To enter into a serious discourse concerning the naturall conditions of these Indians, might procure admiration from the people of any civilized Nations, in regard of their civility and good natures. If a Tree may be judged by his fruite, and dispositions calculated by exteriour actions; then may it be concluded, that these Indians are of affable, courteous, and well disposed natures, ready to communicate the best of their wealth to the mutuall good of one another; and the lesse abundance they have, to manifest their entire friendship; so much the more perspicuous is their love, in that they are as willing to part with their Mite in poverty, as treasure in plenty. As he that kills a Deere, sends for his friends, and eates it merrily: So he that receives but a piece of bread from an English hand, parts it equally betweene himselfe and his comerades, and eates it lovingly. In a word, a friend can command his friend, his house, and whatsoever is his, (saving his Wife) and have it freely: And as they are love-linked thus in common courtesie, so are they no way sooner dis-joynted than by ingratitude; accounting an ungratefull person a double robber of a man, not onely of his courtesie, but of his thankes which he might receive of another for the same proffered, or received kindnesse. Such is their love to one another, that they cannot endure to see their Countrey-men wronged, but will stand stiffely in their defence: plead strongly in their behalfe, and justifie one anothers integrities in any warrantable action. If it were possible to recount the courtesies they have shewed the English, since their first arrivall in those parts, it would not onely steddy beleefe, that they are a loving people, but also winne the love of those that never saw them, and wipe off that needelesse feare that is too deepely rooted in the conceits of many, who thinke them envious, and of such rankerous and inhumane dispositions, that they will one day make an end of their English inmates. The worst indeede may be surmised, but the English hitherto have had little cause to suspect them, but rather to be convinced of their trustinesse, seeing they have as yet beene the disclosers of all such treacheries as have bin practised by other Indians. And whereas once there was a proffer of an universall League amongst all the Indians in those parts, to the intent that they might all joyne in one united force, to extirpate the English, our Indians refused the motion, replying, they had rather be servants to the English, of whom they were confident to receive no harme, and from whom they had received so many favours, and assured good testimonies of their love, than equals with them, who would cut their throates upon the least offence, and make them the shambles of their cruelty. Furthermore, if any roaving ships be upon the coasts, and chance to harbour either East-ward, North-ward, or South-ward in any unusuall Port, they will giue us certaine intelligence of her burthen and forces, describing their men either by language or features; which is a great priviledge and no small advantage. Many wayes hath their advice and endeavour beene advantagious unto us; they being our first instructers for the planting of their Indian Corne, by teaching us to cull out the finest seede, to observe the fittest season, to keepe distance for holes, and fit measure for hills, to worme it, and weede it; to prune it, and dresse it as occasion shall require.

These Indians be very hospitable, insomuch that when the English have trauelled forty, fifty, or threescore miles into the Countrey, they have entertained them into their houses, quartered them by themselves in the best roomes, providing the best victuals they could, expressing their welcome in as good termes as could be expected from their slender breeding; shewing more love than complement, not grumbling for a fortnights or three weekes tarrying; but rather caring to provide accommodation correspondent to their English custome. The doubtfull traveller hath oftentimes beene much beholding to them for their guidance thorow the unbeaten Wildernesse: my selfe in this particular can doe no lesse in the due acknowledgment of their love, than speake their commendations, who with two more of my associates bending our course to new Plimouth, lost our way, being deluded by a misleading path which we still followed, being as we thought too broad for an Indian path (which seldome is broader than a Cart's rutte) but that the dayly concourse of Indians from the Narragansets who traded for shooes, wearing them homewards had made this Indian tract like an English walke, and had rear'd up great stickes against the trees, and marked the rest with their hatchets in the English fashion, which begat in us a security of our wrong way to be right, when indeed there was nothing lesse: The day being gloomy and our compasses at home, we travelled hard till night to lesse purpose than if we had sat still, not gaining an inch of our journey for a dayes travell: but happily wee arrived at an Indian Wigwamme, where we were informed of our misprision, and invited to a homely lodging, feasted with the haunch of a fat Deere, and the ensuing morning the son of my naked hoast, for a peece of Tobacco, and a foure penny whittle, tooke the clew of his traveling experience, conducting us through the strange labyrinth of unbeaten bushy wayes in the woody wildernesse twentie miles to our desired harbour.

