New English Canaan or New Canaan Containing an abstract of New England, composed in three bookes. The first booke setting forth the originall of the natives, their manners and customes, together with their tractable nature and love towards the English. The second booke setting forth the naturall indowments of the country, and what staple commodities it yealdeth. The third booke setting forth, what people are planted there, their prosperity, what remarkable accidents have happened since the first planting of it, together with their tenents and practise of their church. Written by Thomas Morton of Cliffords Inn gent, upon tenne yeares knowledge and experiment of the country.

CHAP. IX. Of their pretty comuring tricks.

IF we doe not judge amisse of these Salvage in ac∣counting them witches, yet out of all question, we may be bould to conclude them to be but weake witches, such of them as wee call by the names of Powahs some correspondency they have with the De∣vil, out of al doubt as by some of their accions, in which they glory, is manifested Papasiquineo; that Sachem or Sagamore is a Powah of greate estimation amongst all kinde of Salvages, there hee is at their Revels (which is the time when a great company of Salvages meete, from severall parts of the Country, in amity with their neighbours) hath advaunced his honor in his feats or jugling tricks (as I may right tearme them) to the admiration of the spectators whome hee endevou∣red to perswade, that he would goe under water to the further side of a river to broade for any man to under∣take with a breath, which thing hee performed by swimming over & deluding the company with casting a mist before their eies that see him enter in and come out, but no part of the way hee has bin seene, likewise by our English in the heat of all summer to make Ice appeare in a bowle of faire water, first having the wa∣ter set before him hee hath begunne his incantation according to their usuall accustome and before the same has bin ended a thick Clowde has darkned the

aire and on a sodane a thunder clap hath bin heard that has amazed the natives, in an instant hee hath shewed a firme peece of Ice to flote in the middest of the bowle in the presence of the vulgar people, which doubtles was done by the agility of Satan his consort.

And by meanes of these sleights and such like tri∣vial things, as these they gaine such estimation amongst the rest of the Salvages; that it is thought a very impi∣ous matter for any man to derogate from the words of these Powahs. In so much as hee that should slight them, is thought to commit a crime no lesse hainous amongst them, as sacriledge is with us, as may appeare by this one passage, which I wil set forth for an instance.

A neighbour of mine that had entertain'd a Salvage into his service, to be his factor for the beaver trade amongst his countrymen, delivered unto him divers parcells of commodities, fit for them to trade with; a∣mongst the rest there was one coate of more esteeme then any of the other, and with this his new entertai∣ned marchant man travels amonst his countrymen to truck them away for beaver: as our custome hath bin, the Salvage went up into the Country amongst his neighbours for beaver & returned with some, but not enough answerable to his Masteers expectation, but being called to an accompt and especially for that one Coate of speciall note; made answer that he had given that coate to Tantoquineo, a Powah: to which his ma∣ster in a rage cryed what have I to doe with Tantoqui∣neo? The Salvage very angry at the matter cryed, what you speake; you are not a very good man, wil you not give Tantoq. a coat? whats this? as if he had offered

Tantoquineo, the greatest indignity that could be devi∣sed: so great is the estimation and reverence that these people have of these Ingling Powahs, who are usually sent for (when any person is sicke and ill at ease) to re∣cover them, for which they receive rewards as doe our Chirgeons and Phisitions, and they doe make a trade of it, and boast of their skill where they come: One amongst the rest did undertake to cure an Eng∣lishman of a swelling of his hand for a parcell of bis∣kett, which being delivered him, hee tooke the par∣ty greived into the woods aside from company, and with the helpe of the devill (as may be conjectured) quickly recovered him of that swelling, and sent him about his worke againe.

Notes

• A Salvage entertained a factor.
• An English man cured of a swelling