Chap. XIX.

Of their women, their dispositions, employments, usage by their husbands, their apparell, and modesty.

To satisfie the curious eye of women-readers, who otherwise might thinke their sex forgotten, or not worthy a record, let them peruse these few lines, wherein they may see their owne happinesse, if weighed in the womans ballance of these ruderIndians, who scorne the tuterings of their wives, or to admit them as their equals, though their qualities and industrious deservings may justly claime the preheminence, and command better usage and more conjugall esteeme, their persons and features being every way correspondent, their qualifications more excellent, being more loving, pittifull, and modest, milde, provident, and laborious than their lazie husbands. Their employments be many: First their building of houses, whose frames are formed like our garden-arbours, something more round, very strong and handsome, covered with close-wrought mats of their owne weaving, which deny entrance to any drop of raine, though it come both fierce and long, neither can the piercing North winde finde a crannie, through which he can conveigh his cooling breath, they be warmer than ourEnglishhouses; at the top is a square hole for the smoakes evacuation, which in rainy weather is covered with a pluver; these bee such smoakie dwellings, that when there is good fires, they are not able to stand upright, but lie all along under the smoake, never using any stooles or chaires, it being as rare to see anIndiansit on a stoole at home, as it is strange to see anEnglishman sit on his heeles abroad. Their houses are smaller in the Summer, when their families be dispersed, by reason of heate and occasions. In Winter they make some fiftie or threescore foote long, fortie or fiftie men being inmates under one roofe; and as is their husbands occasion these poore tectonists are often troubled like snailes, to carrie their houses on their backs sometime to fishing-places, other times to hunting-places, after that to a planting place, where it abidesthe longest: an other work is their planting of corne, wherein they exceede ourEnglishhusband-men, keeping it so cleare with their Clamme shell-hooes, as if it were a garden rather than a corne-field, not suffering a choaking weede to advance his audacious head above their infant corne, or an undermining worme to spoile his spurnes. Their corne being ripe, they gather it, and drying it hard in the Sunne, conveigh it to their barnes, which be great holes digged in the ground in forme of a brasse pot, seeled with rinds of trees, wherein they put their corne, covering it from the inquisitive search of their gurmandizing husbands, who would eate up both their allowed portion, and reserved feede, if they knew where to finde it. But our hogges having found a way to unhindge their barne doores, and robbe their garners, they are glad to implore their husbands helpe to roule the bodies of trees over their holes, to prevent those pioners, whose theeverie they as much hate as their flesh. An other of their employments is their Summer processions to get Lobsters for their husbands, wherewith they baite their hookes when they goe a fishing for Basse or Codfish. This is an every dayes walke, be the weather cold or hot, the waters rough or calme, they must dive sometimes over head and eares for a Lobster, which often shakes them by their hands with a churlish nippe, and bids them adiew. The tide being spent, they trudge home two or three miles, with a hundred weight of Lobsters at their backs, and if none, a hundred scoules meete them at home, and a hungry belly for two dayes after. Their husbands having caught any fish, they bring it in their boates as farre as they can by water, and there leave it; as it was their care to catch it, so it must be their wives paines to fetch it home, or fast: which done, they must dresse it and cooke it, dish it, and present it, see it eaten over their shoulders; and their loggerships having filled their paunches, their sweete lullabies scramble for their scrappes. In the Summer theseIndianwomen when Lobsters be in their plenty and prime, they drie them to keepe for Winter, erecting scaffolds in the hot sun-shine, making fires likewise underneath them, by whose smoakethe flies are expelled, till the substance remain hard and drie. In this manner they drie Basse and other fishes without salt, cutting them very thinne to dry suddainely, before the flies spoile them, or the raine moist them, having a speciall care to hang them in their smoakie houses, in the night and dankish weather.

