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. XXXII. Of Death and Buriall, &c. (Book 32)

As Pummissin.	He is not yet departed.
Neene.	He is drawing on.
Pausawut kitonck∣quêwa.	He cannot live long.

Chachéwunnea.	He is neere dead.
Kitonckquêi.	Hee is dead.
Nipwi mâw.	He is gone.
Kakitonckquêban.	They are dead and gone.
Sequttôi.	He is in blacke,

That is, He hath some dead in his house (whether wife or child &c.) for although at the first be∣ing sicke, all the Women and Maides blacke their faces with soote and other blackings; yet upon the death of the sicke, the father, or husband, and all his neighbours, the Men al∣so (as the English weare blacke mourning clothes) weare blacke Faces, and lay on soote very thicke, which I have often seene clotted with their teares.

This blacking and lamenting they observe in most dolefull manner, divers weekes and moneths; yea, a yeere, if the person be great and publike.

Sequt.	Soote.
Michemeshâwi.	He is gone for ever.
Mat wònck kunnaw∣mòne.	You shall never see him more.
Wunnowaúntam Wullóasin.	Grieved and in bitter∣nesse.
Nnowántam, •…•…lôasin.	I am grieved for you.

Obs. As they abound in lamentations for the dead, so they abound in consolation to

the living and visit them frequently, using this word Kutchimmoke, Kutchimmoke▪ Be of good cheere which they expresse by stroaking the cheeke and head of the father or mother, hus∣band or wife of the dead.

C•…•…epassotam.	The dead Sachim.
Mauchaúhom.	The dead man.
Mauchauhomwock Chepeck.	The dead.
Chepa•…•…quaw.	A dead woman.
Yo a papan.	He that was here.
Sachimaupan.	He that was Prince here.

Obs. These expressions they use, because, they abhorre to mention the dead by name, and therefore, if any man beare the name of the dead he changeth his name and if any stranger accidentally name him, he is checkt, and if any wilfully name him he is fined; and and amongst States, the naming of their dead Sachims, is one ground of their warres; so ter∣rible is the King of Terrors, Death, to all naturall men.

Aquie mishash aquic mishómmokc.	D•…•…e not name.
Cowewênaki.	You wrong mee, to wit, in naming my dead.
Posakunnamun.	To bury.

Aukùck pónamun.	To lay in the earth.
Wesquaubenan.	To wrap up,

in winding mats or coats, as we say, winding sheets.

〈◊〉〈◊〉, One of chiefest esteeme, who winds up and buries the dead common∣ly some wise, grave, and well descended man hath that office.

When they come to the Grave, they lay the dead by the Grave's mouth and then all sit downe and lament; that I have seen teares run downe the cheekes of stoutest Captaines, as well as little children in abundance: and after the dead is laid in Grave, and sometimes (in some parts) some goods cast in with them, They have then a second great lamentation, and upon the Grave is spread the Mat that the party died on the Dish he eat in; and sometimes a faire Coat of skin hung upon the next tree to the Grave, which none will touch, •…•…ut suffer it there to rot with the dead: Yea, I saw with mine owne eyes that at my late comming forth of the Countrey, the chiefe and most aged peaceable Father of the Countrey, Caunoūnicus, having buried his fonne, he burn'd his owne Palace, and all his goods in it, (amongst them to a great value) in a sollemne remembrance of his sonne, and in a kind of humble Expiation to the Gods,

who (as they believe) had taken his sonne from him.

The generall Observation of their Dead.

O•…•… how terrible is the looke the speedy and serious thought of death to all the sons of men? Thrice happy those who are dead and risen with the Sonne of God, for they are past from death to life, and shall not see death (a heavenly sweet Paradox or Ridle) as the Son of God hath promised them.

More particular:

The Indians say their bodies die, Their soules they doe not die; Worse are then Indians such, as hold The soules mortalitie.

Our hopelesse Bodie rots, say they, Is gone eternally, English hope better, yet some's hope Proves endlesse miserie.

Two Worlds of men shall rise and stand 'Fore Christs most dreadfull barre; Indians, and English naked too, That now most gallant are.

True Christ most Glorious then shall make New Earth, and Heavens New; False Christs, false Christians then shall quake, O blessed then the True.

Now, to the most High and most Holy, Immortall, Invisible, and onely Wise God, who alone is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last, who Was and Is, and is to Come; from Whom, by Whom, and to Whom are all things; by Whose gracious assistance and wonderfull support∣ment in so many varieties of hardship and outward miseries, I have had such converse with Barbarous Nations, and have been mer∣cifully assisted, to frame this poore KEY, which may, (through His Blessing) in His owne holy season) open a Doore; yea, Doors of unkowne Mercies to Us and Them, be Honour, Glory, Power, Riches, Wisdome, Goodnesse and Dominion ascribed by all His 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Jesus Christ to Eternity, Amen.