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A Key into the Language of America · Roger Williams

A Key into the Language of America, Chapter 26

CHAP. XXVI. Concerning their Coyne.

THe Indians are ignorant of Europes Coyne; yet they have given a name to ours, and call it Monē … from …he Engl…sh Money.

Their owne is of two sorts; one white which they make of the stem or stocke of the Periwincle, which they call Meteaûhock, when all the shell is broken off: and of this sort six of their small Beads (which they make with holes to string the bracelets) are curran… with the English for a peny.

The second is black, incling to blew, which is made of the shell of a fish, which some English call Hens, Poquaûhock, and of this sor… three make an English peny.

They that live upon the Sea side, generally make of it, and as many make as will.

The Indians bring downe all their sorts o… Furs, which they take in the Countrey, both to the Indians and to the English for this India… Money: this Money the English, French and Dutch, trade to the Indians, six hundred miles in severall parts (North and South from New-England) for their Furres, and whatsoever they stand in need of from them: as Corne, Venison, &c

Nquittómpscat.1 peny.
Neesaúmscat.2 pence.
Shwaúmscat.3 pence.
Yowómscat.4 pence.
Napannetashaúmscat.5 pence.
Quttatashaúmscat, or, quttauatu.6 pence.
Enadatashaúmscat.7 pence.
Shwoasuck tashaúmscat.8 pence.
Paskugittashaúmscat.9 pence.
Piuckquaúmscat.10 pence.
Piuckquaúmscat nab naqùit.11 pence.
Piuckquaúmscat nab nèes, &c.12 pence.

Obs. This they call Neèn, which is two of their Quttá…atues, or six pence.

Piukquaúmscat nab nashoàsuck, which they call Shwin.18d. 3 quttáuatues.
Neesneecheckaúmscat nab yòh, or, yowin.2s. 4 quttáuatues.
Shwinchékaúmscat, or napannetashin.2s. 6d. 5 quttáuatues.
Shwinchekaúmscat2s. 6d. 6 quttáuatues.
Yow innchekaúmscat nab neèse.3s. 6d. 7 quttáuatues.
Yow inncheckaúmscat nabnashòasuck.4s. 8 quttáuatues.
Napannetashwincheckáumscat nab yòh.4s. 6d. 9 quttáuatues
Quttatashincheck aumscat, or, more commonly used Piúckquat.5s. 10 quttaúatues, or, 10 six pences.

Obs. This Piúckquat being sixtie pence, they call Nquittómpeg, or nquitnishcāusu, that is, one fathom, 5 shillings.

This one fathom of this their stringed money, now worth of the English but five shillings (sometimes more) some few yeeres since was worth nine, and sometimes ten shillings per Fathome: the fall is occasioned by the fall of Beaver in England: the Natives are very impatient, when for English commodities they pay so much more of their money, and not understanding the cause of it; and many say the English cheat and deceive them, though I have laboured to make them understand the reason of it.

Neesaumpaúgatuck,10 shil. 2 Fathom.
Shwaumpáugatuck.15 shil. 3 Fathom.
Yowompáugatuck, &c.20 shil. 4 Fathom.
Piuckquampáugatuck or, Nquit pâusck.50 shil. 10 Fathome.
Neespausuckquompáugatuck.5 lib' 20 Fathome.
Shwepaûsuck.30 Fathome.
Yowe paûsuck, &c. Nquittemittannauganompaugatuck.40 Fathome, or, 10. pounds.
Neesemittannug, &c. Tashincheckompáugatuck?How many Fathom?

Obs. Their white they call Wompam (which signifies white): their black Suckáuhock (Súcki signifying blacke.)

Both amongst themselves; as also the English and Dutch, the blacke peny is two pence white; the blacke fathom double, or, two fathom of white.

Wepe kuttassawompatimmin.Change my money.
Suckauhock, nausakésachick.The blacke money.
Wauômpeg, or Wauompésichick-mêsimGive me white.
A…awompatittea.Come, let us change.
Anâwsuck.Shells.
Meteaûhock.The Periwinckle.
Suckauanaûsuck.The blacke shells.
Suckauaskéesaquash.The blacke eyes.

or that part of the shel-fish called Poqu…ūhock (or Hens) broken out neere the eyes, of vvhichwhich they make the blacke.

Puckwhéganash & Múcksuck.Awle blades.
Papuckakiuash.Britle, or breaking,

Which they desire to be hardened to a britle temper.

Obs Before ever they had Awle blades from Europe, they made shift to bore this their shell money with stone, and so fell their trees with stone set in a wooden staff, and usedwode… howes: which some old & poore women (fearfull to leave the old tradition) use to this day

Natouwómpitea.A Coyner or Minter▪
N…anatouwómpiteem.I cannot coyne.
Natouwómpitees.Make money or Coyne.
Puckhùmmin.To bore through.
Puckwhegonnaûtick.The Awle blade sticks.
Tutteputch anâwsin. they doe on stones.To smooth them, which
Qussuck-anash.Stone, Stones.
Cauompsk.A Whetstone.
Nickáutick.A kinde of wooden Pincers or Vice.
Enomphómmin.To thread or string.
Aconaqunnaûog.Thread the Beads.
Enomphómmin.Thread, or string these.
Enomphósachick.Strung ones.
Sawhóog & Sawhósachick.Loose B…ads.
Naumpacoûin.To hang about the necke.

Obs. They hang these strings of money about their necks and wrists; as also upon upon the necks and wrists of their wives and children.

Machequoce.A Girdle:

Which they make curiously of one two, three, foure, and five inches thicknesse and more, of this money which (sometimes to the value of ten pounds and more) they weare about their middle and as a scarfe about their shoulders and breasts.

Yea the Princes make rich Caps and Aprons (or small breeches) of these Beads thus curiously strung into many formes and figures: their blacke and white finely mixt together.

Observations generall of their Coyne.

The Sonnes of men having lost their Maker, the true and onelyonly Treasure, dig downe to the bowels of the earth for gold and silver; yea, to the botome of the Sea, for shells of fishes, to make up a Treasure, which can never truly inrich nor satisfie.

More particular:

The Indians prize not English gold,

Nor English Indians shell:

Each in his place will passe for ought,

What ere men buy or sell.

English and Indians all passe hence,

To an eternall place,

VVhere shels nor finest gold's worth ought,

VVhere nought's worth ought but Grace,

This Coyne the Indians know not of,

VVho knowes how soone they may?

The English knowing, prize it not,

But fling't like drosse away,