In Summer they gather flagges, of which they make Matts for houses, and Hempe and Rushes, with dying stuffe of which they make curious baskets with intermixed colours and portractures of antique Imagerie: these baskets be of all sizes from a quart to a quarter, in which they carry their luggage. In winter time they are their husbands Caterers, trudging to the Clamm bankes for their belly timber, and their Porters to lugge home their Venison which their lazinesse exposes to the Woolves till they impose it upon their wives shoulders. They likewise sew their husbands shooes, and weave coates of Turkie feathers, besides all their ordinary household drudgerie which daily lies upon them, so that a bigge bellie hinders no businesse, nor a childebirth takes much time, but the young Infant being greased and sooted, wrapt in a Beaver skin, bound to his good behaviour with his feete up to his bumme, upon a board two foote long and one foot broade, his face exposed to all nipping weather; this littlePappousetravells about with his bare footed mother to paddle in the Icie Clammbankes after three or foure dayes of age have sealed his passeboard and his mothers recoverie. For their carriage it is very civill, smiles being the greatest grace of their mirth; their musick is lullabies to quiet their children, who generally are as quiet as if they had neither spleene or lungs. To heare one of theseIndiansunseene, a good eare might easily mistake their untaught voyce for the warbling of a well tuned instrument. Such command have they of their voices. These womens modesty drives them to weare more cloathes than their men, having alwayes a coate of cloath or skinnes wrapt like a blanket about their loynes, reaching downe to their hammes which they never put off in company. If a husband have a minde to sell his wives Beaver petticote, assometimes he doth, shee will not put it off untill shee have another to put on: commendable is their milde carriage and obedience to their husbands, notwithstanding all this their customarie churlishnesse and savage inhumanitie, not seeming to delight in frownes or offering to word it with their lords, not presuming to proclaime their female superiority to the usurping of the least title of their husbands charter, but rest themselves content under their helplesse condition, counting it the womans portion: since theEnglisharrivall comparison hath made them miserable, for seeing the kind usage of theEnglishto their wives, they doe as much condemne their husbands for unkindnesse, and commend theEnglishfor their love. As their husbands commending themselves for their wit in keeping their wives industrious, doe condemne theEnglishfor their folly in spoyling good working creatures. These women resort often to theEnglishhouses, wherepares cum paribus congregatæ, in Sex I meane, they do somewhat ease their miserie by complaining and seldome part without a releefe: If her husband come to seeke for hisSquawand beginne to bluster, theEnglishwoman betakes her to her armes which are the warlike Ladle, and the scalding liquors, threatning blistering to the naked runnaway, who is soone expelled by such liquid comminations. In a word to conclude this womans historie, their love to theEnglishhath deserved no small esteeme, ever presenting them some thing that is either rare or desired, as Strawberries, Hurtleberries, Rasberries, Gooseberries, Cherries, Plummes, Fish, and other such gifts as their poore treasury yeelds them. But now it may be, that this relation of the churlish and inhumane behaviour of these ruderIndianstowards their patient wives, may confirme some in the beliefe of an aspersion, which I have often heard men cast upon theEnglishthere, as if they should learne of theIndiansto use their wives in the like manner, and to bring them to the same subjection, as to sit on the lower hand, and to carrie water, and the like drudgerie: but if my owne experience may out-ballance an ill-grounded scandalous rumour, I doe assure you, upon my credit and reputation, that there is nosuch matter, but the women finde there as much love, respect, and ease, as here in oldEngland. I will not deny, but that some poore people may carrie their owne water, and doe not the poorer sort inEnglanddoe the same, witnesse yourLondonTankerd-bearers, and your countrie-cottagers? But this may well be knowne to be nothing, but the rancorous venome of some that beare no good will to the plantation. For what neede they carrie water, seeing every one hath a Spring at his doore, or the Sea by his house? Thus much for the satisfaction of women, touching this entrenchment upon their prerogative, as also concerning the relation of theseIndianSquawes.

Because many have desired to heare some of the Natives Language, I have here inserted a smallNomenclator,with the Names of their chiefe Kings, Rivers, Moneths, and dayes, whereby such as have in-sight into the Tongues, may know to what Language it is most inclining; and such as desire it as an unknowne Language onely, may reapedelight, if they can get no profit.

The number of 20.

TheIndianscount their time by nights, and not bydayes, as followeth.

TheIndianscount their time by nights, and not by

dayes, as followeth.

How they call their Moneths.

The names of theIndiansas they be divided intoseverall Countries.

The names of theIndiansas they be divided into

severall Countries.

TarrenteensChurchersAberginiansNarragansetsPequantsNipnetsConnectacutsMowhacks

Tarrenteens

Churchers

Aberginians

Narragansets

Pequants

Nipnets

Connectacuts

Mowhacks

The Names ofSagamores.

The names of the noted Habitations.

At what places be Rivers of note.

CannibecRiverMerrimackeRiverTchoboccoRiverSaugusRiverMistickRiverMishaumRiverNaponsetRiverWessaguscusRiverLuddamsFoardNarragansetsRiverMusketoquidRiverHunniborneRiverConnectacutRiver

CannibecRiver

MerrimackeRiver

TchoboccoRiver

SaugusRiver

MistickRiver

MishaumRiver

NaponsetRiver

WessaguscusRiver

LuddamsFoard

NarragansetsRiver

MusketoquidRiver

HunniborneRiver

ConnectacutRiver

FINIS.

