Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/458

 446 General Obfervations on

The mouths and hearts of the fuperior beloved men in our day, fhame- fully contradict one another,, to the difcredit of the lively copy of the holy mefienger and his beloved fcholars, and the great danger of infecting thofe of inferior rank, by fo pernicious and corrupt an example-, for it is natural for the feet to follow the direction of the head. They were formerly a very infolent, covetous, and troublefome fet ; and being advanced by rich friends to the high founding office of Mingo IJhtohoollo, " Divine chieftains," or in their own ftile, " Right Reverend Fathers in God," princes and fupporters of the church, great was their arrogance and power taking advantage of the corruption of the times, they grafted themfelves into the civil conftitution, and to preferve their high and profitable places they became the fixed and ftrenuous fupporters of courts, in all their meafures. But they will very foon be purified. The beloved fpeech of JJhotoollo of old, has announced it, and that is always true. It has pointed to the pre- fent and approaching time, which is near to the end of meafured time.

To (hew you how well prepared thofe prieftly princes are for that trying period, I (hall give you the general opinion of the wife and honeft people, on this and the other fide of the broad water; by which you will fee how far they agree with, or differ from, the original copy of the plain honeft fcholars of the anointed holy meflenger.

They boaft themfelves to be the embafladors of the holy chieftain of the high church. They dwell in coftly great houfes, after the fuperb man ner of our great civil chieftain ; and they give them the fame lofty name, Palaces, to diftinguifli them from the dwelling-houfes of other mortals. Their drefs is equally rich and fmgular, to ftrike the eye, and imprefs the hearts of the vulgar with a profound reverence of the divine prieftly wearers. They have the revenue of princes to fupport their grandeur 5 and they are moft exact in having it collected by litigious mercenaries, even to the tenth of the hive of bees, and of the unlawful and filthy young fwine, and yet they act the part of Phohe IJhto, " Great drones, or drones of God," as foon as they obtain their rich high feat, not fpeak- ing the divine fpeech to the people hardly three times a year. Their food confifts of a great variety of the choiceft, and moft delicious forts of fifh, flefh, and fowl ; their drink is of the richeft white, yellow, and red grape water, with other coftly liquors which your language cannot exprefs.

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