Finis.

And I hope I can say in some measure, as David did, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” The Lord hath showed me the vanity of these outward things. That they are the vanity of vanities, and vexation of spirit, that they are but a shadow, a blast, a bubble, and things of no continuance. That we must rely on God Himself, and our whole dependance must be upon Him.

Before I knew what affliction meant, I was ready sometimes to wish for it. When I lived in prosperity, having the comforts of the world about me, my relations by me, my heart cheerful, and taking little care for anything, and yet seeing many, whom I preferred before myself, under many trials and afflictions, in sickness, weakness, poverty, losses, crosses, and cares of the world, I should be sometimes jealous least I should have my portion in this life, and that Scripture would come to my mind

.

and nothing but death before me.

in carrying of us through so many difficulties

with me.

put all these curses

But now the Lord hath brought her in upon free-cost, and given her to me the second time.

having nothing to eat or drink but water

Blessed be the Lord for it, for great is His power, and He can do whatsoever seemeth Him good.

dangerous to go to her.

take care of her

received one of our children, we hastened toward the other.

thy Work shall be rewarded,

Now hath God fulfilled that precious Scripture which was such a comfort to me in my distressed condition

heathen

it

and yet we were not without secret hopes that we should see them again.

In that poor, and distressed, and beggarly condition I was received in

my dear husband

he had helped to bury her, and knew it not.

such a lovely sight,

carried us along

Mr. Hoar,

I took my leave of them, and in coming along my heart melted into tears, more than all the while I was with them

I have been in the midst of those roaring lions, and savage bears, that feared neither God, nor man, nor the devil, by night and day

ar.

.

e.

.

Now the heathen begins to think all is their own

to send them to Heaven so soon.

yet triumphed and rejoiced in their inhumane, and many times devilish cruelty to the English.

(with their black faces)

have so offended Him,

They would pick up old bones, and cut them to pieces at the joints, and if they were full of worms and maggots, they would scald them over the fire to make the vermine come out, and then boil them, and drink up the liquor, and then beat the great ends of them in a mortar, and so eat them. They would eat horse’s guts, and ears, and all sorts of wild birds which they could catch; also bear, venison, beaver, tortoise, frogs, squirrels, dogs, skunks, rattlesnakes; yea, the very bark of trees; besides all sorts of creatures, and provision which they plundered from the English. I can but stand in admiration to see the wonderful power of God in providing for such a vast number of our enemies in the wilderness, where there was nothing to be seen, but from hand to mouth.

that I know not.

hog or a dog would hardly touch

them for His holy ends, and the destruction of many still amongst the English!

if their corn were cut down, they would starve and die with hunger, and all their corn that could be found, was destroyed

God had an over-ruling hand in all those things.

I can but admire to see the wonderful providence of God in preserving the heathen for further affliction to our poor country. They could go in great numbers over, but the English must stop

and dullness of the English army

It is the Lord’s doing, and it should be marvelous in our eyes.

God seemed to leave his People to themselves, and order all things for His own holy ends.

our lambs to death.

like bears bereft of their whelps

whilst they were flying for their lives.

and in pursuit of the enemy,

providence

afflicted

I told them, they had as good knock me in head as starve me to death.

Thus the Lord made that pleasant refreshing, which another time would have been an abomination.

Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste.

horses feet

and one of them my own sister’s

where we stayed all night.

Englishman stripped naked, and lying dead upon the ground, but knew not who it was.

I had of it.

.

So like were these barbarous creatures to him who was a liar from the beginning.

he was well

They all gathered about the poor man, asking him many questions. I desired also to go and see him; and when I came, he was crying bitterly, supposing they would quickly kill him

yelping

the Lord brought to me some Scriptures, which did a little revive me

no comfort here neither

that I might get alone

I thought of the English army, and hoped for their coming, and being taken by them, but that failed.

departed from him.

and a company of barbarous heathens,

that by the morning I recovered my sight again

handful of ashes in mine eyes.

least conscience of speaking of truth.

and that he was very good meat.

I must go

which was that I desired

I told them the skin was off my back, but I had no other comforting answer from them than this: that it would be no matter if my head were off too.

I went with a good load at my back (for they when they went, though but a little way, would carry all their trumpery with them).

at last an old Indian bade me to come to him, and his squaw gave me some ground nuts; she gave me also something to lay under my head, and a good fire we had; and through the good providence of God, I had a comfortable lodging that night.