A second demonstration of their love in this kind may appeare in a passage of the same nature. An unexperienced wood man ranging in the woods for Deere, traveled so farre beyond his knowledge, till he could not tell how to get out of the wood for trees, but the more he sought to direct himselfe out, the more he ranne himselfe in, from the home he most desired; the night came upon him preventing his walking, and the extremitie of cold seasing upon his right foote for want of warming motion, deprived him of the use thereof, so that he could not remoove farther than his snowie bed, but had there ended his dayes, had not sixe commiserating Indians, who heard of his wandering, found him out by diligent search, being almost dead with despaire and cold: but after they had conquered his despaire with the assurance of his safe conduction to his habitation, and expelled the cold by the infusion of strong waters which they brought for the same purpose; they framed a thing like a hand barrow and carryed this selfe-helpelesse person on their bare-shoulders twelve miles to his residence: many other wandring benighted coasters have beene kindly entertained into their habitations, where they have rested and reposed themselves more securely than if they had beene in some blind obscure old Englands Inne, being the next day directed in their right way: many lazie boyes that have runne away from their masters, have beene brought home by these ranging foresters, who are as well acquainted with the craggy mountaines, and the pleasant vales, the stately woods, and swampie groves, the spacious ponds, and swift running rivers, and can distinguish them by their names as perfectly, and finde them as presently, as the experienced Citizen knows how to finde out Cheape-side crosse, or London stone. Such is the wisedome and pollicie of these poore men, that they will be sure to keepe correspondence with our English Magistrates, expressing their love in the execution of any service they command them, so far as lyes in their power, as may appeare in this one particular. A certaine man having layd himselfe open to the Kings lawes, fearing attachment, conviction, and consequently execution: sequestred himselfe from the honest societie of his neighbours, betaking himselfe unto the obscure thickets of the wildernesse, where hee lived for a time undiscovered, till the Indians who leave no place unsearched for Deere, found out his haunt, and having taken notice by diverse discourses concerning him, how that it was the governers desire to know where he was; they thought it a part of their service to certifie him where he kept his rendevouze, who thereupon desired if they could to direct men to him for his attachment, but he had shifted his dwelling, and could not be found for the present, yet he was after seene by other Indians, but being double pistold, and well sworded, they feared to approach so neere him as to grapple with him: wherefore they let him alone till his owne necessary businesse cast him upon them; for having occasion to crosse a river, he came to the side thereof, where was an Indian Cannow, in which the Indians were to crosse the river themselves, hee vauntingly commanded wastage; which they willingly graunted, but withall plotting how they might take him prisoner, which they thus effected; having placed him in the midship of their ticklish wherrie, they lanched forth into the deepe, causing the capering Cannow to cast out her combersome ballast into the liquid water; which swomme like a stone, and now the water having dank't his pistoles, and lost his Spanish progge in the bottome, the Indians swomme him out by the chinne to the shore, where having dropt himselfe a little dry, he began to bluster out a storme of rebellious resistance, till they becalmed his pelting chafe with their pelting of pibles at him, afterward leading him as they list to the governour. These people be of a kinde and affable disposition, yet are they very warie with whom they strike hands in friendshippe: nothing is more hatefull to them than a churlish disposition, so likewise is dissimulation: he that speakes seldome, and opportunely, being as good as his word, is the onely man they love. The Spaniard they say is all one Aramouse (viz. all one as a dog) the Frenchman hath a good tongue, but a false heart: The English man all one speake, all one heart; wherefore they more approve of them than of any Nation: garrulitie is much condemned of them, for they utter not many words, speake seldome, and then with such gravitie as is pleasing to the eare: such as understand them not, desire yet to heare their emphaticall expressions, and lively action; such is the milde temper of their spirits that they cannot endure objurgations, or scoldings. An Indian Sagamore once hearing an English woman scold with her husband, her quicke utterance exceeding his apprehension, her active lungs thundering in his eares, expelled him the house; from whence he went to the next neighbour, where he related the unseemelinesse of her behaviour; her language being strange to him, hee expressed it as strangely, telling them how she cryed Nannana Nannana Nannana Nan, saying he was a great foole to give her the audience, and no correction for usurping his charter, and abusing him by her tongue. I have beene amongst diverse of them, yet did I never see any falling out amongst them, not so much as crosse words, or reviling speeches, which might provoke to blowes. And whereas it is the custome of many people in their games, if they see the dice runne crosse or their cards not answere their expectations: what cursing and swearing, what imprecations, and raylings, fightings and stabbings oftentimes proceede from their testy spleene. How doe their blustering passions, make the place troublesome to themselves and others? But I have knowne when foure of these milder spirits have sit downe staking their treasures, where they have plaied foure and twentie houres, neither eating drinking or sleeping in the Interim; nay which is most to be wondered at, not quarreling, but as they came thither in peace so they depart in peace: when he that had lost all his wampompeage, his house, his kettle, his beaver, his hatchet, his knife, yea all his little all, having nothing left but his naked selfe, was as merry as they that won it: so in sports of activitie at footeball though they play never so fiercely to outward appearance, yet anger-boyling blood never streames in their cooler veines, if any man be throwne he laughes out his foyle, there is no seeking of revenge, no quarreling, no bloody noses, scratched faces, blacke eyes, broken shinnes, no brused members, or crushed ribs, the lamentable effects of rage; but the goale being wonne, the goods on the one side lost; friends they were at the footeball, and friends they must meete at the kettle. I never heard yet of that Indian that was his neighbours homicide or vexation by his malepart, saucy, or uncivill tongue: laughter in them is not common, seldome exceeding a smile, never breaking out into such a lowd laughter, as doe many of our English. Of all things they love not to be laught at upon any occasion; if a man be in trade with them and the bargaine be almost strucke, if they perceive you laugh, they will scarce proceed, supposing you laugh because you have cheated them: the Crocodiles teares may sooner deceive them, than the Hienas smiles: although they be not much addicted to laughter, yet are they not of a dumpish sad nature, but rather naturally chearefull: As I never saw a gigling Democrite, so I never saw a teare dropping Heraclite; no disaster being so prevalent as to open the flood-gate of their eyes, saving the death of friends, for whom they lament most exceedingly.