The Clear Sunshine of the Gospel Upon the Indians of New England, Part 1
Concluſions and Orders made and agreed upon by divers Sachims and other principall men amongſt the Indians at Concord, in the end of the eleventh monethmonth, An. 1646.
1. THat every one that ſhall abuſe themſelves with wine or ſtrong liquors, ſhall pay for every time ſo abuſing themſelves, 20 s.
2. That there ſhall be no more Pawwowing amongſt the Indians. And if any ſhall hereafter *Pawwows are Witches or Sorcere…s that cure by help of the devill,Pawwow, both he that ſhall Pawwow, & he that ſhall procure him to Pawwow, ſhall pay 20 s. apeece.
3. They doe deſire that they may be ſtirred up to ſeek after God.
4. They deſire they may underſtand the wiles of Satan, and grow out of love with his ſuggeſtions, and temptations.
5. That they may fall upon ſome better courſe to improve their time, then formerly.
6. That they may be brought to the ſight of the ſinne of lying, and whoſever ſhall be found faulty herein ſhall pay for the firſt offence 5 s. the ſecond 10 s. the third 20 s.
7. Whoſoever ſhall ſteale any thing from another, ſhall reſtore fourfold.
8. They deſire that no Indian hereafter ſhall have any more but one wife.
9. They deſire to prevent falling out of Indians one with another, and that they may live quietly one by another.
10. That they may labour after humility, and not be proud.
11. That when Indians doe wrong one to another, they may be lyable to cenſure by fine or the like, as the Engliſh are.
12. That they pay their debts to the Engliſh.
13. That they doe obſerve the Lords-Day, and whoſoever ſhall prophane it ſhall pay 20 s.
14. That there ſhall not be allowance to pick Lice, as formerly, and eate them, and whoſoever ſhall offend in this caſe ſhall pay for every louſe a penny.
15. They will weare their haire comely, as the Engliſh do, and whoſoever ſhall offend here in ſhall pay 5 s.
16. They intend to reforme themſelves, in their former greaſing themſelves, under the Penalty of 5 s. for every default.
17. They doe all reſolve to ſet up prayer in their wigwams, and to A Wigwam is ſuch a dwelling houſe as they live in.ſeek to God both before and after meate.
18. If any committhe ſinne of fornication, being ſingle perſons, the man ſhall pay 20 s. and the woman 10 s.
19. If any man lie with a breaſt he ſhall die.
20. Whoſoever ſhall play at their former games ſhall pay 10 s.
21. Whoſoever ſhall commit adultery ſhall be put to death.
22. Wilfull Murder ſhall be puniſhed with death.
23. They ſhall not diſguiſe themſelves in their mournings, as formerly; nor ſhall they keep a great noyſe by howling.
24. The old Ceremony of the Maide walking alone and living apart ſo many dayes 20 s.
25. No Indian ſhall take an Engliſh mans *A Canooe is a ſmall Boate.Canooe without leave under the penaltie of 5 s.
26. No Indian ſhall come into any Engliſh mans houſe except he firſt knock: and this they expect from the Engliſh.
27. Whoſoever beats his wife ſhall pay 20 s.
28. If any Indian ſhall fall out with, and beate another Indian, he ſhall pay 20 s.
29. They deſire they may bee a towne, and either to dwell on this ſide the Beare Swamp, or at the Eaſt ſide of Mr. Flints Pond.
Immediatly after theſe things were agreed upon, moſt of the Indians of theſe parts, ſet up Prayer morning and evening in their families, and before and after meat. They alſo generally cut their haire, and were more civill in their carriage to the Engliſh then formerly. And they doe manifeſt a great willingneſſe to conform themſelves to the civill faſhions of the Engliſh. The Lords day they keepe a day of reſt, and miniſter what edification they can to one another. Theſe former orders were put into this forme by Captaine Simond Willard of Concord, whom the Indians with unanimous conſent intreated to bee their Recorder, being very ſolicitous that what they did agree upon might be faithfully preſerved without alteration.
Thomas Flint. Simon Willard.