A key into the language of America, or, An help to the language of the natives in that part of America called New-England together with briefe observations of the customes, manners and worships, &c. of the aforesaid natives, in peace and warre, in life and death : on all which are added spirituall observations, generall and particular, by the authour ... / by Roger Williams ...

CHAP. III. Of Discourse and Newes. (Book 3)

AUnchemokau∣hettittea.	Let us discourse, or tell newes.
Tocketeaunchim?	What newes?
Aaunchemókaw.	Tell me your newes.
Cutta•…•…nehemókous.	I will tell you 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
Mautaunchemokou∣êan.	When I have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the n•…•…wes.
Cummautaunche∣mókous.	I have done my n•…•…wes.

Obs. Their desire of, and delight in newes, is great as the Atkemans, and all men, more or leste; a stranger that can relate newes in their owne language, they will st•…•…le him 〈◊〉〈◊〉, a God.

Wutaunchēocouôog.	I will tell it them.
Awaun mesh aunche∣mókau.	Who brought this no•…•…es?
Awaun mesh kuppit∣touwaw.	Of whom did you heare it?
Uppanáunchim.	Your newes is true.
Cowawwunnáun∣chim.	He tells false newes.

Nummautanùme.	I have spoken enough.
Nsouwu•…•…sanneme.	I am we•…•…ry with speaking

Obs. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 manner is upon any tidings to sit round double or treble or more as their numbers be; I have seene ne•…•…r a thousand in a round, where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 could not well neere halfe so many have si•…•…ten: Every man hath his pipe of their Tobacco, and a d•…•…epe silence they make, an•…•… attention give to him that speaketh; and many of them will deliver themselves either in a relation of news, or in a consultation with very emphaticall speech and great action, commonly an houre, and sometimes two houres together.

Npenowauntawâu∣men.	I cannot speak your lan∣guage.
Matta nippannawem	I lie not.
Cuppannowem.	You lie.
Mattanickogga∣choùsk.
Matntianta∣cómpaw.	I am no lying fellow.
Matntianta∣sampáwwa.
Achienon•…•…umwem.	I speake very true.
Kukkita.	Hearken to me.
Kukkakittoùs.	I heare you.

Obs. They are impatient (as all men and God himselfe is) when their speech is not at∣tended and listened to.

Cuppittous.	I understand you.
Cowautous.
Machagenowáutam.	I understand not.
Ma•…•…nowawtawate∣mina.	Wee unàestand net each other.
Wunnâumwash.	Speake the truth.
Coanaumwem.	You speake true.

Obs. This word and and the next are words of great flattery which they use each to other, but constantly to their Princes at their spee∣ches, for which, if they be cloquent, they esteeme them Gods as Heroa among the Iewes.

Wunnâumwaw 〈◊〉〈◊〉.	He speaks true.
Cuppannawautous.	I doe not believe you.
Cuppannawâu•…•…i▪	Doe you not believe?
Nippannawautunek ewo.	He doth not believe me.
Michéme nippanna∣•…•…utam.	I shall never believe it.

Obs. As one answered me when I had dis∣coursed about many points of God, of the creation. of the soule, of the danger of it, and the saving of it, he assented; but when I spake o•…•… the rising againe of the body, he cryed out, I shall never believe this.

Pannóuwa awàun. awaun keesitteóu∣win.	Some body hath made this lie.
Tattâ Pitch	I cannot tell, it may so come to passe.
Nni▪ e•…•…u.	It is true.
Mat enâno, or, mat eano.	It is not true.
Kekuttokâunta.	Let us speake together.
Ku•…•…tokash.	Speake.
Tawhitch mat cut∣tôan?	Why speake you not?
Teaqua ntúnnawem, or, ntéawem?	What should I speake?
Wetap•…•…mmin.	To fit downe.
Wetapwâuwwas.	Sit and talke with us.
Taupowaw.	A wise speaker.
Enapwáuwwaw, Eississûmo.	He speaks Indian.
Matta nowawwâuon, matta nowáhea.	I know nothing of it.
Pitchnowâuwon,	I shall know the truth.
Wunnaumwâuonck.
Wunnaumwáyean.	If he say true.

