Some brief and short Rules for the better learning of the Indian tongue called Poconchi, or Pocoman, commonly used about Guatemala and some other parts of Honduras.

Although it bee true that by the daily conversation which in most places the Indians have with the Spaniards, they for the most part understand the Spanish tongue in common and ordinary words, so that a Spaniard may travell amongst them, and bee understood in what hee calleth for by some or other of the Officers, who are appointed to attend upon all such as travell and passe through their townes: Yet because the perfect knowledge of the Spanish tongue is not so common to all Indians, both men and women, nor so generally spoken by them as their owne; therefore the Preists and Fryers have taken paines to learn the native tongues of severall places and countries, and have studied to bring them to a Form and method of Rules, that so the use of them may bee continued to such as shall succeed after them. Neither is there any one language generall to all places, but so many severall and different one from another, that from Chiapa, and Zoques, to Guatemala, and San Salvador, and all about Honduras, there are at least eighteen severall languages, and in this district some Fryers who have perfectly learned six or seven of them. Neither in any place are the Indians taught or preached unto but in their native and mother tongue, which because the Preist onely can speake, therefore are they so much loved and respected by the Natives. And although for the time I lived there, I learned and could speake in two severall tongues, the one called Cacchiquel, the other Poconchi, or Pocoman, which have some connexion one with another; yet the Poconchi being the easiest, and most elegant, and that wherein I did constantly preach and teach, I thought fit to set down some rules of it, (with the Lords Prayer, and brief declaration of every word in it) to witnesse and testifie to posterity the truth of my being in those parts, and the manner how those barbarous tongues have, are, and may be learned.

There is not in the Poconchi tongue, nor in any other the diversity of declensions, which is in the Latin tongue; yet there is a double way of declining all Nownes, and conjugating all Verbes, and that is with divers particles according to the words beginning with a vowell or a consonant; neither is there any difference of cases, but onely such as the said Particles or some Prepositions may distinguish.

The Particles for the words or Nownes beginning with a Consonant are as followeth,

Sing. Nu, A, Ru, plural. Ca. Ata. Qui tacque. As for example, Bat, signifieth a house, and Tat, signifieth father, which are thus declined;

Sing. Nupat, my house, Apat, thy house, Rupat, his house. Plural. Capat, our house, Apatta, your house, Quipat tacque, their house.

Sing. Nutat, my Father, Atat, thy Father, Rutat his Father. Plural. Catat, our Father, Atatta, your Father, Quitat tacque, their Father. Thus are declined Nownes beginning with a Consonant. As, Queh, a horse, Nuqueh, Aqueh, Ruqueh, &c. Huh, booke, or paper, Nuhuh, Ahuh, Ruhuh. Moloh, Egge, Numoloh, Amoloh, Rumoloh. Holom, Head, Nuholom, Aholom, Ruholom. Chi, Mouth, Nuchi, Achi, Ruchi. Cam, hand, Nucam, Acam, Rucam. Chac, flesh, Nuchac, Achac, Ruchac. Car, fish, Nucar, Acar, Rucar. Cacar, Acarta, Qui cartacque. Chacquil, body or flesh of man; Nuchacquil, Achacquil, Ruchacquil, Cachacquil, Achacquilta, Quichacquil tacque.

Some words there are which are pronounced like ts, which are written not with ts, but with this letter tȝ, peculiar in that tongue; as for tsi, dogge, tsiquin, bird, Nutsi, my dog, Atsi, thy dog, Rutsi, his dog, Catsi, our dog, Atsita, your dog, Quitsi tacque, their dog. Nutsiquin, my bird, Atsiquin, thy bird, Rutsiquin, his bird, Catsiquin, our bird, Atsiquinta, your bird, Quitsi quintacque, their bird.

There are no severall terminations for cases, as in Latin; but the cases are distinguished with some particles or prepositions, as for example. The house of Peter, Rupat Pedro, putting the possessours name, and the particle, Ru, which is a possessive. So for the dative, add the particle Re; as for example, give to Peter his dog, Chaye re Pedro rutsi. For the accusative, when it is motion to a place, or else not, adde Chi, as for example, I goe to the house of Peter, Quino chi rupat Pedro. The Vocative admitteth of this particle ah, or ha, of wishing or calling, as, O my son, or ho my son, Ah vacun, or ha vacun. The Ablative keeping stil the same termination with the Nominative, is expressed with some preposition or other, as in my mouth, pan nuchi, with my hand, chi nucam. In signifying I, is undeclinable, as also, At, signifying you, or thou. The possessive mine, is also undeclinable, as vi chin, mine, or for me; so thine, or for thee, Ave. Where note that in this tongue there is no w, but v, or u, are pronounced as w, as though wee pronounce, wacun, my sonne, wichin, mine or for mee, Awe, thine or for thee wee write vacun, vichin, Ave.