Transcriber's note:

Variable capitalisations and hyphenations in the original have been retained.

Unusual and multiple spellings in the original have been retained.

The format of chapter headings has been regularised.

All corrections noted in the Errata, excepting one, have been applied.

Errata exception: 'p. 45. l. 29. house, horse.' Page 45 contains neither 'house' nor 'horse.'

Table of Contents, ',' changed to '.,' "Part. 1. Chap. 1."

Table of Contents, 'North-wards' changed to 'North-ward,' "or Indians North-ward."

Table of Contents, '&c.' added, "Of their Mariages, &c."

Errata, all references normalised to the form "p. nn. l. nn."

Errata, all corrections terminated with a full stop.

Errata, 'Squnotersquashes' changed to 'Squonterquashes,' "for Squonterquashes reade Isquoutersquashes."

Errata, 'he' changed to 'hee,' "p. 15. l. 10. hee, they."

Errata, 'spoiling' changed to 'spoyling,' "l. 28. spoyling, spoile."

Errata, 'humiliters' changed to 'Humiliteers,' "p. 27. l. 21. Humiliteers, Humilitees."

Errata, 'breach' changed to 'brech,' "l. 36. brech, Beach."

Errata, '20' changed to '24,' "p. 70. l. 24. Warme, worme."

Page 2, comma following 'Cape' struck, "Plimmouth, Cape Ann, Salem,"

Page 3, 'trance' changed to 'entrance,' "entrance, and that not very broad,"

Page 4, 'bittter' changed to 'bitter,' "with deepe Snowes and bitter Frost,"

Page 4, 'winds' changed to 'windes,' "few North-west windes,"

Page 5, 'secōd' changed to 'second,' "A second passage,"

Page 6, 'Cod' italicised, "shaping their course forCape Cod,"

Page 6, 'beleife' changed to 'beliefe,' "startle beliefe of some,"

Page 10, 'Tres' changed to 'Trees,' "where the Trees grow thinne,"

Page 12, 'wch' changed to 'which,' "which hath one house in"

Page 13, 'Marjoran' changed to 'Marjoram,' "as sweet Marjoram,"

Page 14, comma struck after 'Iron,' "reported that there is Iron stone;"

Page 24, 'it' capitalised to 'It,' "It is observed that they have"

Page 25, 'peice' changed to 'peece,' "five shillings a peece,"

Page 25, 'vnder' changed to 'Vnder,' "egresse being Vnder water"

Page 26, 'affoords' changed to 'affords,' "as the Countrey affords:"

Page 29, 'seggy' changed to 'sedgy,' "by reedy and sedgy places,"

Page 32, 'Hhving' changed to 'Having,' "Having done with these,"

Page 32, second 'and' struck, "and is likely to prove"

Page 33, colon changed to comma, "and one wide, and a foot thicke;"

Page 36, sidenote 'Wessagustus' changed to 'Wessaguscus.'

Page 36, 'Wessagutus' changed to 'Wessaguscus,' "which is called Wessaguscus an Indian"

Page 36, 'aud' changed to 'and,' "having Acornes and Clamms"

Page 37, 'Alewiues' changed to 'Alewives,' "although there come no Alewives,"

Page 41, 'bound' changed to 'abound,' "abound with Woods, and Water,"

Page 42, 'weire' changed to 'wayre,' "without any wayre at all,"

Page 43, 'Sangus' changed to 'Saugus,' "Northeast from Saugus lyeth Salem,"

Page 44, 'ravenons' changed to 'ravenous,' "are the ravenous Woolves,"

Page 45, 'weed' changed to 'weede,' "this weede is ranck poyson,"

Page 45, 'bittē' changed to 'bitten,' "whosoever is bitten by"

Page 45, 'soundy' changed to 'soundly,' "will sleepe so soundly that I"

Page 47, 'yere' changed to 'yeare,' "first yeare, never swell the second:"

Page 49, 'fish' added, "fish or flesh for their labour"

Page 49, 'affoords' changed to 'affords,' "sure Middlesex affords London no better"

Page 49, second 'and' struck, "and what to carry"

Page 51, 'wel' changed to 'well,' "well accommodated with servants."

Page 51, 'iudustrious' changed to 'industrious,' "hath an industrious family,"

Page 52, 'hous-hold-stuffe' changed to 'household-stuffe,' "All manner of household-stuffe"

Page 52, 'ann' changed to 'and,' "both broad and pitching-axes."

