USA > Delaware > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 33
USA > New Jersey > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 33
USA > Pennsylvania > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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. Fuit Cato, fuit Plato, Cyrus, Croesus, Socrates, Periander, Alexander, Xerxes et Hippocrates,
" "The mighty ones will suffer terrible torments."
" Tobias Schumberg, a Hungarian, rector of the Latin school or gymnasium at Windsheim. Pastorius came under his instruction as a small boy on the re- moval of the Pastorius family from Sommerhausen to Windsheim.
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Maximinus, Constantinus, Gyges, Anaxagoras, Epicurus, Palinurus, Demonax, Pythagoras, Caesar fortis, causa mortis, tot altarum partium. Ciceronem et Nasonem nil iuvabat Artium. Sed Hos cunctos iam defunctos tempore praeterito Non est e re recensere. Hinc concludo merito: Qui nunc degunt atque regunt Orbem huius seculi, Mox sequentur et labentur velut Schema speculi. Et dum mersi universi sunt in mortis gremium, Vel Infernum, vel aeternum sunt capturi praemium. Hincce dei JESU mei invoco Clementiam, Ut Is sursum cordis cursum ducat ad Essentiam Trinitatis, quae Beatis summam dat Laetitiam.
[Translation in the same metre, by the general editor of the series.]
World of grieving, your deceiving glories bid I now adieu; All your cheating joys, and fleeting, turn me with contempt from you.
Though you render bright with splendor the appearance of to- day,
Day revolves, your charm dissolves, and sinks, like salt in ice, away.
Rulers regal, striking legal terrors into human hearts,
Now are lying low and sighing, smitten through with hellish darts.
Old and hoary Popes, whose glory cardinals proclaim, and bow Lowly bending without ending-lords of Rome, where are ye now ?
Where the learning of discerning Doctors full of scholars' pride ?
Where the hearty friend of party, blindly fighting for his side ? Where the famous chiefs, who shame us with the glory of their deeds,
Whom the savage zeal to ravage ever on to warfare leads ? All the mighty are but flighty, spectral forms, and shadows vain;
All the glory transitory, honors brief, and joys inane.
All are banished, all have vanished, naught but names remain behind,
Illustrations, adumbrations, of the fate of human kind. Gone is Cato, gone is Plato, Cyrus, Croesus, Socrates,
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Periander, Alexander, Xerxes, and Hippocrates,
Maximinus, Constantinus, Gyges, Anaxagoras, - Epicurus, Palinurus, Demonax, Pythagoras, Caesar glorious, the victorious, laying many chieftains low; Nor could glowing speech or flowing Ovid save or Cicero. Needless is it to revisit with our censure those who've gone Through those portals. Hear, ye mortals, the conclusion I have drawn.
They that now are throned in power, they shall also pass away, As there passes from our glasses imaged form or figure gay. When Death's grievous hand shall leave us all beneath the churchyard stone,
Pains infernal, life eternal, we shall reap as we have sown. Hence, adoring and imploring, Jesu's mercy loud I call, That his leading and his pleading bring me to that heavenly hall Of the trinal God, where final joy awaits the blessed all.
Letters from Pennsylvania, of March 30, 1694.
In my last, of June 1, 1693, I have given detailed informa- tion respecting the condition of public affairs in this country, as well as the private concerns of my family. Since that time, namely on February 8, 1694, I received your former letter as well as that of my estimable brother, Augustine Adam,1 so that I am now briefly answering both of them. I especially rejoice on account of the endurable circumstances of my hon- ored father, and I rejoice in the Lord as the sole and eternal source of tranquil contentment, the more because, at the pres- ent times of danger, many millions of our fellow-men are with- out, and in want of, such well-being, both of soul and body. May God, the only good and powerful guardian of His Israel, permit you to dwell yet longer, safe and tranquil, under the shadow of his wings. May He give you that which is profit- able for your eternal souls' good, both on this and the other side of the grave.
