious worke , the first conversion of our countreymen . nothing more shall now be added but the praise and practise of n albertus the arch-bishop of hamburgh , who tooke upon him a resolution to visit in his owne person all the northerne provinces , not leaving so much as any one island unbenefitted by his preaching ; when all things were prepared , and his attendants chosen , and shipping ready , hee was diswaded by zueno king of denmarke , who told him those people would sooner be instructed by men of their owne nation , who were best acquainted with the rites , manners , and language thereof ; the arch-bishop hereupon dealt earnestly with others to that purpose , and made them most willing to the work , for there was not a man among them whom hee had not encouraged , and by his bounty hee warmed their zeale in publishing the gospell , frequently repeating that sentence of our saviour , the harvest indeed is great , but the labourers are few , pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest , that hee will send forth labourers into his harvest , mat. 9. 37. 38. finally as david to solomon in the bulding of the temple , 1 chr. 22. 16. i wish it were effectually spoken to , and by all the english here and there , vp and be doing , and the lord will bee with you . the relation of master antonie monterinos , translated out of the french copie sent by manaseh ben israel . the eighteenth day of el●…l , in the yeere five thousand foure hundred and foure from the creation of the world , came into this city of amsterdam mr aron levi , alias , antonie ▪ monterinos , and declared before me manassah ben israell , and divers other chiefe men of the portugall nation , neer to the said city that which followeth . about two yeeres and an halfe agoe , the said monterinos going from the port of honda in the west indies ▪ to go to the government of papian in the province of quito , did hire some m●…les of a certaine indian mystique , called francis du chasteau , in which company , together with other indians , went a certaine owner of mules who was also called francis , whom all the indians named cacique , to whom it fell out , passing over the mountaine cordecilla , in a day of great winde and raine , that their carriages fell to the ground , whereat the indians being grieved , as also at the evill weather , they begin to complaine of their ill fortune , saying that they deserved all that , and more also for their sinnes , which the said francis hearing answered , that they should have patience , that shortly they should have rest ; whereunto they answered that they deserved it not , having used the holy people so ill , and the most noble of all the nations in the world ; but contrariwise that all the cruelties which the spaniards had used against them did befall unto them for the expiating of that sin ; after they were gone a little while , they stopt upon the mountaine to rest , and passe the night season , at which time the foresaid monterinos did take out of a box some few biskets , some cheese and sweet-meates , and offered some to the foresaid francis , saying to him , take this though thou dost speake evill of the spaniards , whereunto hee answered , that he had not told the halfe of the hard usage which they received from that cruell and inhumane nation ; but that after a short space they should see themselves avenged upon them by a hidden nation : after these discourses between them , mr monterinos arrived at the town of cartagena in the indies , where he was taken by the inquisition and put in prison ; one day praying unto god , hee uttered these words , blessed be the name of adonay , that hee hath not made me an idolater , a barbarian , an ethiopian , nor an indian ; and pronouncing the name of indian hee reproved himselfe , saying the hebrewes are indians ; and then comming againe to himselfe said , am not i a foole , how can it bee that the hebrewes should be indians ? the same fell out the second and third day , making the same prayer and giving the same thankes unto god , whence hee gathered that that fancie did not come to him by