The Particles or letters, which serve for Nounes beginning with a Vowell, are as followeth. Singular. V. Av. R. Plural. C. or Qu. Avta. C. or qu. tacque, as for example, Acun, signifieth son, Ixim, Corn, Ochoch, likewise house, which are thus declined.

Sing. Vacun, my son, Avacun, thy son, Racun, his son. Plural. Cacun, our son, Avacunta, your son, Cacuntaque, their son.

Sing. Vixim, my corn, Avixim, thy corn, Rixim, his corn. Plural. Quixim, our corn, Aviximta, your corn, Quixim tacque, their corn.

Sing. Vochoch, my house, Avochoch, thy house, Rochoch, his house. Plural. Cochoch, our house, Avochochta, your house, Cochochtaque, their house.

So likewise are varied or declined, Abix, signifying a plantation, or peece of ground sowen. Acal, earth or ground. Vleu, also earth or ground. Acach, hen. Save onely that the words beginning with I, admit qu, in the first and third person plurall; the rest admit for the same persons plurall, C, onely.

And as thus I have observed for the varying or declining of Nounes; so also doe all the Verbes admit of severall particles for their conjugating, according as they begin either with a vowell or a consonant.

Those that begin with a consonant have somewhat like the Nounes these articles following.

Sing. Nu, Na, Inru. Plural. Inca, Nata, Inquitacque. As for example, locoh, to love.

Sing. Nulocoh, I love, Nalocoh, thou lovest, Inrulocoh, hee loveth. Plural. Incalocoh, wee love, Nalocohta, yee love, Inquilocohtaque, they love.

Nuroca, or Nurapa, I whip, or beat. Naroca or Narapa, thou whippest, or beatest; Inruroca, or Inrurapa, hee whippeth or beateth. Plural. Incaroca, or Incarapa, wee whip, or beat; Narocata, or Narapata, yee whip, or beat, Inquirocatacque, or Inquirapatacque, they whip or beat.

Nutsiba, I write, Natsiba, thou writest, Inrutsiba, hee writeth. Plural. Incatsiba, wee write, Natsibata, yee write, Inquitsibatacque, they write.

There is no preterimperfect tense, nor preterpluperfect tense; but the preterperfect tense standeth for them; neither is there any Future, but the present tense expresseth it, and is understood for it, according to the sense of the discourse, as Nulocoh Pedro, I love or wil love Peter. Tinulocoh, I love thee, or I wil love thee. Yet sometimes for fuller expression of the Future tense, is added this Verbe, inva, I wil, nava, thou wilt, Inra, he will, as Inva nulocoh Pedro, I will love Peter.

The Particles for the Preterperfect tense, are as follow:

Sing. Ixnu. Xa. Ixru. Plural. Ixca. Xata. Ixqui tacque. Where note, that in all these particles, and in all this language, the letter X, is pronounced like sh. as Ixnu, like Ishnu. Xa, like sha. Ixru, like Ishru. Ixca like Ishca, and so forth.

Preterperf. Sing. Ixnulocoh, I have loved; Xalocoh thou hast loved, Ixrulocoh, he hath loved. Plural. Ixcalocoh, we have loved, Xalocohta, yee have loved, Ixquilocohtacque, they have loved. And so of all the Verbes above.

The Particles for the Imperative Mood are these following:

For the singular number, and second person, Cha; for the third person singular Chiru; for the first person plural, Chica; for the second, Cha ta, for the third Chiqui tacque: as for example. Chalocoh, love thou. Chirulocoh, let him love. Plural. Chicalocoh, let us love; Chalocohta, love yee. Chiquilocoh tacque, let them love. And so of the rest of the Verbes above.

