The nature and disposition of the Savages, and of their severall Gods, Squanto and Tanto.
I HAUE had much conference with the Savages, about our only true God, and haue done my best to bring them to know and acknowledge him, but I feare me all the labour that way, will be lost, and no good will be done, except it be among the younger sort.
I find they haue two Gods, on they love: and the other they hate: the god they loue, they call Squanto, and to him they ascribe all their good fortunes.
The god they hate they call Tanto, and to him they ascribe all their euill fortunes, as thus, when any is killed, hurt or sicke, or when it is evill wether, then they say Tanto is hoggry, that is angry. When any dyes, they say Tanto carries them to his wigwam, that is his house, and they never see them more.
I haue asked them where Squanto dwells, they say they cannot tell but up on high, and will poynt upwards. And for Tanto, they say farre west, but they know not where.
I haue asked them if at any time they haue seene Squanto, or Tanto, they say no, there is none sees them, but their Pawwawes, nor they neither, but when they dreame.
Their Pawwawes are their Phisitians and Surgions, and as I verely beleeue they are all Witches, for they foretell of ill wether, and many strange things, every Sagamore hath one of them belongs to his company, and they are altogether directed by them.
On a time I was at a Sagamores house and saw a Martins skin, and asked if he would trucke it, the Sagamore told me no, the Pawwawe used to lay that under his head when he dreamed, and if he wanted that, he could doe nothing, thus we may perceiue how the devill deludes those poore people and keep them in blindnesse.
I find them generally to be marvellous quicke of apprehension, and full of subteltie, they will quickely find any man’s disposition, and flatter & humour him strangely, if they hope to get anything of him. And yet will they count him a foole if he doe not shew a dislike of it, and will say on to another, that such a man is a Mechecome.
They are slow of speech, and if they heare a man speake much they will laugh at him, and say he is a Mechecum, that is a foole.