Obs. Canounicus, the old high Sachim of the Nariganset Bay (a wise and peaceable Prince) •…•…nce in a solemne Oration to my self, in a so∣•…•…emne assembly, using this word, said, I have

never suffered any wrong to be offered to th•…•… Engl•…•…sh since they landed; nor never will: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 often repeated this word, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Eng▪ lishman; if the Englishman speake true, if h•…•… meane truly, then shall I goe to my grave i•…•… peace, and hope that the Eng•…•…sh and my poste•…•… ritie shall live in love and peace tog•…•…ther. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 replied, that he had no cause (as I hoped) t•…•… question Englishmans, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that i•…•… faithfulnesse he having had long experience o•…•… their friendlincsse and trust•…•…nefle. He tooke•…•… sticke, and broke it into ten pieces▪ and relat•…•… ten instances (laying downe a sticke to ever•…•… instance) which gave him cause thus to fear•…•… and say; I satisfied him in some presently, a•…•… presented the rest to the Governours of th•…•… English, who, I hope, will be far from givin•…•… just cause to have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to question thei•…•… Wunnaumwâuanck, or faithfulnesse.

Tocketunnántum, Tocketunáname, Tocketeántam?	What doe you thinke?
Ntunnántum,	I thinke.
Nteántum.
Nánick nteeâtum.	I thinke so to.
Nteatámmowonck.	That is my thought, o•…•… opinion.
Matntunnantámmen	I thinke not so.
Matnteeantámmen.

•…•…owecóntam,	I am glad.
•…•…oweeteántam.
•…•…oanáumatous.	I believe you.

Obs. This word they use just as the Greeke •…•…ngue doth that verbe, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: for believing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 obeying as it is often used in the new Te∣•…•…meni, and they say C•…•…annáumatous, I will •…•…ey you.

•…•…o aphettit.	When they are here.
•…•…o peyáhettit.	When they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 c•…•…m.

•…•…his Ablative case absolute they much use, •…•…nd comp ise much in little;

•…•…waunagrss, suck.

Eng•…•…sh-man, men.

•…•…is they call us, as much as to say, The•…•…e •…•…ngers.

•…•…acone-nûaog.

Englishman, men.

Th•…•…t is▪ Coat-men, or clothed.

•…•…uquaqock.	English-men, properly sword-men.
Wautacónisk.	An English woman.
Wautaconémese.	An English youth.
Waske peyáeyan.	When you came first.
Waske peyáhetit, Wautaconâuog.	When English-men came first.
Tawhitch peyahettit	Why come they hither?

Obs. This question they oft put to me: Why •…•…ome the Englishmen hither? and measuring others by themselves; they say, It is because

you want firing: for they, having burnt up the wood in one place, (wanting draughts to bring wood to them) they are faine to follow the wood; and so to remove to a fresh new place for the woods sake.

Matta mihtuckqun∣nūnno?	Have you no trees?
Mishaunetash, Maunetash.	Great slore.
Maunâuog, Wussaumemaunâuog	They are too full of people.
Noonapúock.	They have not roome one by another.
Aumáumuwaw Páudsha.	A messenger comes.
Wawwhawtowâuog.	They hollow.
Wauwhaûtowaw ánawat.	'Tis an Alarme.

Obs. If it be in time of warre, he that is a Messenger runs swiftly, and at every towne the Messenger comes, a fresh Messenger is sent: he that is the last, comming within a mile or two of the Court, or chiefe house, he hollowes often and they that heare answer him. untill by mutuall hollowing and answering hee is brought to the place of audience whereby this meanes is gathered a great confluence of peo∣ple to entertaine the newes.

Wussuckwhèke, Wussúckwhonck.

A letter which they so call from

•…•…hommin, to paint; for, having no letters, •…•…heir painting comes the neerest.

Wussúckquash.	Write a Letter.
Wussuckwheke, yimmi.	Make me a Letter.

Obs. That they have often desired of me •…•…pon many occasions; for their good and •…•…eace, and the English also, as it hath pleased •…•…od to vouchsafe opportunitie.

•…•…uenowâuog.	They complaine.
Tawhitch quena∣wáyean?	Why complaine you?
Mucco.	It is true you say.
Tuckawntéawem?	What should I say to it?

The generall Observation from their Discourse and Newes

The whole race of mankind is generally in∣•…•…cted with an itching desire of hearing Newes.

more particular:

Mans restlesse soule hath restlesse eyes and eares. •…•…anders in change of sorrows, cares and feares.

Faine would it (Bee-like) suck by the ears, by the ey•…•… Something that might his hunger satisfie: The Gospel, or Glad tidings onely can, Make glad the English, and the Indian.