The Optative Mood is the same with the Indicative; adding to it this Particle Ta, which signifieth as much as utinam, or, would to God, as Nalocoh ta Dios, would God thou love God, Ixnulocoh ta Dios, would God I had loved God.

The Conjunctive Mood also is the same with the Indicative, adding to it this Particle, or Preposition vei, and ta, if. As for example vei nalocoh ta Dios, if thou love God, vei ixnulocoh ta Dios, if I had loved God.

There is no Infinitive Mood, but the Indicative serveth for it. As, Quinchol nutsiba, I can write. Quinquimi, signifieth to die, Nuraeh, I desire, Nuraeh quinquimi, I desire to dye.

Note further, that in all Verbes Actives, when mee and thee are expressed as the Accusative case following the Verbe, they are coupled to the person that doeth or goeth before the Verbe, by these two Particles for the present tense, Quin, mee, Ti, thee. And for the preterperfect tense, xin, mee, ixti, thee. As for example.

Quinalocoh, thou lovest me. Xinalocoh, thou hast loved me. Quinraalocoh, thou wilt love me. Quinalocohta, love me, or I pray God thou love me. Vei quinalocoh, if thou love me; vei xinalocoh, if thou hast or hadst loved mee; Quinaraeh nalocoh, thou desirest to love me. So for the second person being the Accusative. Tinulocoh, I love thee. Ixtinulocoh, I have loved thee. Tiranulocah, I will love thee. Tinulocohta, pray God I love thee; vei tinulocoh, if I love thee; vei ixtinulocoh, if I have or had loved thee. Tinuraeh nulocoh, I desire to love thee.

Note further, that these two Verbes, Quinchol, which signifieth, I can or am able, and Inva, which signifieth I will, when they are put with other Verbes of whatsoever person, they are elegantly put impersonally in the third person singular. As for example:

Inchol nulocoh, I can love. Inra nulocoh, I will love. Ixra ixnulocoh, I have been willing to love. Ixchol ixnulocoh, I have been able to love. Tichol nulocoh, I can love thee, Tira nulocoh, I will love thee.

The Letters or Particles for Verbes beginning with a Vowell, are these that follow.

Sing. Inv. Nav. Inr. Plural. Inqu. or Inc. Nauta. Inqu tacque, or Inc tacque. As for example, Eça, signifieth to deliver, which is thus formed.

Sing. Inveça, I deliver. Naveça, thou deliverest, Inreça, he delivereth. Plural. Inqueça, wee deliver, Naveçata, yee deliver; Inqueça tacque, they deliver.

A is a simple signifying to wish or desire, or will a thing, which is never found without these particles.

Sing. Inva, I will, Nava, thou wilt, Inra, he will; Plural. Inca we will, Navata, yee will, Incatacque, they will. Ivereh, to heare. Invivireh, I heare. Navivireh, thou hearest, Inrivireh, he heareth. Plural. Inquivireh, we heare; Navivirehta, yee heare; Inquivireh tacque, they heare.

Thus have I briefly set downe the way of declining all sorts of Nounes, and conjugating all sorts of Verbes of this tongue. It remaineth now that I speak of Verbes passives; their forming and their conjugating with like Particles. The Verbes passives being of divers terminations, are diversly formed. Commonly those that end with an A, cut off the A, in the passive, and to the last consonant add hi. As for example, Nuroca, I whip or beat, the passive is Quinrochi. So Nurapa, I whip or beat, in the passive is Quinraphi. Except Nutsiba, I write, which changeth b into m. Quintsimhi, I am written. Those that end in oh, change oh into onhi. As nulocoh, I love. Quinloconhi, I am loved. So those that end in eh, doe change eh into hi, as Invivireh, I hear, Quinivirhi, I am heard. Nucuta, I teach, Quincuthi, I am taught, by the first rule. But those that end in ça (where note this letter ç or c, with a tittle under it, is pronounced like s) change the a into ihi. As for example: inveça I deliver, Quineçihi, I am delivered. Nucamça, I kill, Quincamçihi, I am killed; those that end in ach, adde hi in the passive, as Nuçach, I forgive, in the passive maketh Quinçachhi, I am forgiven. The particles that vary, or conjugate the Verbes passives, are these following:

Sing. Quin. Ti. In. Plural. Coh, or Co. Tita. Quitacque. As for example:

Quinloconchi, I am loved, Tiloconhi, thou art loved. Inloconhi, hee is loved. Plural. Coloconhi, wee are loved. Tiloconhita, yee are loved. Quiloconhitacque, they are loved.