meere chance , remembring also that which passed between him and the aforesaid indian ; so that hee tooke an oath hee would so informe himselfe of the whole matter , that hee should know the truth , and that comming out of prison hee should instantly seeke the indian , and would bring to his minde the discourse which they had together , to obtaine by that meanes the satisfaction of his desires . being then come out of prison by the goodnesse of god , he went to the forenamed port of honda , where hee had so much good lucke that hee found instantly the foresaid indian , to whom he made his application , and brought into his memory the discourse which they had upon the mountaine , whereunto he answered that he had not forgotten it , which monterinos hearing , said that he would goe a journey with him , to which hee answered that hee was ready to doe him service : so the said monterinos gave him three pataques to buy some provision ; whiles then they followed their journey and talked together , the said monterinos at last discovered himselfe unto the said indian , and told him in these words , i am an hebrew of the tribe of levi , my god is adonay , and all the rest are nothing but mistakes and deceites ; whereat the indian being somewhat surprized , did aske him the name of his predecessors , whereunto hee did answer that they were called abraham , isaac , iacob and israel , which the indian hearing , did aske of him whether hee had none other father , hee said yea , and that hee was called lodwick of monterinos ; but the indian being not well satisfied as yet , said these words unto him , on the one side i did rejoyce at that which thou hast said unto me , and on the other i am resolving to disbelieve thee , because thou canst not tell mee who were thy fathers , whereunto the said monterinos answered with an oath , that the thing which hee said was truth , having spent some time in questions and answers , and the indian being wearied at the matter said to him , art thou not the sonne of israell , to which he answered , yea , which the indian having heard said , make an end then of thy sp●…ch , for certainly thou didst put me in such a confusion that i would have been perplexed at it all my life time ; nevertheles let us rest a little and drinke , and then follow on our discourse . after a little space , the indian said unto him , if thou hast the courage and boldnesse to follow me , thou shalt know all what thou desirest , but i tell thee before hand thou must go a foot and eate roasted mayz , and do that which i shall bid thee ; the said monterinos answered , that hee would not at all transgresse his orders ; the day following which was monday , the indian came to the said monterinos , and bid him take out all that which he had in his pockets , put on his alpergatas ( these are a certaine sort of shooes which the indians weare ) and take this staffe and follow him , which the said monterinos did , leaving his cloake and his sword and all what hee had , and so they followed on their way , the indian carrying on his backe three measures of roasted mayz , two ropes , the one made with knots and an hooke with two teeth to climbe up by the mountaine , and the other untied , to be made use of in the marshes and passages of rivers , with a little axe and the alpergatas ; they went then after this manner the whole weeke till saturday on which they rested , and returned to follow their course the whole sunday and monday ; on thursday about eight of the clocke they came to a river as broad as the duero in spaine , and the indian said unto him thou shalt here see thy brethren , and making a flag of two peeces of cotten cloath which were their girdles , made a signe , after which they saw a great smoake , and in a moment afterward the same signe with another flagge ; and it was not long after that they saw in a boat comming to them three men and one woman , which being arrived to the banke of the river , the woman leapt a shoare , and the men tarried in the boate , which after a long discourse which shee had with the indian , which the said monterinos