of North Carolina. 303 



all aiiiiiiosities cease, and are laid aside between the Husband 

 and the Wife's gallant, otherwise they are a treacherous gen- 

 eration when thus injurd. 



They will even sometimes let out their Wives for a Night 

 or two for a gratuity, and sometimes to oblige their Neigh- 

 bours or intimate Friends, especially their great Men, nor 

 do they reckon their Wives Whores for lying with those that 

 are as good or better then themselves, and sometimes to grati- 

 fie their Wives Inclinations. A custom much like this we 

 read of amongst the Briiains, which was a Society of Wives 

 among certain Numbers, and by common consent. Every 

 Man married a single Woman, who was always after, and 

 alone, esteem'd his Wife. But it was usual for 5. 6. 10. 12. 

 or more either Brothers or Friends as they coud agree to 

 have all their Wives in common, so that encounters happened 

 amongst them as they were invited by desire, or favoured by 

 opportunity. Yet every Woman's Children was attributed 

 to him that had Married her, but all had a share in the care 

 and defence of the whole Society, since no Man knew which 

 were his own. Such were the People and the customs of the 

 Britons when the Romans invaded their Island under the 

 Ensignes of Julius Coesar. 



But to return, when a young Indian has a mind for such 

 a Girl for his Wife, he, or some one for him goes (as I before 

 observed) to the young Woman's Father or Mother, if living, 

 if not, to the nearest Relations, where he or they make offers 

 of the Match betwixt them; the Relations reply, they ivill 

 consider of it: This serves for a sufficient Answer, 'till there 

 be a second meeting about it, where they seriously debate the 

 Affair amongst themselves, the King being commonly pres- 

 ent, and most of the great Men, who all give their Opin- 

 ion about it, which if they agree upon, the Woman is imme- 

 diately 