Quinrochi, I am beaten or whipped; Tirochi, thou art beaten or whipped; Inrochi, he is beaten or whipped. Plural. Corochi, we are beaten or whipped; Tirochita, ye are beaten or whipped; Quirochi tacque, they are beaten or whipped.

The Particles for the preterperfect tense are these following.

Sing. Xin. Ixti. Ix. Plural. Xoh, or Xo. Ixti ta; xi tacque. As for example. Sing. Xinloconhi, I have bin loved. Ixtiloconhi, thou hast bin loved. Ixloconhi, hee hath been loved. Plural. Xoloconhi, wee have been loved. Ixtiloconhita, yee have been loved. Xiloconhi tacque, they have been loved. Xinrochit, I have been whipped or beaten. Ixtirochi, thou hast been whipped or beaten. Ixrochi, hee hath been whipped or beaten. Plural. Xorochi, or xohrochi, we have been whipped or beaten, Ixtirochita, yee have been whipped or beaten. Xirochi tacque, they have been whipped or beaten.

The Imperative Mood is thus:

Tiloconhi, Bee thou loved, Chiloconho, let him bee loved. Plural. Chicaloconho, let us bee loved, Tiloconhota, bee yee loved, Chiquiloconho tacque, let them bee loved. Where you see the particle hi is changed into ho.

The Optative Mood, and the Conjunctive are after the manner of the Verbs Actives, by put to ta in the Optative, and vei in the Conjunctive. As for example.

Quinloconhi ta, I pray God I bee loved. Tiloconhi ta, I pray God thou bee loved; Inloconhita, I pray God hee be loved; Cohloconhita, I pray God we bee loved. Tiloconhitata, I pray God yee be loved. Quiloconhi ta tacque, I pray God they bee loved.

So in the preterperfect tense ta onely is added; as for example.

Xinloconhi ta, would to God I have or had been loved. Ixtiloconhita, pray God thou hast or hadst bin loved, Ixloconhita, pray God he have or had been loved. Plur. Xoloconhita, pray God we have or had been loved, Ixtiloconhi ta ta, I pray God ye have or had bin loved, Xiloconhi ta tacque, I pray God they have or had been loved. Where note that the particle Ta, if any other word or sentence be put with the Verb, may bee put before the Verb, as Nim ta Quinloconhi, I pray God I be greatly loved. Otherwise if the Verbe be alone, ta is placed after it.

The Conjunctive Mood is thus, Vei Quinloconhi, if I be loved, Vei tiloconhi, if thou bee loved, and so forth.

This is all, which commonly is taught concerning this tongue. In which grounds hee that is perfect in, and hath a Dictionary of the severall words of it, may soone learn to speake it. As I shall understand by my best friends, that there is a desire of further printing a Dictionary, I shall satisfie their desires, and apply my self unto it. These few rules for the present I have thought fit to print, for curiosity sake, and that it may appear, how easie the Indian tongues are to be learned. I shall conclude this unparalleld work, with the Lords Prayer in that tongue, and with a brief explication of it.

Catat taxah vilcat; Nimta incaharçihi avi; Inchalita Avihauripan Cana. Invanivita Nava yahvir vachacal, he invantaxah. Chaye runa cahuhunta quih viic; Naçachtacamac, he incaçachve quimac ximacquivi chiquih; Macoacana chipam catacchihi; Coaveçata china unche stiri, mani quiro, he inqui. Amen.

Note. Catat, according to the rule of declining Nounes, is the first person plural, which is known by the particle Ca, added to Tat, which signifieth father; and Catat is our father.

Taxah signifieth heaven; it is put before the word or verb vilcat, for more elegancy sake, and for better placing of it, contrary to the Latin and English, where es, and art, is put before in cælis, or in heaven. Likewise it is put without a preposition, contrary to the Greeke, Latin and English: for in this tongue many times the prepositions are omitted and understood.

