Langley, By you well-willing, Sunday, 4th of September, LETTER XLVIII. To my right good mafter, fir John Pafton, knight (f). errand to my brother the parfon of day (the) Decollation, (29th of Au Blofield on Wednesday was fevnight gut). after the understanding that I had of you and from you by this bringer, which man I felt right well and favourably difpofed to you ward, and more favourably will be than to any other gentleman living, the will of the dead performed, and his confcience faved, and more things faid favourably for you, which I entitled in a fcroll to have certified to your fervant Calle, if he had come, as ye fent me word he fhould have done, and should as ye behested (promised) me, have brought me our ferm for Hellefdon, which not done, causeth me to write, praying your gentlenefs that I fend no more therefore, for it is unpaid for the year afore the Hallowmafs that my mafter Faftolf died, and for the fame year that he died in, and fince for two years, and five fhillings unpaid of a year, and come Michaelmas next fhall be an other year unpaid, thus is four years unpaid and five fhillings, and at Michaelmas next fhall be five years and five fhillings. This thus kept from Holy Church, that is Holy Church's good may not be without great peril of foul; where the peril is God knoweth, I pray God amend it, and give them grace that have his goods fo to difpofe them, that they and the dead both may be out of peril, and the Trinity have you in his merciful keeping. Written at Langley, on Sunday at even late, next after Saint John's that fir John Pafton's memory feemed to want a little refreshing, and the bringer of this letter appears to have received his inftructions accordingly. The abbey of Langley was founded in the time of Richard I. about the year 11 98. Nicholas occurs abbot in 1428 and 1463, and Nicholas Wamerton in 1467 and 1474; it was most probably the first Nicholas, who was the writer of this letter, as Wamerton can scarcely be fuppofed to have been the abbot fo early as 1428, unless he lived to a very old age. My right fpecial good mafter, I recommend me to you, thanking you right heartily of your gentle letter late fent to me; and as to Pinchefter's matter, &c. I would were your nigh kinfman if it pleafed God, and then fhould I know if it fhould grieve your heart as much as it doth other of my kin and friends to fee me thus cowardly hurt and maimed by Pinchefter, causeless; and of mine intent in that matter, William Rabbes fhall tell you more alfo I beseech you to recommend me to my lord's good grace, as to him whom of earthly cftates next my duty I moft love and dread, and that should he well know and it lay in my power, praying you heartily to declare (to) his lordship fuch matter as William Rabbes fhall inform you, and to fend me my lord's an fwer, Alfo in as much as I understand by you that money fhould cause you conclufion in your matter this next term, and ye would be at London on Monday at night or Tuesday by noon, I trust that I have studied fuch (f) It is very difficult to fix any date to this letter, as not only the writer of it, but the perfons mentioned in it, are new to us. The injury fuftained by T. Dayerfe from Pinchefter is likewife inexplicable. Who is lady Anne P, and how are we to explain the expreffion as white as whale's bone ?" The mention of Ovid's works is curious, and the application humorous and witty. The family of Davers are of confiderable ftanding in the county of Suffolk, and advanced to the dignity of baronet in 1682. a mean mean, that, upon furety as ye may make, to get you an hundred pounds or two hundred marks (1337. 6s. 8d.) to be lent unto you for an half year, without any chevifance or lofs of goods by you, as William Rabbes hall tell you more, &c. And as to Ovid de Arte Amandi," I fhall fend him you the next week, for I have him not now ready; but me thinketh Ovid "de Remedio" were more meet for you, but if (unless) ye purpofed to fall haftily in my lady Anne P's lap as white as whale's bone, &c. ye be the best choofer of a gentlewoman that I know, &c. and I pray you to recommend me to my lady of Oxford, and to my good mafters, Needham, Richmond, Chippenham, Staveley, Bloxham, Stuard, and Ingulton in fpecial, and all other good masters and friends in general, &c. And, fir, miftrefs Gaydade recommend me (q? her) to you and faid buffing fare for charity, and fhe faid (to) me fle would fain have a new fillet, &c... Written at London the 29th day in January, With heart and fervice Your London, 29 January, Between 1463 and 1469. 3 and 9 E. IV. [To be continued.] INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE HABITATION OF A CHIEF the rafters, which were. fupported at the ends, and in the middle, by gigantic images, carved out of huge blocks of timber. The fame kind of broad planks covered the whole, to keep out the rain; but they were fo placed as to be removed at pleafure, either to receive the air or light, or let out the fmoke. In the middle of this fpacious room were feveral fires, and befide them large wooden veffels, filled with fifh foup. Large flices of whale's flesh lay in a ftate of preparation, to be put in fimilar machines, filled with water, into which the women, with a kind of tongs, conveyed hot ftones from very fierce fires, in order to make it boil. Heaps of fish were ftrewed about, and in this central part of the place, which might be very properly called the kitchen, ftood large feal-fkins, filled with oil, from which the guests were ferved with that delicious beverage.. The trees which fupported the roof were of a fize which would render the maft of a first-rate man of war diminutive, on a comparison with them; indeed our curiofity, as well as our aftonishment, was on its utmost stretch, when we