could not at all understand , went back to the boate , and told the three men all that shee had heard of the indian , which came instantly out of the boate ( having alwaies lookt with attention upon him , viz. the said monterinos ) and did embrace him , and the woman did the like ; after this one of the three men went backe againe to the boate , and the other two together with the woman did stay there ; which comming neer unto the indian hee did prostrate himselfe at their feete , and they received him with demonstrations of civility and affection , and begun to talke with him ; after a little while the indian said to mr monterinos , be not amazed , and doe not believe that these men will tell thee a second thing , before thou hast well understood the first ; the two men instantly put him between them , and told him the verse following in hebrew out of deut. chap. 6. vers . 4. semah israel adonay elohim adonay ehad , heare o israel the lord our god is one lord ; and hee informing himselfe of every thing by the indian interpreter , and learning to say it in the spanish tongue , the two men told him that which followeth , putting a little space of time between one sentence and another . 1. my fathers are called abraham , isaac , iacob and israel , and they named them all foure with three fingers , and then they added reuben , making a sign with foure fingers . 2. all such as will come and dwell with us we will give them lands . 3. ioseph dwells in the mids of the sea , making a signe with two fingers shut , and afterwards dividing the same into two parts . 4. wee shall all one day speake together , uttering with the mouth ba , ba , ba , and shall come forth as the earth had brought us forth . 5. wee shall goe out from hence shortly ( speaking hastily ) some of us to looke out , and to make water , and saying these words , they winked with their eies and thrust their feet to the ground . 6. a messenger shall go . 7. francis shall say somewhat more , making a signe with the fingers , that it would be a little . 8. give us time to make our selves ready , and shaking their hand on all sides , said with their mouth , and with their hands , stay not long . 9. send 12 men , making a signe that all shall have beards and be able to write . these discourses being all ended , which lasted all that day , they came backe and told him the same wednesday and thursday , not adding a word more thereunto . and monterinos being wearied , that they answered him nothing to that which hee asked , and that they would not permit him to passe the river , did draw neere the boate in a dissembling way , and would have cast himselfe therein to goe to the other side , but they thrust her from the shoare with a staffe , and the said monterinos falling into the water hee was in danger of being drowned , because he could not swimme ; the men cast themselves suddenly into the water , and drew him out , and shewing themselves angry , said unto him , doe not think that thou wilt bring to passe thy purpose by force ; which the indian declared unto him , and they shewed unto him by signes and words . notice is to be taken that the boat for the space of those three daies did not at all stay in one place , but four men went and foure other came , which all of them said the same nine things which we have mentioned , being all the men who during that time came to see him , about 300 more or lesse . these men are somewhat burnt with the sunne , some of them weare their haire to their knees , some others shorter , and others as wee use to weare it , faire bodies , good countenances , well made of foot and leg , with a linnen about their heads . moreover the said mr monterinos declared , that going from that place on thursday at night with a great deale of provision which they brought to him , he tooke his leave of them , having been entertained by them , during the three daies which he staied there ; and having shewed him how they enjoyed all things which the spaniards have in the indies , aswell of meates as of other things needfull for the life of man. being come the same day to the