Vilcat signifieth es or art: it is the second person of the Verbe, Sum, es, fui, which is a Verbe Anomal, and not conjugated after the rule of Verbes above. As for example. Vilquin, I am, Vilcat, thou art, villi, hee is. Plural. Vilcoh, wee are, Vilcatta, yee are, Vilque tacque, they are. The Preterperfect tence, Xinvi, I have been, Ixtivi, thou hast been, Ixvi, hee hath been. Plural. Xohvi, we have been, Ixtivita, yee have been, Xivi tacque, they have been. Imperative. Tivi or Tivo, bee thou; Chivi or Chivo, let him be. Plural. Cohvi ta or Cohvo ta, let us bee; Tivita or Tivota, bee yee; Quivi ta or Quivo ta tacque, let them bee. The Optative and Conjunctive are according to the Rule above, by adding ta or vei, to the present tense, and preterperfect tense of the Indicative Mood.

Nim ta Incaharcihi, which signifieth, I pray God may be greatly magnified. Nim signifieth great or greatly. Ta is optantis, or of wishing. Incaharcihi, is the third person of the Verbe Quincaharcihi, which signifieth to be magnified or extolled; and is formed according to the rule above, from the active verbe, Nucaharça, to magnifie or extoll, by changing the last a into ihi, and adding quin the particle of the passive.

Avi thy name. Vi, signifieth name, and according to the rule above for Nounes beginning with a Consonant a is the particle of the second person.

Inchalita avihauri, let come thy Kingdome, is the proper expression of this in English. Inchali, is the third person of the Verbe Quinchali, which signifieth to come. Ta is as before optantis, or of wishing. Ihauri or Ihauric, signifieth kingdome. Av, added, sheweth the second person.

Pan cana, upon our heads. This is a peculiar expression in that tongue; which (as all other tongues) hath many phrases, strange expressions, proper elegancies and circumlocutions. Whereof this one, to say, Let thy Kingdome come upon our heads. Pam or Pan, is a preposition, signifying in or within, or upon. Na signifieth head; Nuna, my head, Cana, our head, according to the rule above: from whence they call a hat, Pan Nuna, as being upon the head.

Invanivi ta Nava, let be done what thou wilt. They have no proper Noun to expresse a mans will, but expresse it by a Verbe: Invanivi, is the third person of the Verbe, Quinvanivi, which signifieth to be made or done. The Active is Nuvan, I doe or make: from whence are formed many passives, as Quinvan or Quinvanhi, or Quinvani, or Quinvanivi, or Quinbanari; or Quinvantihi, whereof this last signifieth to bee done speedily. And so to all Verbes Actives and Passives, this particle tihi, is added at the end, to signifie hast or speed in doing any thing. Nava, is the second person of the Verbe, Inva, I will, according to the rule for verbes beginning with a vowell, Nava, thou wilt, Inra, he will.

Yahvir vach a cal, here upon the face of the earth; Yahvir, is an Adverbe signifying here, Vach, signifieth face, Nuvach, my face, Avach, thy face, Ruvach, his face. Acal, signifieth the earth or ground.

He invan taxah, as it is done in heaven. He is an Adverbe, signifying even as, Invan, is the third person of the passive Verbe, Quinvan, to bee done. Taxah, as before, signifieth in heaven without any preposition to it.

Chaye runa, give to day. Nuye is the first person of the present tense, signifying, I give, Cha, is the particle (according to the rule above) of the second person of the Imperative Mood. Chaye, give thou; Chyrue, let him give. Runa, to day.

Cahuhun ta quih viic, our every day bread, where note that ca, put before huhun is very elegantly placed, though it doe belong to the word viic, which signifieth bread. Nuviic, my bread, Caviic, our bread. Huhun is an undeclined word, signifying every one, or every thing. quih signifieth the sun or the day.

Naçach ta camac, I pray God thou forgive our sinnes. They use not here the Imperative Mood, as in Latin demitte, and in English forgive, but with the particle ta, of wishing, they use the Optative Mood. Naçach is the second person of the Verbe, Nuçach, I forgive. Mac, signifieth sin. Numac, my sin or sins, camac, our sins. Laval is another word in that tongue also to signifie sin.

He incaçachve quimac, Even as we forgive their sins. Incaçach is the first person plural, according to the rule above, for verbes beginning with a consonant, ve is put at the end for elegancy sake. Quimac is the third person plural. Where note that in a whole speech or sentence, sometimes the particle tacque, observed above in the rule for declining is left out; and sometimes it is added. As here, quimac their sins; or else it might have been quimac tacque.