I and my dear ones have, as yet, the same health and happi- ness, as I reported in my former letter, in a quiet and peaceful mode of life, and although it is true that I am burdened with the inspection of matters relating to the administration of justice, in Germanton as well as in Philadelphia, nevertheless
1 A half-brother, then aged twelve.
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such external magistrate's business does not in the least hinder that inward consciousness of the mild and humble personal life in Jesus Christ, so that I can truly say, in the midst of each occupation: revertere anima mea in requiem tuam.1
An intimate friend wrote me from Franckfurt lately how the cold Lutheran preachers had been assailed and tossed about by the Pietists, and the Papist believers in good works by the Quietists, all which I regard as undoubted precursors of the speedy advent and appearance (God grant it!) of His dearly- beloved and only-begotten Son. Well then, and eternally well, for all those who have oil in their lamps, and are prepared to meet this blessed Bridegroom, and to go in with Him to the wedding-feast. I have, however, heard with astonishment, that both sides, Molinas' and his followers as well as the Pie- tists, who lay emphasis upon an effective faith, are almost violently persecuted as witnesses of the Heavenly truth, as if men desired to oppose the guidance of God and to rule over the consciences of men, which is the prerogative that God has reserved for Himself alone. These will one day see Whom they have assaulted. Verbum Domini manet in aeternum.' The Word of God and the Truth can not be suppressed.
Now to answer the questions of my dear brother Augustine Adam, what is the nature of the royal household among the savages here? It must be said that their royal residences are so ill-conditioned that I can not easily describe them. There is only one chamber, or room, in a hut made of trees and roofed over with bark, having neither chimney, stairs, nor place of retirement. These very kings go forth with the others to the hunt, shoot the wild animals, and support themselves by the work of their own hands. They have neither servants nor lacqueys, neither housemaids nor court-ladies, and what use has one for a master of horse who keeps no horse, but always goes on foot? In like manner, no court-steward is needed, where there is no one to be cared for besides one's self and one's
1 " Return, my soul, to thy rest."
* Miguel de Molinos (1630 ?- 1696), a Spanish mystic, author of an ascetical treatise, The Spiritual Guide, and a leader among Roman Catholics of the Quiet- istic movement. In 1685 he was cited before the Holy Office (Inquisition), and later his writings were condemned by it.
'"The Word of the Lord endureth forever."
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[1694
wife and children. They live in a poor way, and entirely in harmony with nature, quae paucis contenta est.1 Their trade with us Christians consists in this: they bring to market bear, moose, deer, and other skins, likewise beaver, marten, otter, and other furs, and also turkeys, game, and fish, and exchange them for powder, lead, blankets, and brandy, the last of which, and indeed all other strong drink, we are forbidden by our laws to 'sell to them, because they misuse it, and it leads to their hurt.
.
They use no ovens for baking, but cook their bread in the ashes. A great many of these savages have died, even since I came here, so that there are hardly more than a fourth part of the number now existing that were to be seen when I came to the country, ten years ago.
On February 8 of this year, 1694, I also received a few lines from my godchild Franz Jacob Mercklein2 for whom I, in my eighteenth year, stood as godfather, although I myself was then unbaptized by the Holy Spirit, and had not yet put on Christ. I beg you to greet him kindly for my sake, and earnestly to admonish him that he shall keep with true zeal the bond into which I entered with God on his behalf-renouncing in his name the world, the flesh, and the devil-and that he shall not break the same. For such vows go far, far before all other duties, and the true baptism is not the laying aside of the impurities of the flesh, but it is the compact of a good conscience with God, etc.
Is his honored father, Johann Caspar, and the brothers of the same, Johann Jacob and Abraham, still living? and like- wise my cousin Lucas Klein and Doctor Grimm, etc .? I pray you to give them my hearty love and most friendly greeting, since I desire with Nazianzen that: Ne quis illorum pereat. And even though I do not count on seeing them in this mortal dwelling or with the eyes of the body, on the other hand, it is my sincere desire, and earnest supplication to God in Heaven, that He may let His light shine upon all of us, give us new birth through His Holy Spirit, and guide us toward all Truth, and thus maintain us in His service and obedience, strengthen
" "Which is content with little."
' Born 1670, son of Johann Caspar Mercklein, probably of Windsheim.
""That no one of them may perish."
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us in trouble and temptation, and comfort us in those . tions which are our due, so that we may grow in true far. and in active ardent love, and in Christ-like good works, and finally, when we shall have finished our appointed course, that we may attain to that glorious kingdom of His dearly-beloved Son Jesus Christ, and that there we may thank Him with eternal Alleluias and evermore sing Holy, Holy, Holy.
With this, as well as a filial greeting from myself, my wife, and two little sons, I remain, so long as I live, etc.
Germanton, March 30, 1694.