Friend Indian

Then was I fain to stoop to this rude fellow, and to go out in the night, I knew not whither.

and lie somewhere else,

six acorns, and two chestnuts, which were some refreshment to me.

who seemed to me the best friend that I had of an Indian

As soon as I had the opportunity, I took my Bible to read, and that quieting Scripture came to my hand, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46.10). Which stilled my spirit for the present.

I thought I could as well have died as went back; I cannot declare the trouble that I was in about it; but yet back again I must go

said he would go on, and come to us again in three days.

sannup

But the thoughts of my going homeward (for so we bent our course) much cheered my spirit, and made my burden seem light, and almost nothing at all.

I complained it was too heavy, whereupon she gave me a slap in the face, and bade me go; I lifted up my heart to God, hoping the redemption was not far off; and the rather because their insolency grew worse and worse.

I ran out and catched it up, and put it into my pocket, and never let her see it afterward.

me sitting and reading in my Bible

This morning I asked my master whether he would sell me to my husband. He answered me “Nux,” which did much rejoice my spirit.

Sabbath-day-

I could hardly bear to think of the many weary steps I had taken, to come to this place.

I put it in my pocket to keep it safe. Yet notwithstanding, somebody stole it, but put five Indian corns in the room of it; which corns were the greatest provisions I had in my travel for one day.

I thought I should have been blind. I could scarce discern one wigwam from another

master and mistress to dinner

There was a squaw who spake to me to make a shirt for her sannup, for which she gave me a piece of bear.

surely there are many who may be better employed than to lie sucking a stinking tobacco-pipe

such a bewitching thing it is.

It seems to be a bait the devil lays to make men lose their precious time

yet could I not shed one tear in their sight

I observed they asked one another questions, and laughed, and rejoiced over their gains and victories. Then my heart began to fail: and I fell aweeping, which was the first time to my remembrance, that I wept before them.

preserving us

“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return: the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”

my son Joseph unexpectedly came to me.

their espying some English scouts,

King Philip

God did not give them courage or activity to go over after us.

I told them it was the Sabbath day, and desired them to let me rest, and told them I would do as much more tomorrow; to which they answered me they would break my face. And here I cannot but take notice of the strange providence of God in preserving the heathen.

an old horse’s leg

I did not wet my foot

In this travel, because of my wound, I was somewhat favored in my load; I carried only my knitting work and two quarts of parched meal. Being very faint I asked my mistress to give me one spoonful of the meal, but she would not give me a taste.

some carried their old decrepit mothers, some carried one, and some another. Four of them carried a great Indian upon a bier;

stoutest men

For they went as if they had gone for their lives

I had my Bible with me

they

Oh, the hideous insulting and triumphing that there was over some Englishmen’s scalps that they had taken (as their manner is) and brought with them

viz

y daughter Mary

Him

Then they went and showed me where it was, where I saw the ground was newly digged, and there they told me they had buried it.

It

my sweet babe like a lamb departed this life on Feb. 18, 1675.

are ye all

your master will quickly knock your child in the head.

Yet the Lord still showed mercy to me,

Sabbath

Indian town, called Wenimesset, northward of Quabaug.

viz

except only a little cold water

with my poor sick babe in my lap

they

by a little fire

Lord renewed my strength still

ended our days

“I shall die, I shall die.”

babe

It is not my tongue, or pen, can express the sorrows of my heart

But now, the next morning, I must turn my back upon the town, and travel with them into the vast and desolate wilderness, I knew not whither.

as the Indians told me.

barbarous

Those seven

(except my life)

dolefulness

to feed our merciless enemies

black creatures

“What, will you love English men still?”

hard

lodge

they

we

barbarous creatures

as we make our voices heard in a public context.

It features our own unique textual interpretations and what they may mean to us on a more personal level.

global implications

will help future PSU students have fun while learning.

that everyone can understand and enjoy.

even weave some comedy and sass in there

keeping it full of new and fresh ideas.

free

reworking it going forward.

the underpinnings

We do not claim to have a “perfect” or “complete” representation of American literature.

collectively shared identity rather than a set of arbitrary geographical constraints?

two continents

American

this anthology is relevant to students today.

contemporary culture (such as films and other references).

important representations of American literature.

and insights into multiple texts from diverse authors

critically, it moves beyond the voices of old white men talking about even older white men.

made by students, for students.

that fit the modern age

engage scholarly debate.

In our global era, it is clear that past definitions of American literature must be revisited.

American literature and American history?

Is American literature defined by geographical boundaries? Experiences? Histories? Themes?

we questioned the very parameters

there she could watch the people whom she loved

"That is the home for me,"

.

No gentle star maiden could choose such a resting-place.

beautiful maiden stood at his side

three nights

earth

.

.

.