THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FIVE NATIONS 20, 



right and his crooked parts are made straight. Now indeed may 

 we establish the Great Peace. 



" Before we do firmly establish our union each nation must ap- 

 point a certain number of its wisest and purest men who shall be 

 rulers, Rodiyaner. They shall be the advisers of the people and 

 make the new rules that may be needful. These men shall be se- 

 lected and confirmed by their female relations in whose lines the 

 titles shall be hereditary. When these are named they shall be 

 crowned, emblematically, with deer antlers." 



So then the women of the Mohawks brought forward nine chiefs 

 who should become Rodiyaner and one man, Ayenwaehs, as war 

 chief. 



So then the women of the Oneidas brought forward nine chiefs 

 who should become Rodiyaner, and one man, Kahonwadironh, who 

 should be war chief. 



So then the Onondaga women brought forward fourteen chiefs 

 who should become Rodiyaner, and one man, Ayendes, who should 

 be war chief. 



Each chief then delivered to Dekanawida a string of lake shell 

 wampum a span in length as a pledge of truth. 



Dekanawida then said : " Now, today in the presence of this 

 great multitude I disrobe you and you are not now covered by 

 your old names. I now give you names much greater." Then 

 calling each chief to him he said : " I now place antlers on your 

 head as an emblem of your power. Your old garments are torn 

 off and better robes are given you. Now you are Royaner, each 

 of you. You will receive many scratches and the thickness of 

 your skins shall be seven spans. You must be patient and hence- 

 forth work in unity. Never consider your own interests but work 

 to benefit the people and for the generations not yet born. You 

 have pledged yourselves to govern yourselves by the laws of the 

 Great Peace. All your authority shall come from it. 



" I do now order that Skanawateh shall in one-half of his being 

 be a Royaneh of the Great Peace, and in his other half a war 

 chief, for the Rodiyaner must have an ear to hear and a hand to 

 feel the coming of wars." 



Then did Dekanawida repeat all the rules which he with 

 Ayonhwatha had devised for the establishment of the Great Peace. 



Then in the councils of all the Five Nations he repeated them 

 and the Confederacy was established. 