A Letter from Germanton of the last of April, 1695. P. P.1
Several months ago various Germans arrived here, and again, a week since, an Hungarian named Saroschy' (who had before that been staying for some time with Herr Schumberg), but neither the one nor the other brought with him any letters whatever from Windsheim, so that, in connection with medi- tation upon my own mortality, I also sometimes think, Has perhaps my honored father finished his pilgrimage, and thus reached the time of rest from all sorrow and misery? For to those who die in the Lord, Death is no more than the portal of paradise, per quam itur ad Astra.'
Our heaviest trouble and burden should pass lightly away for this reason, that so long as the long-suffering God lengthens our days in this earthly tabernacle, we are and live in Christ, or rather Christ, by His holy and righteous Spirit, lives in us. Therefore we should be well-assured that we should not die without Him, nor be eternally destroyed.
Ah, may the Lord grant that we all, according to the meas- ure of grace and understanding bestowed on us, may win the imperishable crown of eternal glory by fulfilling the will of God in patience and submission, and remaining steadfast unto the end.
1 "Praemissis praemittendis," i. e., "titles to be supplied."
" Isaac Ferdinand Saroschi, a Hungarian, who had been a preceptor under his compatriot, Tobias Schumberg, rector of the Latin School at Windsheim, came to Germantown and after wandering about for two years returned to Europe by way of Maryland.
""Through which one reaches the stars."
---
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[1695
As regards the conditions prevailing in this country, I can and must extol the benevolence and providence of God, for we live in peace and tranquillity, abundantly provided for, and supplied with all the necessaries of life.
King William III. of England has not only freely atoned to our governor, William Penn, for all accusations of a treasonable correspondence with King James, and once more re-instated him in the government of this province, but he has also ele- vated him to the rank of a prince,1 so that he can now sign himself: William Penn, by the grace of God, and the favor of the King and Queen, Prince in Pennsylvania. We hope now for his speedy arrival. I and my two little sons are in as good health as could be wished. We greet our honored father and mother, our brothers and sisters, and all our acquaintances, most kindly, hoping with our whole hearts, that it is well with you all, in body and soul, wherewith, closing in haste, may we all be commended to the protecting hand of God, and I remain, etc.
A Missive from Germanton, of June 21, 1695.
May it please my honored father to receive the present lines as an echo of my former letter, in case that should not have been received in due course, concerning which the well- known uncertainty of the sea makes me doubtful; and also for that reason I dare not hope to receive many more letters from that worthy hand, to which I, however, cling in child- like fashion. Here, in this country, we are living in comfort- able circumstances, in good health and in wished-for peace- two priceless gifts of the Supreme Being. We are on very good terms with our savage neighbors, whom I, in deed and in truth, find melius moratos et hospitaliores in quoscunque ad- venas,' than are the Christians with you, who know how to re- count the acts of Christ historically, but by their ungodly lives disavow the power of the faith and the Imitation of Christ; and there is, accordingly, a noteworthy difference between sane Christians and vain Christians. The former are real, the latter
' By a royal order of August 20, 1694, Penn's government of Pennsylvania was restored to him, but he was, of course, not raised to the rank of prince as Pastorius states.
" "Better mannered and more hospitable towards all strangers."
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nominal. The former are Christians in deeds, the latter are Christians in profession only. I often pray to God that He, in His infinite goodness and mercy, will pour out His Holy Spirit over these innocent savages, and bestow upon them the Light of the saving faith, in order to augment with them His eternal Heavenly kingdom.
And now may this true Shepherd of men, Who neither slumbers nor sleeps, henceforth graciously protect my honored father and all the dear friends and acquaintances belonging to your place from all destruction as well in regard to transitory and visible things, as also especially in regard to the eternal loss of the soul, and some time bring us together in the king- dom of His Son, there to praise and to glorify him with eternal songs of joy. Amen.
A Letter from Germanton, of March 1, 1697. P. P.
I inform you briefly that we, here in this province, live in wished-for peace, through the undeserved mercy of God, and find ourselves in good health, which we justly recognize and extol as a wonderful mercy and gift of God. I can also scarcely express with what joy I have learned from my honored father's last letter, your good condition (since the dear God has kept you unharmed in this ruinous flame of war); at the same time I had patiently resigned myself therein, neither to behold that honored person in this world, nor any letters by his hand, so often beneficently opened to me. May God fill the same again from time to time with His heavenly blessing, and reward most abundantly, in this life and in the life to come, all that has been done for me from my birth. May He protect my honored father together with all his family, in the present dangerous times from all harm and injury, according to the decree of His holy will.