Xim acquivi chi quih, that have sinned against our backs, of Mac, signifying sin, is this Verbe formed, quinmacquivi, to sin. So likewise of lavil, sin, is formed another Verb, quinlavini, to sin. This Verbe quinmacquivi is a Deponent; of which sort there are many in that tongue, as quincutani, to preach, which have the same Particles as the Verbes Passives. Chiquih is a word compounded of the Preposition chi and ih, which signifieth back, and is varied like the Nounes beginning with a Vowell, and joyned with chi, signifieth against, as Chivih, against mee, chavih, against thee, chirih, against him. Plural. Chiquih, against us, chavihta, against yee, chiquih tacque, against them. And if another third person bee named, chirih, standeth for against, as chirih Pedro, against Peter, that is, against the back. If many be named in the third person Plural, then chiquih is used, as chiquih unche, or chiquih cunch elal, against all.

Mecoacana, leave us not. This Verbe is here compounded of three: first, Ma, is abbreviated from the word mani, which signifieth no or not, as likewise manchucu. Co or coh, signifieth wee or us, and as in the rules before I have observed, is put here before the Verb; which causeth the n to be cut off from the verb, which otherwise should have beene nacana, of nucana, I leave, nacana, thou leavest, inrucana, he leaveth, and so forth.

Chipam catacchihi, in our being tempted. This is another great elegancy in that tongue to use a Verbe Passive for a Noune, and to add to it a Preposition; as here, chipam, which signifieth in; and putting to the Verbe the Particles wherewith the Nounes are varied and declined. Nutacchih, signifieth I tempt. The Passive is quintacchihi, I am tempted; from whence nutacchihi, signifieth my being tempted, or my temptation; atacchihi, thy temptation, rutacchihi, his temptation, catacchihi, our temptation.

Coaveçata china unche tsiri. Deliver us from all evill things. Inveça, as I have noted before, signifyeth to deliver. Co is the first person Plural put before the Verbe, as I observed in the rule above, and in that Conjunction or compound macoacana. China is a Preposition, signifying above or from. Unche, signifieth all, which is undeclinable. tsiri, is an Adjective properly undeclinable also or unvariable, in Gender, Case, and Number; as are all Adjectives in that tongue. It signifieth evill or bad; as tsiri vinac, an evill man, tsiri ixoc, a bad woman, tsiri chicop, a bad or evill beast; so likewise in the Plural number it is the same. Without a Substantive it is as the Newter Gender, as malum for malares, signifying an evill thing, or evill things. The Substantive that is formed from it, is tsiriquil, which signifieth evill or wickednesse. Voronquil, signifieth the same.

Mani quiroz, not good: this is put for a further expression of evils to be delivered from whatsoever is not good. Mani, as I noted before, signifieth not. Quiro, is as tsiri, an Adjective, signifying good or a good thing, and is undeclinable, unvariable in both numbers. Quiro vinac, a good man, quiro ixoc, a good woman, quiro chicop, a good beast; so likewise in the plural number, quiro vinac, good men. The Substantive that is derived from this Adjective, is, quirohal, goodness. Chiohal, signifieth the same. quirolah, is very good, tsirilah, very bad, where lah is added at the end of an adjective, it puts the same aggravation as valde in Latin.

He inqui, even as he saith. The meaning is, even as hee saith that taught this prayer. Quinqui, signifieth I say, tiqui, thou saiest, inqui, hee saith, Cohqui, wee say, tiquita, yee say, quiquitacque, they say.

Amen. All words which have no true expression in the Indians tongues, are continued in the Spanish, or in the proper tongue, as here Amen. So wine which formerly they had not, they call vino; though by an improper word some call it Castilana ha, that is, the water of Castile. So God, they call Dios commonly; though some call him Nim Ahval, that is, the great Lord.

And thus for curiosities sake, and by the intreaty of some speciall friends, I have furnished the Presse with a language which never yet was printed, or known in England. A Merchant, Mariner, or Captaine at Sea may chance by fortune to be driven upon some Coast, where he may meet with some Pocoman Indian; and it may bee of great use to him, to have some light of this Poconchi tongue. Whereunto I shall be willing hereafter to add something more for the good of my Countrey; and for the present I leave thee Reader to study what hitherto hath briefely been delivered by mee.

FINIS.