Wampum.
1641. An ordinance of the city council [of New York] sanctioned by Governor Keift, saying, “that a great deal of bad seawant, nasty rough things, imported from other places,” was in circulation.—Watson, ‘Historic Tales of New York,’ p. 34 (1832).
1657. In 1657 the seawant (wampum beads) were publicly reduced from six to eight for a stuyver, which is twopence.—Id., p. 35.