place where they had lien the night before , mr monterinos said to the indian , francis , thou dost know that my brethren said unto me that thou shouldest tell me something , therefore i pray thee tell it now to satisfie my desire , whereunto the indian said , i shall tell thee what i know , if thou wilt not anger mee , and shall relate unto thee the truth so as i have heard it from my ancestors , but if thou dost vex me ( which i apprehend , perceiving thee to be so speculatif ) thou wilt oblige me to tell thee lies ; so then i beseech thee take onely heed to what i shall say unto thee . thy brethren the sonnes of israel were by divine providence brought into these countrys , god doing many miracles for them , which thou wouldst not believe , if i should tell them to thee as i have heard them of my fathers ; wee indians went into those countries and made warre against them , and did use them worse then the spaniards doe us : afterwards by the command of our mohanes ( these are their sorcerers ) wee went as souldiers towards those parts where thou hast seen thy brethren , to wage warre with them , and of all those that entred there , not one came backe againe alive ; wee made a great armie , and entring into his lands , all fell downe dead , so that not one escaped ; at last wee raised another army , for the making of which the countrey was dispeopled wholly , so that none but old men , women and children remained therein , which came to an end as the former had done ; which those who remained alive , and were not gone to that warre perceiving , said , that the mohanes had deceived them and were the cause of the death of their fathers , for which they deserved to be put to death , having then killed many of them , those that remained alive did intreat them to hearken to them , and they would discover to them all the truth of that which they knew , which having gotten leave , declared that which followeth . the god of these sonnes of israel is the true god , all that is written in his stories is true , they shall be lords of all the world in the latter end , a people shall come hither which will bring many things to you , and when the land shall be well provided , these sonnes of israel shall goe out of their habitations , and shall become lords of all the earth as it was theirs before , if you will be happy joyne your selves to them . the indian having made an end to relate the prediction of the mohanes , followed on his discourse after this manner , my fathers were caciques , and there are yet four of them . these 5 caciques then having heard what the mohanes had foretold , as if they had been some of the sages of the hebrewes , came and tooke their habitation neere that place , to see if they could get acquaintance with some of thy brethren . they satisfied their desire after a long ▪ time by the intercession of an indian woman : because thy brethren would never speake to our fathers , and he of us that went into their lands , did fall downe dead , and none of thy brethren did passe over to us ; we therefore made a league with them , by the meanes of that woman , under these conditions . first , that five men , sonnes to five caciques or their successors , should come to visit them every seventy moones , and that none should come with them . secondly , that the man to whom the secret was to be declared , should be three hundred moones old , and that nothing of this should be revealed to him in a place inhabited , but only in the open field , and when it should be revealed , that it should be in the company of all the caciques ; thus then ( said the indian ) wee keepe this secreet amongst us , for the great reward which wee hope , for the innumerable services which wee have done to thy brethren . wee cannot go to see them , but from seventy to seventy moones , if no new thing fall out ; there hath not been any in my time except thy arrivall which they have so much desired and waited for . i finde no more but three new things according to my reckoning ; the first , the arrivall of the spaniards in these countries , the second that ships