I have previously, on December 1, 1688, written very much in detail to my good friend Herr Georg Leonhard Model,' rector of the schools in Windsheim, to which letter I refer for the sake of brevity. I had also suggested to him as respects the education of youth that each boy, according to his ability,
1 Or Modelius, a native of Windsheim, with whom as a youth Pastorius was matriculated at the University of Altdorf, in 1668.
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[1697
should learn an easy trade besides the knowledge of letters, in order to carry on the same in foreign provinces in case of necessity, and to assist himself therewith outside of the coun- try, and to get his livelihood throughout the world, without dissipating his patrimony to the distress of his parents. For although in your country this is regarded as unimportant and contemptible, it is nevertheless far more conformable to the decree of God and the teaching of the apostles than all the scholastic vagaries. I myself would give forthwith some hun- dreds of reichsthalers if I had turned the precious time, which I employed in the acquisition of the sparrow-like physic, metaphysic and other unnecessary sophistic arguments and quibbles, to engineering, or the art of printing, which would be more useful to me now, and prove more profitable and more entertaining to me and to my fellow-Christians than such physic, metaphysic, and all the proofs and syllogisms of Aris- totle, by means of which no savage or infidel can be brought to God, still less can a piece of bread be earned. Now it is over and done with, and I close. My two little sons greet their dearest grandfather in childlike simplicity, in their little let- ters which herewith are enclosed, and wish very much to see him.
The members of the German Company or Society in this country, still living, are: Abraham Behagel at Franckfurt- am-Mayn, Doctor Gerhard in Mastrich, the syndic of Bremen, Doctor Johann Petersen of near Magdeburg, Balthasar Ja- bert at Lübeck. My good friend in particular is, however, Pieter Hendricks living on the Keysers Graft ' at Amsterdam, a man of sincere loyalty, who will not fail to care most assid- uously for all my honored father's letters which come to him, and, further, to deliver them to me.
No more at this time, except that commending us all to God's almighty protection, shelter, and mercy, I remain, etc.
Germanopolis, March 1, 1697.
: Keisersgracht.
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Here follow two enclosures from the two young sons of Pastorius to their honored grandfather, from the town of Germanopolis in Pennsylvania.
March 1, 1697.
Dearly-beloved Grandfather:
We, the two brothers undersigned, greet you most affec- tionately, and pray God that he will protect you from all mis- fortune, and that he will, on the other hand, bless you with all the rich gifts of Heaven, and will preserve you to a long life, according to His holy will. We also hope, that if not both, at least one of us will have an opportunity to see our dear grand- father in this world; at last, however, in Heaven, to rejoice with one another, and to remain near one another forever, and always to praise and glorify God, with all the angels and the elect, as Him to whose highest Majesty alone all praise, all glory, all honor and love belongs, and is due.
Your dutiful grandchildren JOHANN SAMUEL PASTORIUS. HENRICUS PASTORIUS.1
A Letter from Germanopolis of May 13, 1697.
I had already resigned myself (after I had received no letters from my honored father for so long a time) to receive nothing more from his dear hand, when by chance I received his last in the street as I was going into our church-meeting, and I could not read it through, without happy tears of affec- tion. Above all, I was very glad to learn that my much loved brother, Augustine Adam Pastorius, is inclined to come to me, not doubting that we shall live together harmoniously in brotherly love, and remain in unbroken, enduring, and un- feigned heartfelt affection. But, however pleased I might be to have him with me, nevertheless I herewith most kindly entreat and beg of him, that he will not leave home without the knowledge and consent of his honored parents, because in such circumstances he would be extremely unwelcome to me. It is almost repugnant to me to write long letters because the French pirates plunder so many ships, and also those letters 1 Aged seven and five respectively.
1
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which I sent over during the past year by Richard Penn1 (William Penn's cousin) got into their clutches as he informed me upon his return here.
The printer' who was here in Pennsylvania has removed to New York. If I had a little more skill in such work, I should myself establish a press here, for the use to the country. If, now, my dear brother Augustine Adam is much inclined to come here, with the consent of his honored father, he might learn this trade in a fourth part of a year, and it would not be difficult to teach the same later to others here.