Page 52, 'vtensils' changed to 'Vtensils,' "all Vtensils for the Sea,"

Page 53, second 'is' struck, "There is as much freedome"

Page 54, second 'too' struck, "too curious objections,"

Page 55, 'two' changed to 'too,' "would it be too little"

Page 55, 'likly' changed to 'likely,' "never likely to remove"

Page 56, 'Narraganssts' changed to 'Narragansets,' "called Pequants, and Narragansets;"

Page 58, 'wherupon' changed to 'whereupon,' "whereupon they led him bound"

Page 58, 'thy' changed to 'they,' "under which they march"

Page 59, 'inhabibiting' changed to 'inhabiting,' "A Sagamore inhabiting neere"

Page 59, semi-colon changed to full stop, "or loose the saddle. His"

Page 62, 'thē' changed to 'them,' "they make them of greene,"

Page 63, 'bewray' changed to 'betray,' "or gray haire betray their age"

Page 67, comma inserted after 'trenchers,' "without either trenchers, napkins, or knives,"

Page 67, 'Squoutersquashes' changed to 'Isquoutersquashes,' "Isquoutersquashes is their best bread,"

Page 68, 'thē' changed to 'them,' "feed them little better"

Page 68, 'Sūmer' changed to 'Summer,' "In Summer they must"

Page 68, 'with' changed to 'With,' "With this strange viaticum"

Page 71, 'Naragansets' changed to 'Narragansets,' "from the Narragansets who traded"

Page 71, 'Beere' changed to 'Deere,' "haunch of a fat Deere,"

Page 72, 'wel' changed to 'well,' "who are as well acquainted with"

Page 72, 'atachment' changed to 'attachment,' "fearing attachment, conviction,"

Page 73, 'Sagomore' changed to 'Sagamore,' "An Indian Sagamore once"

Page 74, 'angrer' changed to 'anger,' "yet anger-boyling blood"

Page 74, 'lamentables' changed to 'lamentable,' "the lamentable effects of rage;"

Page 76, 'enformed' changed to 'informed,' "fully informed of their intent"

Page 77, 'Black-moore' changed to 'Black-more,' "poore wandring Black-more,"

Page 83, 'somtimes' changed to 'sometimes,' "sometimes roaring like a Beare,"

Page 84, 'seven' changed to 'seaven,' "altered in seaven or eight yeares,"

Page 87, 'winked' changed to 'winged,' "and nimble winged Pigeon"

Page 87, 'markemen' changed to 'marksmen,' "as these Indians be good marksmen,"

Page 87, 'yong' changed to 'young,' "when they are very young."

Page 88, 'yeere' changed to 'yeare,' "in that time of the yeare,"

Page 88, 'Musquashies' changed to 'Musquashes,' "Otters, Beavers, Musquashes,"

Page 88, 'accidentatall' changed to 'accidentall,' "of some accidentall passinger;"

Page 89, comma following '14' changed to full stop, "12. 14. and 16. some 18. foote long"

Page 90, 'Burcthen' changed to 'Burtchen,' "made of Burtchen rindes,"

Page 90, 'weater' changed to 'weather,' "in frostie weather"

Page 91, 'exclnding' changed to 'excluding,' "excluding L and R,"

Page 92, 'doe' changed to 'doth,' "doth something differ in their"

Page 92, 'threed' changed to 'thread,' "the thread of their dayes"

Page 93, 'whō' changed to 'whom,' "whom they account unworthy"

Page 96, 'hubands' changed to 'husbands,' "they are their husbands Caterers,"

Page 96, comma struck after 'Beaver,' "his wives Beaver petticote,"

Page 97, 'salvage' changed to 'savage,' "and savage inhumanitie,"

Nomenclator C, 'drinke' changed to 'smoake,' "Coetop will you smoake Tobaco"

Nomenclator M, 'brees' changed to 'brows,' "Mamanock the eye brows"

Nomenclator N, 'Taunais' changed to 'Naunais,' "Naunais my daughter"

Nomenclator O, 'Vnquagh' changed to 'Onquagh,' "Onquagh saw au you are cunning"

Nomenclator Q, full stop struck after 'Quenops,' "Quenops be quiet"

Nomenclator S, 'snmmer' changed to 'summer,' "Sequan the summer"

Nomenclator Y, all entries regularised to begin with a capital letter.

Nomenclator Moneths, '16' changed to '19,' "Nappawsoquoquin appause 19 moneths"

Nomenclator Moneths, 'Neefnishicke' changed to 'Neesnischicke,' "Neesnischicke appon a quit appause 21 moneths"

Nomenclator Sagamores, 'Sagamoes' changed to 'Sagamores,' "Two Sagamores of Nipust."

Nomenclator Sagamores, full stop struck after 'Nattonanite.'

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