arrived in the south sea , and the third is thy arrivall . of all three they have greatly rejoyced , for they say that the prophecies do come to passe . moreover the said monterinos declared , that afterward hee came to honda , where the said indian did bring to him three indian young men , not telling him their names , till hee told him that hee might speake freely with them , seeing they were his companions , whith whom hee was in league , and that the other namely the fift was old , and for that cause was not able to come . the three indians did imbrace him affectionately , and asked him of what nation hee was ; to whom hee answered , that hee was of the hebrew nation , of the tribe of levi ; and then they imbraced him the second time , and said to him , thou shalt see us one day , and shalt not know us , wee are thy brethren by a speciall favour which god hath shewed us , and having saluted him they went away : the indian francis bid him also farewell , and that hee went to speak with his brethren in the company of the other caciques . as concerning this countrey , wee have all the indians at our command , and when wee shall have made an end of these cruell spaniards , wee shall goe and draw you out of the slavery wherein you are , if it please god ; which he will permit , because his word cannot faile . finis . laus deo. i manasseh ben israel underwritten , beare w●…tnesse , that this present paper hath been coppied with the whole truth of the originall , and that the author monterinos is a vertous man , and separate from all manner of worldly interests ; and that hee swore in my presence that all that which he declared was a truth . manasseh ben israel . j. dvry received this at london , 27 of novem. 1649. the reader is entreated with his pen to amend these mistakes of the presse . in the epistle dedicatory , remove the note at the bottome of the margin in the third page of ( b ) to the second line of the next page . page 5. line 12. read comestor . p. 16. l. 19. r. and uneasie . p. 18. l. 3. r. è contra . p. 21. r. witekind in the margent . p. 21. l. 16. r. they were . p. 22. l. 23. r. maternus . p. 24. l. 19. r. records indeed . p. 32. l. last . r. thou . p. 49. l. 28. r. israel was . p. 50. l. 8. adde , should so farre ▪ and so suddenly degenerate . p. 6. l. 32. r. converting . p. 76. l. 31. r. for our , the. p. 80. l. 20. r. your charity . p. 93. l. 13. r. leitourgy . and l. 15. r. pray that . p. 93. l. 15. r. holy spirit . our books tell us . p. 107. l. 30. r. too late . p. 118. l. 11. r. hujus . p. 113. p. 126. l. 4. r. 16 , &c. p. 136. l. 12. r. their lands . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a62471-e390 d. laert. p. 381. d. heins . in 2. io. hesych . ●… io. maj. hist. scot. l. 4. c. 9 ▪ sixt. sen. bib. s. l. 2. r. p. 97. wollet . comp. theol. p. 197. part. 1. t. 1. ep. p. 105. lib. 5. c. 8. nehem 3. 5. 2 sam. 20. 19. phil. 2. 21. 1 cor. 13. last . act. 2. 1. psa. 19. 4. revel . 6. 2. esa. 49. 6. de excid . brit. in bal ▪ cent. p. 23. hist. l. ●… . c. 8. p. 25. rev. 13. 3. ●… . 5. 123. not. in bed. hist. p. 257. part. 3. esa. 43. 19. k. theodoric . theodebert , clotharius , qu. brunechild of france , and to aldibert and aldiberga of england . concil . p. 71. holinsh. chro. part . 1. p. 15. kent , mercia , west-saxons , northumberland , east-angles , east-saxons , south-saxons . deut. 12 8. 2 pet. 1. 19. 2. cor ▪ 11. 14. psal. 46. 3. psal. 27. 3. esa. 8. 12. act. 7. 56. tertull. 2 cor. 5. 7. job . 14. 14. 1 joh. 2. 18. heb. 10. 37. mat. 3. 12. psal. 1. 5. 1 cor. 4. 5. 2 thes. a. 17. 3. 3. heb. 13. 17. 2 tim. 4. 8. act. 20. 32. notes for div a62471-e2480 de doct. chr. l. 4. longa , san●… , caelet us , apolog. ad finem . oblect . acad. c. 21. pseud. epidem . mr bucks hist. hist. rom. tacitus . idcos ab ida. l. 5. plut. symp. c. ●… . suid as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 2. c. 18. p. 248. io ▪ de la●…t desc●…iptio americ . dedic . carolo r. britan. mr. castel , mr. cage , &c. id. p. 37. l 6. c. 9. mr gage . p. 18●… p. 50. &c. acost . l. 3. c. 15. gage survey . p. ●…5 . 1 , 5. 