45 Treaties with Indians (1683)

Every [Native American] king has his council and that consists of all the old and wise men of his nation, which perhaps is two hundred people. Nothing of moment is undertaken, be it war, peace, selling of land, or traffic without advising with them. And which is more, with the young men too. It is admirable to consider how powerful the kings are and yet how they move by the breath of their people. I have had occasion to be in council with them upon treaties for land and to adjust the terms of trade. Their order is thus: the king sits in the middle of a half-moon and has his council, the old and wise, on each hand. Behind them or at a little distance sit the younger fry in the same figure. Having consulted and resolved their business, the king ordered one of them to speak to me. He stood up, came to me, and in the name of the king saluted me. Then took me by the hand and told me that he was ordered by his king to speak to me and that now it was not he but the king who spoke, because what he should say was the king’s mind. He first prayed me to excuse them, that they had not complied with me the last time. He feared there might be some fault in the interpreter, being neither Indian nor English. Besides, it was the Indian custom to deliberate and take up much time in council before they resolved. And that if the young people and owners of the land had been as ready as he, I had not met with so much delay. Having thus introduced his matter, he fell to the bounds of the land they had agreed to dispose of and the price. Which now is little and dear, that which would have bought twenty miles not buying now two.

During the time that this person spoke, not a man of them was observed to whisper or smile — the old grave, the young reverent in their deportment. They speak little, but fervently and with elegance. I have never seen more natural sagacity, considering them without the help (I was going to say the spoil) of tradition. And he will deserve the name of wise who outwits them in any treaty about a thing they understand.

When the purchase was agreed, great promises passed between us of kindness and good neighborhood and that the English and Indians must live in love as long as the sun gave light. Which done, another made a speech to the Indians in the name of all the sachamakers or kings. First to tell them what was done; next to charge and command them to love the Christians and particularly to live in peace with me and the people under my government. That many governors had been in the river but that no governor had come himself to live and stay here before. And having now such a one, who had treated them well, they should never do him or his any wrong. At every sentence of which they shouted and said Amen in their way.

We have agreed that in all differences between us, six of each side shall end the matter. Do not abuse them, but let them have justice and you win them.

Source: Treaty-making with the Indians (1683), by William Penn, in  Samuel M. Janney, The Life of William Penn (Philadelphia, 1852), 244-246. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45493/page/n577/mode/2up