Good Newes from New England: Or a true relation of things very remarkable at the plantation of Plimoth in New-EnglandWinslow, Edward
History
Good Newes from New England: Or a true relation of things very remarkable at the plantation of Plimoth in New-England
Winslow, Edward
Massachusetts -- History -- New Plymouth, 1620-1691; Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony) -- Early works to 1800
When a woman hath her monthly terms, she separateth herself from
all other company, and liveth certain days in a house alone; after
which, she washeth herself, and all that she hath touched or used,
and is again received to her husband’s bed or family. For adultery,
the husband will beat his wife and put her away, if he please.
Some common strumpets there are, as well as in other places; but
they are such as either never married, or widows, or put away for
adultery; for no man will keep such an one to wife.
In matters of unjust and dishonest dealing, the sachim examineth
and punisheth the same. In case of thefts, for the first offence,
he is disgracefully rebuked; for the second, beaten by the sachim
with a cudgel on the naked back; for the third, he is beaten with
many strokes, and hath his nose slit upwards, that thereby all
men may both know and shun him. If any man kill another, he must
likewise die for the same. The sachim not only passes the sentence
upon malefactors,[121] but executeth the same with his own hands,
if the party be then present; if not, sendeth his own knife, in
case of death, in the hands of others to perform the same.[122] But
if the offender be to receive other punishment, he will not receive
the same but from the sachim himself; before whom, being naked, he
kneeleth, and will not offer to run away, though he beat him never
so much, it being a greater disparagement for a man to cry during
the time of his correction, than is his offence and punishment.
As for their apparel, they wear breeches and stockings in one, like
some Irish, which is made of deer skins, and have shoes of the
same leather. They wear also a deer’s skin loose about them, like
a cloak, which they will turn to the weather side. In this habit
they travel; but when they are at home, or come to their journey’s
end, presently they pull off their breeches, stockings and shoes,
wring out the water, if they be wet, and dry them, and rub or chafe
the same. Though these be off, yet have they another small garment
that covereth their secrets. The men wear also, when they go abroad
in cold weather, an otter or fox skin on their right arm, but only
their bracer on the left. Women, and all of that sex, wear strings
about their legs, which the men never do.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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