139. p. 153. ●…46 . letter of a. c. 1635. p. 168. plutar. themist sim. c. p. 61. mr. gage . mr gage pref . & p. 139 , & 10 acosta . hist. l. 6. c. 26. cic. de offic. somn. scip. sir io. dodt . hist of princi : of wales . p. 23. ep. p. 819. in rom. 11. 18. notes for div a62471-e4060 esa. 11. 9. eph. 4 13. eph. 4. 14. isa. 2. ezec. 34 & 37. jer. 3c . & 46. amos. 9. micha . 4. &c. jer. 30. 10 , 11. amos ▪ 9. 8 , 9. 2 king. 17. this narrative so attested and translated , is at the end of this book . psa. 149 7 , 8 , 9. notes for div a62471-e5210 a restitut . c. 2. b met. hist. c. 9. b met. hist. c. 9. c dissertat . de orig. gent. americ . d n●…t . ad ista●… dissert . e key of the language of amer. pref. f lerius hist. brasil . p. 231. g laet descr. americ . mr. gage . h apud laet in grot. diss●…rtat . part. 1. p. 216. a pet. mart. decad. aliique . b in boros●… . l. 6. c in bodin . meth. p. 493. d ib. p. 353. mort. n. canaan . p. 49. malv●…or d●… an●… . r●… . p. 155. e acosta . hist. l. 7. c. 4. f ubi supra . g aquin. in gen. 1. h arr. ag . br. p. 343. i pet. mart. p. 353. k laet. in grot. p. 219. l ibid. m comestor hist. p. 137. & 169. n g. sands . trav. p. 146. o hist. l. 1. c. 29. p apud io. de laet. part . 1. p. 217. q letter . a acosta . l. 1. c. 23. b lerius . ubi supra . c de cons●…at . ad helvid . ●… . 8. d mr will. key . preface . e benzo . p. ●… . & 50. acosta . l. 7. c. 17. f benzo . p. 193. g id. p. 94. 107 h id. p. 107. 109 i nova francia . p. 221. k io. de laet. p. 217. l mr will. key ▪ prospect of n. e ▪ p. 95. m benzo . p. 117 222. lerius . p. 256. 258. laet descr. of america . p. 545. n lerius . p. 225 p. mart. p. 314. 478. o na●… in gr●… . p. 37. p acosta . p. 570 q id. p. 569. laet. p. 317. and descrip . amer. p. 470. r capt. smith . p. 31. laet descr. amer. p. 479. s lerius . p. 236. t mr will. key pref . p. 7. & u nova fran. p. 236. w p. mart. p. 5●… . x mr will. key . y lerius . p. ●…34 acosta . l. 5. c. 27 z mr will. key . p. 46. laet des . of amer. p ▪ 479. a lerius p. 2●…6 . b mr will. key . p. ●…39 . c lerius p. 241. d benzo . p. 168. 291. 39. acost . l. 5. c. 8. e antiq. l. 7. c. 12. f lerius . p. 266. 267. benzo . 396 laet des . amer. p. 545. 642. g benzo . p. 222. acost . l. 4. c. 28. h l. 12. c. 15. i laet descr. amer. p. 75. k acost . l. 6. c. 10. 17. a hist. l 5. c. 27. b id. de procur . ind. sal. p. 6. 45 c in grot. part . 1. p. 45. d p. mart. p. 175. 290. 293. 296. 300. e l. 2. p. 143. f dr helin ge●… . p. 662. laet. ibid. 127. g id. p. 128. h in laet p. 2. p. 59. i tit. 1. de no viter repet is , cultellos lapideos quidvis ●…ecante s. k p. 135. l p. l 91. m mart. p. 524 n id. p. 444. lerius . p. 220. acost . l. 6. c. 19 o id ▪ de procur . ind. sal. p. 68. p benzo . p. 396 relation of maryland . p. 33. cap. smith . lerius . p 223. acosta . p. 345. q mr will. key . p. 100. r p. mart. p. 418. 473 521. 529 godwin of the esseni , in jewish antiqu . malvend . de antichristo . p. 153. s capt. smith p. 12●… . acosta . l. 5. c. 13. pet mart. p. 350. t id p 351. u id. p. 314. w acost . p. 339 x id. l. 5●… c. 16 ▪ 6. 24. y id. l. 5. c. 14. z ibid. l. 5 c. ●… . a pet. mart. b relat. mar. land. p. 169. acost . 5. 16. c pet , mart : p ▪ 522. 351. d ibid. e laet. descr. amer. p. 398. 434. f malvenda . p. 169. g id. ibid. & acost . hist. l. 5. c●…9 ●…9 . h id. p. ●…69 . i benzo . p. 113 , 114. ●…um ●…ympano . k cento ad solin . p. 256. benzo . p. 403. and hist. of peru. l benzo ubi sup . & solin . cent. ibid. a idem genus ca●…cementi , & verba quaedam . ubi supra . b l. 30. p. 323. c ubi ●…nte . descr. cambr. p. 2●… . d in laet. part . 1. p. 30. e pet. mart. p. 248. laet. ibid. p. 186. f malvenda p. 1●…9 . g gag . survey . p. 46. h ierem in loc , i p. 88. 93 , 94. &c. k hist. l. 5. c. 3. l laet. descr. amer. p. 53. 164 ▪ m p. 164. 172. n p. 154. o mr. will. key pref of n. e. p. 91. p pref. to chaldean diction . q bodin . meth p. 494. r syst. phys. r syst. phys. s pref. to the old english bible . a iosp●… ▪ de bello iudaico . l. 7. e ▪ 8. b in ezek c. 5. c p. mart. p. 206. i●…rius . ●…nzo . ●…ii . d prosp. of n. eng. part . 2. n●…ler . chr. p●…rt . 