confidered the strength that must be necessary to raise these enormous beams to their prefent elevation; and how fuch ftrength could be found by a people wholly unacquainted with the mechanic powers. The door by which we entered RESIDING NEAR NOOTKA, AND this extraordinary fabric was the OF A FEAST GIVEN BY HIM TO COMPANY. [From Mears's Voyages; juft published.] ON entering the houfe, we were abfolutely aftonished at the vast area it enclofed it contained a large fquare, boarded up clofe on all fides to the height of twenty feet, with planks of uncommon breadth and length. Three enormous trees, rudely carved and painted, formed mouth of one of thefe huge images, which, large as it may be fuppofed, features of this monftrous image's was not difproportioned to the other vifage. We afcended by a few fteps on the outside, and after paffing this extraordinary kind of portal, defeended down to the chin into the house, where we found new matter for aftonifhment, in the number of men, women, and children, who compofed the family of the chief, B 2 which which confifted of at least eight hun dred perfons: thefe were divided into groups, according to their refpective offices, which had their diftinct places affigned them. The whole of the building was furrounded by a bench, about two feet from the ground, on which the various inhabitants fat, eat, and flept. The chief, who was called Wicaninifh, appeared at the upper end of the room, furrounded by natives of rank, on a mall, raifed platform, around which were placed feveral large chefts, over which hung bladders of oil, large flices of whale's flesh, and proportionable goblets of blubber. Feftoons of human fkulls, arranged with fome attention to uniformity, were difpofed in almoft every part where they could be placed, and were confidered, as a very fplendid decoration of the royal apartment. When we appeared, the guests had 'made a confiderable advance in their banquet. Before each perfon was placed a large flice of boiled whale, which, with fmall, wooden dishes, filled with oil and fish foup, and a farge muscle-fhell, by way of fpoon, compofed the economy of the table. The fervants were bufily employed in preparing to replenish the feveral difhes as they were emptied, and the women in picking and opening the bark of a tree, which ferved the purpose of towels. If the luxury of this entertainment is to be determined by the voraciousness with which it was eaten, and the quantity that was swallowed, we must confider it as the moft luxurious feaft we had ever beheld. Even the children, and fome of them were not more than three years old, poffeffed the fame rapacious appetite for oil and blubber as their fathers: the women, however, are forbidden from eating at these ceremonials. Wicaninish, with an air of hofpitality which would have graced a more cultivated fociety, met us half way from the entrance, and conducted us to a feat near his own, on which we placed ourfelves, and indulged our curiofity during the remainder of the banquet, in viewing the perfpective of this fingular habitation. The feaft being ended, we were defired to fhew the prefents which were intended for the chief: a great variety of articles, brought for that purpofe, were accordingly difplayed, among which were feveral blankets and two copper tea kettles. The eyes of the whole affembly were ri vettéd upon thefe unufual objects, and a guardian was immediately affigned to the two tea kettles, who, on account of their extraordinary value and beauty, was ordered to place them, with great care, in the royal coffers, which confifted of large chefts rudely carved, and fancifully adorned with human teeth. About fifty men now advanced in the middle of the area, each of them holding up before us a fea otter fkin, of near fix feet in length, and the moft jetty blacknefs. As they remained in this pofture, the chief made a fpeech, and giving his hand in token of friendship, informed us that these skins were the return he propofed to make for our prefent, and accordingly ordered them to be immediately fent to the fhip. Our royal hoft appeared to be en tirely fatisfied with our homage; and we, who were equally pleafed with his magnificence, were about to take our leave, when the ladies of his family advanced towards us, from a diftant part of the building, whither they had retired during the entertainment. Two of them had paffed the middle age, but the other two were young, and the beauty of their countenances were fo powerful as to predominate over the oil and red ochre, which, in a great measure, covered them: one of the lattery latter, in particular, difplayed fo fweet an air of diffidence and modefty, that no difgust of colour, or deformity of drefs, could preclude her from awakening an intereft even in minds cultured to refinement. We had not, very fortunately, difpofed of all the treasure we had brought on fhore, and a few beads and ear-rings that yet remained, ferved to give our vifit a concluding grace, by prefenting them to thefe ladies of the court. г THE barbarity practifed by the native Americans to fome of their prifoners of war is fufficient to make human nature fhudder at the bare recital. During the greatest part of their journey homewards, they fuffer no injury; but when they arrive at the territories of the conquering ftate, or at those of their allies, the people from every village meet them, and think they fhew their attachment to their friends by their barbarous treatment of the unhappy prifoners; fo that, when they come to their ftation, they are wounded and bruifed in a moft terrible manner. The conquerors enter the town in triumph. The war captain waits upon the head men, and, in a low voice, gives them a circumftantial account of every particular of the