This province still increases from day to day, in men and in human depravity, since religious quarrels are beginning with violence, and (in the absence of a Consistory) there is no end of the disputes.
That Hungarian of the name of Isaac Ferdinand Saroschi, who lived formerly with Herr Schumberg as tutor, and has wandered about in these regions for two years now, has be- taken himself to Maryland with the intention to sail across to Europe once more. In case now he should speak slight- ingly of these colonies, his remarks thereupon should not be given entire credit, because he has not had a fixed abode in any place, nor lived with any Society, but has always been given to vagrancy which has become a fixed habit in him, and, after the manner of the Hungarians, he gathers only alms and gifts and has carried these away with him, but he did not wish to play the rôle of an apostolic preacher without a fixed rec- ompense and salary, which is mistrust of the providence of God.
My two little sons thank their most dearly-loved and hon- ored grandfather, with childish simplicity, for remembering them so affectionately. They much desire to see him and to be with him. They, together with myself, also commend him to the faithful protecting hand of God.
Germanton, May 13, 1697.
1 Not identified; 10 Mo. (December) 24, 1696, Richard Penn witnessed a paper, Richard Lundy to Phineas Pemberton, two Bucks County men, of near Pennsbury (Pemberton MSS., in Etting Papers, I. 65, Hist. Soc. Pa.)
' William Bradford.
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The Contents of a Letter of Francis Daniel Pastorius to Herr George Leonhard Model, Rector of the School of Windsheim.
Praemissis praemittendis.1
In order that my friend may be able to find this region on the maps, he must search thereon even to the 40° of latitude for New Amsterdam (now named New Eboracum).ª One hun- dred English miles to the east ' he will find the River de la Ware, thereon the capital of this province, Philadelphia, and two hours' distance from there Germanton which began in the year 1683 with thirteen families, and within five years saw some fifty houses erected, in the hope that from year to year more families and German workmen would come over here to us. We have, to be sure, at present, no other city-walls save such as Romulus made yonder with a plough, nevertheless there is no mischief-making Remus with us, and we do not need to apprehend any sudden hostile attack on the part of our neighbors, those native inhabitants, or savages, as they are quite humane and respectful to all strange guests coming to them. But how, and in what manner, and at what time these savages came across the Atlantic ocean hither? Of those things no well-grounded information can be given (because no single written document of this place is to be met with). They are people of the forest who instruct and teach one another by means of tradition, from the aged to the young. They are generally tall of stature, with powerful bodies, broad shoulders, and wide heads, hollow and austere foreheads, and black hair. They besmear the face with bear's grease and with various colors; they have no beards, are frank and in- genuous in disposition, and use few words, which, however, are emphatic. They can neither write nor read, but are never- theless intelligent, cunning, serious, and fearless, hold fast to their preconceived opinion; they bargain closely, but pay for things with accuracy; they can long endure hunger, they love drunkenness, they do not work willingly, but all support themselves by hunting and fishing, and not one of them is accustomed to ride a horse. In summer they do not cover themselves at all, except what nature wishes covered, but in
""The titles to be supplied." ' New York.
· Southwest.
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winter they wrap themselves up in a coarse square cloth, and cover themselves in their huts with bear and deer skins; in- stead of shoes they use thin deer skin, and they have no hats.
The women are frivolous, backbiting, and arrogant. They fasten their hair together in a knot. They have full breasts and black necks, upon which, as also upon their ears and arms, they hang their coral money as decoration. While the men pursue the game, the women sow beans and plant Turkish [Indian] corn. They love their children passionately. They bind them on shingles as soon as they are born. When they cry the mothers move them rapidly to and fro, and so quiet them, and although they are still small they plunge them into the warm rivers that they may so much the sooner grow strong. In their infancy they are made to catch fish with hooks; after- wards, when they are grown stronger, they train themselves in the hunt. The young women that are of a marriageable age cover the face and thereby testify to their disposition to take a husband. They punish all their crimes by fines, even murder, and when one kills a woman he must give double the penalty, because the women bring forth children, which the men are not able to do. They believe that there is one God, and that the souls of men are immortal, and that God holds back the Devil from doing injury to human beings; they say that God dwells in the most glorious southern land, to which they also shall attain at some future time, after death. Their religion consists in two kinds of worship, namely in song and sacrifices. They slaughter the first fruits of their hunting as a sacrifice with such vigor that the whole body sweats.
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