2. p. 519. f p. 275. g in fine . p. 188. h p. 55. i benzo . p. 120. k crudelit . hispan . p. 50. a socrat. l. 1. 15 russia . tripartit . &c. discess●… ab ●…cem apostoli 〈◊〉 praedic●…onis 〈◊〉 comm●…ne consti●…uunt . cypr. de symb. ap. c. b de incarn . l. 6 c. 3. c wit●…kiland de sphae●…a . d g. sands tra . e socrat. ubi ante . russia in symb. & hist. l. 1. c. 9. tertul. de vel . virg . l. 1. c. 1. regula quid●…m fidei una omnino est sola immobilis . & i●…reformabilis . clem. ep. ad iacob . quam latin. fecit ▪ russin . ambr. ser. 138. aug. de t. 119. f disput. p. 21. g ibid. h ep. ad philadelph . p. 4. i niceph. l. 2. c. 35. k britannorum inaccessa romanis loca christs patuerunt . ad v. ●…ud . c. 7. l hist. l. 2 c. 3. m de error . profan . relig . n de consid . l. 2. o in math. & t. 1. ep. p. 103. p ●…illet de vocat . iud. malvend de antichristo . q in mat. 24. in hos. 2. in joh. 4. mic. 2 ▪ r de civit. d. l ▪ 18. c. 28. & 20 , 21. s mor. l. 35. c. 9. t in cant. ser. 39. u in apoc. mei p ▪ 31. w sum. raymundi . p. 81 ▪ x epit. cent. 16 part . 2. y p. 169. z doroth. synop. hieron . ca●…al . socrat. l. 15. ruffin . l. 1. c 9. euseb. aliique a salmuth . in pancirol . de noviter repert ▪ c. 1. p. 7. b bocha . geo. sac. p. 716. c acost . benzo . pet. mart. lerius . &c. d io. de laet in grot. part ▪ p. 71. e bucholz chro. mei p. 136. f de vit. constant . l. 2. c. 65. g pet mart. decad. p. 95. &c. 244. malvenda . ibid. a de arcan cathol . vent . c. 24. p. 282. b lerius p. 230. c benzo p. 77. 111. 167. d surius in append . ad naucler . p. 775. e p. 222. f ovied hist. ●…nd . l. 16. c. 11. in benzo . p. 295 g casa , benzo , alij historici passim . h iidem , i pet. mart : p. 506. guacca regio , jarima podex . k id. p. 525. l casa . p. 1●… . m casa . p. 24. n id. p. 60. o benzo . p. 111. id. ib. p. 7. & 8 p casa . p. 12. 22 , 29. 54. q benzo . p. 285 ▪ r p ▪ 289 , &c. s c. 89. t benzo . 179. 311 , 315. &c. casa . p. 19. 11. id. p. 57. u tripartit . hist. l 2. c. 18. w catech. 16. p. 263. x c●…ropaid . passim . y de b. iudaica . l. 3. c. 57 z ubi supra . 7. p. 501. a lerius . p. 152 alijque cent. ad solin . p. 218. b hist. l. 7. c. 22. c lerius , alij . d p. 405 , 406. notes for div a62471-e13470 a acost . l. 1. c. 9 b gages survey . p. 71. c m. paris ad all. 1240 mei p. 732 ▪ & 756. d in m. s. e ubi supra ▪ f buxtorf . synag . iud. c. 9. mei p. 231 : in grot : a hygi●… . astron b bel , & drag . c agathias hist. m. p. 142. d in euagr. l. 4. c. 18. e l. 1. 19. tract . p. cott. g ubi supra . h de c. d. ●… . 16. c. 7 ▪ i idem . k geograp . l. 1. l a●…ol . c. 39. m aelian . var. hist. p. 455. n l. 2. c. 89 91. o chro. anno 46 p versteg . c. 4. lamb. peramb . p 18. chron. ●… . part . p. 225. q ibid. r in io. de laet. p. 126. s ibid. p. 116. t ibid ▪ & p. 25. u miscellan . s●…cr . l. 2. c. 4. w hist ▪ l. 7. c. 3 : & . l. 1. c. 20. a t. 3. ep. p. 69 b lerius . p. 169. c ante p. hujus 24. n. d versleg . p. 18●… . e hist. l. 6. c. 22 f qu. in gen. & comest . c. 37. g hist. l. 1. h prolog . ad l. 1 i de consolat ad helv. c. 7. k ben. g●…r . p ▪ l i●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l suidas thus computes the four hundred and thirty yeeres of israels being in egypt , and the land of canaan : from abrahams going into char●…an to isaacs birth , yeers 25 thence to iacobs nativity . 60 from him to levi. 87 from levi to caath . 45 from caath to amram . 63 from amram to moses . 70 from moses to their exodus , and going out . 80 summe 430 yeeres ▪ a ler. hist. pre p. 8. in sev. p. 83. t. 2. ep. p. 75. lib. 6. geor. l. 4. b hier. in loc . c ubi supra . d chrisost. in 1 cor. 2. m. p. 218. e in io. tr. 4. notes for div a62471-e16950 a meth. hist. p. 522. casas . p. 134. &c. b stow ad an. 1501 , & 1502. c purchas . l. 4. c. 13. d stow. ibid. e l. 3. p. 360. f sermon to virginia planters . an. 1622. p. 20. 26. h declara . of uirginia . p. 11. i m. cott. ans . p. 27 ▪ &c. k declara . of virgin. ubi supra . l mr cot. ibid. m metrop . 129. n ibid : o ib. mr cott. p ibid. q ser. 16. init a benzo . p. 76. 77. possimqu●… . b id. p. 11. &c. c id. p. 100. 104. 