expedition, of the damage the enemy has fuffered, and his own loffes. This. done, the public orafor relates the whole to the people. Before they yield to the joy which the victory occafions, they lament the friends they have loft in its purfuit. The parties moft nearly concerned are afflicted apparently with a deep and real forrow; but, by one of thofe ftrange turns of the human mind, fashioned to any thing by cuftom, as if they were difciplin ed in their grief, upon the fignal for rejoicing, in a moment all tears are wiped from their eyes, and they rush into an extravagance and phrenzy of joy for their victory. In the mean time, the fate of the prisoners remains undecided, until the old men meet, and determine concerning the diftribution. It is ufual to offer a flave to each house that has loft a friend, giving the preference according to the greatnefs of the lofs. The person who took the captive attends him to the door of the cottage to which he is delivered, and with him gives a belt of wampum, to fhew that he has fulfilled the purpose of the expedition in fupplying the lofs of a citizen. They view the prefent which is made them for fome time; and, according as they think of him or her for they do not determine in proportion to the fervice his labours may render the family-or as they take a capricious liking or displea fure to the countenance of the victim, or in proportion to their natural barbarity, or their refentment for their loffes, they determine concerning him, to receive him into the family, or fentence him to death. If the latter, they throw away the belt with indignation. Then it is no longer in the power of any one to fave the devoted victim. The nation is affembled as upon fome great folemnity; a feaffold is raised, and the prifoner tied to the ftake. Inftantly he opens his death-fong, and prepares for the enfuing fcene of cruelty with the moft undaunted courage. On the other fide, his enemies prepare to put it to the utmoft proof with every torment which the mind of man, ingenious in mifchief, c can invent. They begin at the extremities of his body, and gradually approach the trunk-one plucks out his nails by the roots, one by one; another takes a finger into his mouth, mouth, and tears off the flesh with his teeth; a third thrufts the finger, mangled as it is, into the bowl of a pipe made red hot, which he fmokes like tobacco; then they pound his toes and fingers to pieces between zwo ftones; they cut circles about his joints, and gafhes in the fleshy part of his limbs, which they fear immediately with red hot irons, cutsing and fearing them alternately; they pull off this fiefh, thus mangled and roafted, bit by bit, devouring it with greedinefs, and fmearing their faces with the blood, in an enthufiasm of horror and fury. When they have thus torn off the flesh, they twift the bare nerves and tendons about an iron, tearing and Snapping them; whilft others are employed in pulling and extending the limbs themselves in every way that can increase the torment. This continues often five or fix hours together. Then they frequently unbind him, to give a breathing to their fury, to think what new torments they fhall inflict, and to refresh the ftrength of the fufferer, who, wearied out with fuch unheard-of torments, often falls immediately into fo profound a fleep, that they are obliged to apply the fire to awaken him, and renew his fufferings. He is again faftened to the stake, and again they renew their cruelty; they stick him all over with fmall matches of wood that eafily take fire, but burn flowly; they continually run fharp reeds into every part of his body; they drag out his teeth with pincers, and thrust out his eyes; and lastly, after having burned his flesh from the bones with flow fires; after having fo mangled the body that it is all but one wound; after having mutilated his face in fuch a manner as to carry nothing human in it; after having peeled the fkin from the head, and poured a heap of red hot coal or boiling water upon the naked fkull; they once mole on bind the wretch, who, blind and staggering with pain and weakness, affaulted and pelted on every fide with clubs and ftones, now up, now down, falling into their fires at every ftep, runs hither and thither, until one of the chiefs, whether out of compaffion, or weary of cruelty, puts an end to his life with a club or dagger. The body is then put into the kettle, and this barbarous employment is fucceeded by a feaft as barbarous. The women, forgetting the hus man as well as the female nature, and transformed into fomething worfe than furies, act their parts, and even outdo the men, in this scene of horror. The principal perfons of the country fit round the ftake, fmoking, and looking on without the leaft emotion. What is most extraordinary, the fufferer himself, in the little intervals of his tor ments, fmokes too, appears unconcerned, and converfes with his tor turers about indifferent matters. Indeed, during the whole time of his execution, there feems a conteft between him and them which fhall exceed, they in inflicting the most horrid pains, or he in enduring them with a firmness and conftancy almost above human. Not a groan, not a figh, not a distortion of the countenance, escapes him; he pof feffes his mind entirely in the midst of his torments, he recounts his own exploits, he informs them what cruelties he has inflicted on their countrymen, and threatens them with the revenge that will attend his death; and, though his reproaches exafperate them to a perfect madness of rage and fury, he continues his reproaches even of their ignorance in the art of tormenting, pointing out himself more exquifite methods, and more fenfible parts of the body to be afflicted. The women have this part of cou rage |