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. XXI. Of Marriage. (Book 21)

VVuskéne.	A young man.
Keegsquaw.	A Virgin or Maide.
Segaûo.	A Widdower.
Segousquaw.	A Widdow.
Wussénetam.	He goes a wooing.
Nosenemuck.	He is my sonne in Law,
Wussenetûock, Awetawátuock.	They make a •…•…atch.

Obs. Single fornication they count no sin•…•… but after Mariage (which they solemnize by consent of Parents and publique approbati∣on publiquely) then they count it hainou∣fer either of them to befalse.

Mammaûsu.	An adulterer.
Nummam mógwun∣ewò	He hath wronged my bed.
Pallè nochisquaûaw.	He or She hath com∣mitted adultery.

Obs. In this case the wronged party ma•…•… put away or keepe the party offending: com∣monly, if the Woman be false, the offende•…•… Husband will be solemnely revenged upo•…•…

the offendor, before many witnesses, by ma∣ny blowes and wounds, and if it be to Death, yet the guilty resists not, nor is his Death re∣venged.

Nquittócaw.	He hath one Wife.
Neesocaw.	He hath two Wives.
Sshocowaw.	He hath three.
Yocowaw.	Foure Wives, &c.

Their Number is not stinted, yet the chief Nation in the Country, the Narrigansets (ge∣nerally) have but one Wife.

Two causes they generally alledge for their many Wives.

First desire of Riches, because the Women •…•…ring in all the increase of the •…•…ield, &c. •…•…he Husband onely fisheth, hunteth, &c.

Scecondly, their long sequestring them∣selves from their wives after conception, un∣•…•…ill the child be weaned, which with some is •…•…ong after a yeare old, generally they keep •…•…heir children long at the breast:

Committamus.	Your Wife.
Cowéewo.
•…•…ahanawatu? ta shin∣commaugemus.	How much gave you for her?
•…•…apannetashom paûgatash.	Fivefathome of their Money.
•…•…utta, énada shoa∣suck ta shompa•…•…∣gatash	Six, or seven, or eight Fathome.

If some great mans Daughter Piuckquom▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ten 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Obs. •…•…nerally the Husband gives these payments for a Dowrie, (as it was in Israell) to the Father or Mother, or guardian of the Maide. To this purpose if the man be poore his Friends and neighbours doe pummenúmm•…•… te áuguash, that is contribute Money towar•…•… the Dowrie.

Numm ttamus.	My Wife.
Nuliogana.
Wauma•…•…su.	Loving.
Wunn•…•…kesu.	Proper.
Maan•…•…u.	Sober and chast.
Muchick•…•…hea.	Fruifull.
Cutchashekeamis?	How many children have you had?
Nquitt•…•…kea.	I have had one.
〈◊〉〈◊〉.	Two, &c.

Obs. They commonly ab•…•…und with Chil∣dren, and increase mightily; except th•…•… plauge fall amongst them or other lesser sick∣nesses and then having no meanes of recove∣ry, they perish wonderfully.

•…•…atoû ene•…•…chaw.

She is falling into Travell.

Néechaw.	She is in Travell.
Paugco•…•…che nechaú∣waw.	She is already deli∣vered.
Kitummâyi-mes-né∣chaw.	She was just now deli∣vered.

Obs. It hath pleased God in wonderfull manner to moderate that curse of the sor∣rowes of Child-bearing to these poore Indi∣an Women: So that ordinarily they have a wonderfull more speedy and easie Travell, and delivery then the Women of Europe: not that I thinke God is more gracious to them above other Women, but that it followes, First from the hardnesse of their constituti∣on, in which respect they beare their sor∣rowes the easier.

Secondly from their extraordinary great labour (even above the labour of men) as in the Field, they sustaine the labour of it, in carrying of mighty Burthens, in digging clammes and getting other Shelfish from the Sea, in beating all their corne in Mor∣ters: &c. Most of them count it a shame f•…•…r a Woman in Travell to make complaint, and many of them are scarcely heard to groane. I have often knowne in one Quarter of an houre a Woman merry in the House, and de∣livered and merry againe: and within two

dayes abroad, and after foure or five dayes at worke, &c.

Noosâwwaw.	A Nurse.
Noònsu Nonánnis.	A sucking Child:
Wunnunògan.	A Breast,
Wunnunnoganash.	Breasts.
Munnunnug.	Milke.
Aumaunemun.	To take from the breast, or Weane.

Obs. They put away (as in Israell) fre∣quently for other occasions beside Adultery, yet I know many Couples that have lived twenty, thirty, forty yeares together.

Npakétam.	I will put her away.
Npakénaqun.	I am put away.
Aquiepakétash.	Doe not put-away.
Aquiepokesháttous Awetawátuonck.	Doe not break the knot of Marriage.
Tackquiūwock.	Twins.
Towiû•…•… ûwock.	Orphans.
Ntouwiū.	I am an Orphane.
Wáuchaūnat.	A Guardian.
Wauchaúamachick.	Guardians.
Nullóquaso.	My charge or Pupill, or Ward.
Peewaūqun.	Looke well to him &c.

Generall Observations of their Mariage.

God hath planted in the Hearts of the Wildest of the sonnes of Men, an High and Honourable esteeme of the Mariage bed, in somuch that they universally submit unto it, and hold the Violation of that Bed, Abo∣minable, and accordingly reape the Fruit thereof in the abundant increase of posterity.

More Particular.

When Indians heare that some there are, (That Men the Papists call) Forbidding Mariage Bed and yet, To thousand VVhoredomes fall:

They aske if such doe goe in Cloaths, And whether God they know? And when they heare they're richly clad, know God, yet practice so.

No sure they're Beasts not men (say they,) Mens shame and foule disgrace, Or men have mixt with Beasts and so, brought forth that monstrous Race.