Nevv Englands prospect· A true, lively, and experimentall description of that part of America, commonly called Nevv England: discovering the state of that countrie, both as it stands to our new-come English planters; and to the old native inhabitants. Laying downe that which may both enrich the knowledge of the mind-travelling reader, or benefit the future voyager. By William Wood.

CHAP. XIX. Of their deaths, burials, and mourning.

ALthough the Indians be of lusty and healthfull bodies, not experimentally knowing the Catalogue of those health-wasting diseases which are incident to other Coun∣tries, as Feavers, Pleurisies, Callentures, Agues, Obstructi∣ons, Consumptions, Subfumigations, Convulsions, Apo∣plexies, Dropsies, Gouts, Stones, Tooth-aches, Pox, Mea∣sels, or the like, but spinne out the threed of their dayes to a

faire length, numbering three-score, foure-score, some a hundred yeares, before the worlds universall summoner 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them to the craving Grave: But the date of their life expired, and Deaths arestment seazing upon them, all hope of recovery being past, then to behold and heare their throbbing sobs and deepe-fetcht sighes, their griefe-wrung hands, and teare-bedewed cheekes, their dolefull cries, would draw teares from Adamantine eyes, that be but spectators of their mournefull Obsequies. The glut of their griefe being past, they commit the corpes of their diceased friends to the ground, over whose grave is for a long time spent many a briny teare, deepe groane, and Irish-like howlings, continuing annuall mournings with a blacke stiffe paint on their faces: These are the Mour∣ners without hope, yet doe they hold the immortality of the never-dying soule, that it shall passe to the South-west Elysi∣um, concerning which their Indian faith jumps much with the Turkish Alchoran, holding it to be a kinde of Paradise, wherein they shall everlastingly abide, solacing themselves in odoriferous Gardens, fruitfull Corne-fields, greene Medows, bathing their tawny hides in the coole streames of pleasant Ri∣vers▪ and shelter themselves from heate and cold in the sump∣tuous Pallaces framed by the skill of Natures curious contrive∣ment; concluding that neither care nor paine shall molest them, but that Natures bounty will administer all things with a vo∣luntary contribution from the overflowing store-house of their Elyzian Hospitall, at the portall whereof they say, lies a great Dogge, whose churlish snarlings deny a Pax intran∣tibus, to unworthy intruders: Wherefore it is their custome, to bury with them their Bows and Arrows, and good store of their Wampompeage and Mowhackies; the one to affright that affr••nting C••rberus, the other to purchase more immense pre∣rogatiues in their Paradise. For their enemies and loose livers, whō they account unworthy of this imaginary happines, they say, that they passe to the infernall dwellings of Abamocho, to be tortured according to the fictions of the ancient Heathen▪