First in sicknesse, or Drouth, or Warre, or Famine.
Secondly, After Harvest, after hunting, when they enjoy a caulme of Peace, Health, Plenty, Prosperity, then Nickómmo, a Feast, especially in Winter, for then (as the Turke saith of the Christian, rather the Antichristian,) they run mad once a yeare in their kind of Christmas feasting.
| Powwáw, | A Priest. |
| Powwaûog, | Priests. |
Obs: These doe begin and order their service, and Invocation of their Gods, and all the people follow, and joyne interchangeably in a laborious bodily service, unto sweating, especially of the Priest, who spends himselfe in strange Antick Gestures, and Actions even unto fainting.
In sicknesse the Priest comes close to the sick person, and performes many strange Actions about him, and threatens and conjures out the sicknesse.
They conceive that there are many Gods or divine Powers within the Body of a Man: In his pulse, his heart, his Lungs, &c. I confesse to have most of these their customes by their owne Relation, for after once being in their Houses, and beholding what their Worship was, I durst never be an eye witnesse, Spectatour, or looker on, least I should have been partaker of Sathans Inventions and Worships, contrary to Ephes. 5. 14.
| Nanouwétea, | An over-Seer and Orderer of their Worship. |
| Neennanowwúnnemun, | I will order or oversee. |
They have an exact forme of King, Priest, and Prophet, as was in Israel typicall of old in that holy Land of Canaan, and as the Lord Jesus ordained in his spirituall Land of Canaan his Church throughout the whole World: their Kings or Governours called Sachimaûog, Kings and Atauskowaûg Rulers doe govern: Their Priests performe and manage their Worship: Their wise men and old men (of which number their Priests are also,) whom they call Taupowauog they make solemne speeches and Orations, or Lectures to them, concerning Religion, Peace or Warre and all things.
| Nowemasúitteem, | I give way at the Worship. |
He or she that makes this Nickòmmo Feast or Dance, besides the feasting sometimes twenty, fifty, an hundredth yea I have seene neere a thousand persons at one of these Feasts: they give I say a great quantity of money, and all sort of their goods, (according to and sometimes beyond their Estate) in severall small parcells of goods, or money, to the value of eighteen pence, two Shillings, or thereabouts to one person: and that person that receives this Gift, upon the receiving of it, goes out and hollowes thrice for the health and prosperity of the Party that gave it, the Mr. or Mistris of the Feast.