248. &c. d id. ibid. &c. e id. p. 251. f casas . p. 27. 101. 115. g p. 100. 104 ▪ h hist. l. 6. c. 1. i epist. before . k p. 32 ▪ 444. l prefat . p. 38. m id. p. 221. 225. n id. 230. 248. 301. &c. o cap smith . p. 11. p book of that planta . anno 1632. p. 12. q treatises thereof . r malvenda ubi supra . p. 150. s cap. smith . p. 63. t barradus . t. 2. l. 8. c. 4. u de nat . nov. o●…b . l. 1. c. 15. w p. 85. 93. &c. x malvenda ubi supra . p. 154. y ho. sta. p. 194. z hist. l. 1. a herberts sacr . poems , p. 1●…0 . b lerius . p. 62. 300. 33●… . a in loc . b agathias . l. 1. c ad scap. init . d apolog. 2. p. 300. 450. e crantz . l. 1. c. 7. l. 2. f de vit. const. l. 2. c. 55. g hist. p. 100. h triparti●… . t. 10. c. 5. i vit. per g. patriark . k ep. p. 439. l cap. smith . ●… p. 20. 37. &c. m sozem. l. 2. c. 6. n hist l. 6. c. 25 o p. 388. p l. 7. c. 30. q ubi supra . p. 16. lib. 5. ep. 10. r benzo . p. 256. s id. p. 390. a in math ▪ 16. b casas . p. 66. p. 35. p. 34. 99. c p. 11. d io. d●… laet. descr. amer. pref . e casas . p. 2●… . f p. 118. g hist. l. 4 ▪ c. 2. h p. 204. l ep. before s●…rm . in jona . m in tertul. p. 103. n hist. l. 6. c. 28 cas. c●…ud . hi●… ▪ p. 116. id. ibid. i l. 2. c. 16. k benzo . p. 257. charter . a clapmar arcan . reip. p. 52. 40 caroli . b serm. p. 81 , 82 ▪ &c. c rogers pref . p. 19. d pref. basil. dor. e parlia . spe . anno. 1603. f his workes . p. 358. g res. ad apol. p. 28. h rogers passim . i m. s. a resp. ad apol. p. 29. b king iames workes ▪ p. 340. c institut . l. 4. c. 20. d letter 20. of the 10 moneth . 1635. charter e calvin . beza . gualt . alii . f epit. cent. 16. p. 185. 285. & concil ▪ dordrac . g andr. posthu . p. 176. h ep. p. 749. i honor. reg. commentar . da●…tisci . 1647. k idem ibid. hieron . tit. l simp. c. p. 42 sir h. s. p panang . p. 592. a discourse of new england not printed . relat. of proceagainst sa. gort . p. 99. discourse before mentioned . a in bed. ecclesiast . hist. l. 2. c. 1. b lambard peramb . of kent . p. 5. c hist. l. 1. c. 5. d malmbs . p. 4. and beda . l. 1. c. 25. e daybreak , &c. f greg. m. g dr. vane lost sheepe . p. 186. h crantz . met. p. 405. 8. 12. lib. 5. ep. 58. 59 i hist. l. 2. c. 7. a le●…ius . hist. praef . b benzo . p. 390. c hesiod . op. & di. l. 2. d theodor. hist. l. 5. c. 29. lib. 9. ep. 56 , 57. e gage survey of america . p. 81. f id. p. 3. a agathen in doroth. doctr. & vita patrum . b erasm. ep. 6. c p. 24. d tit. ecclesiasticall . p. 19. 20 e tit. anabaptists . p. 1. f tit. indians ▪ p. 28 , 29. g tit. sch●…els . p. 47. h tit. college . p. 12. sermon at westm. in ann. 1646. iuly , 30. è iob. 11. 22 m stat. eccles. erit . praeface . day breaking if not the sun-rising of the gospel with the indians in new-england . printed for , fulk clif●…on , on new fish ▪ street hill . 1647. page . 1. & . p. 3. questions o●… the indians . p. 4. p. 5. p. 6. questions to them . p. 7. second comming . p. 8. p. 9. questions . p. 10. p. 11. p. 12. p. 13. a weeping indian . p. 14. observations . p. 17. third meeting novemb. 26. ●…3 questions ▪ p. 19. p. 20. p. 22. indian lawes . p. 23. indian prayer●… fourth meeting . p. 24. p. 25. the clear sun-shine of the gospel upon the indians , &c. by mr. shepheard . 1648. p. 3. orders made by divers sachims , at concord , 1646. p. 5. p. 6. p. 7. indian womens questions . p. 8. p. 9. p. 10. an indians dreame . p. 11. indian questions . p. 13. p. 19. p. 20. indian cases and admonitions , of one beating his wife . p. 21. o●… an unruly son recovered . p. 22. p. 23. prayer . p. 24. questions . p. 25. indian cases . p. 27. p. 33. p. 34. p. 35. p. 37. the glorious progresse of the gospel among the indians , &c. published by mr winslow , 1649. an indian woman living and dying christianly . p. 6. p. 7. p. 8. p. 10. indian questions . letter to mr winslow . 18. of the 8. 1649. day break . p. 22. cleare sun-shine . p. 5. 2 treatis . p 35 k t. 2. ep. p. 126. lib. 4. ep. 52. l. 5. 10. 152. &c. n crantz . metrop . l. 5. c. 18. notes for div a62471-e28070 el●…l is the first moneth of the jewish yeere answering to our august and to some part of september .