Part 32

I shall not take upon me exactly to describe their proceedings in these things, because I expecte it will be fully done by them selves, who best know the carrage & circumstances of things; I shall therfore but touch them in generall. From Connightecute (who were most sencible of y^e hurt sustained, & y^e present danger), they sett out a partie of men, and an other partie mett them from y^e Bay, at y^e Narigansets, who were to joyne with them. Y^e Narigansets were ernest to be gone before y^e English were well rested and refreshte, espetially some of them which came last. It should seeme their desire was to come upon y^e enemie sudenly, & undiscovered. Ther was a barke of this place, newly put in ther, which was come from Conightecutte, who did incourage them to lay hold of y^e Indeans forwardnes, and to shew as great forwardnes as they, for it would incorage them, and expedition might prove to their great advantage. So they went on, and so ordered their march, as the Indeans brought them to a forte of y^e enimies (in which most of their cheefe men were) before day. They approached y^e same with great silence, and surrounded it both with English & Indeans, that they might not breake out; and so assualted them with great courage, shooting amongst them, and entered y^e forte with all speed; and those y^t first entered found sharp resistance from the enimie, who both shott at & grapled with them; others rane into their howses, & brought out fire, and sett them on fire, which soone tooke in their matts, &, standing close togeather, with y^e wind, all was quickly on a flame, and therby more were burnte to death then was otherwise slain; it burnte their bowstrings, and made them unservisable. Those y^t scaped y^e fire were slaine with y^e sword; some hewed to peeces, others rune throw with their rapiers, so as they were quickly dispatchte, and very few escaped. It was conceived they thus destroyed about 400. at this time. It was a fearfull sight to see them thus frying in y^e fyer, and y^e streams of blood quenching y^e same, and horrible was y^e stinck & sente ther of; but y^e victory seemed a sweete sacrifice, and they gave the prays therof to God, who had wrought so wonderfuly for them, thus to inclose their enimise in their hands, and give them so speedy a victory over so proud & insulting an enimie. The Narigansett Indeans, all this while, stood round aboute, but aloofe from all danger, and left y^e whole [224] execution to y^e English, exept it were y^e stoping of any y^t broke away, insulting over their enimies in this their ruine & miserie, when they saw them dancing in y^e flames, calling them by a word in their owne language, signifing, O brave Pequents! which they used familierly among them selves in their own prayes, in songs of triumph after their victories. After this servis was thus happily accomplished, they marcht to the water side, wher they mett with some of their vesells, by which they had refreishing with victualls & other necessaries. But in their march y^e rest of y^e Pequents drew into a body, and acoasted them, thinking to have some advantage against them by[DX] reason of a neck of land; but when they saw the English prepare for them, they kept a loofe, so as they neither did hurt, nor could receive any. After their refreishing & repair to geather for further counsell & directions, they resolved to pursue their victory, and follow y^e warr against y^e rest, but y^e Narigansett Indeans most of them forsooke them, and such of them as they had with them for guids, or otherwise, they found them very could and backward in y^e bussines, ether out of envie, or y^t they saw y^e English would make more profite of y^e victorie then they were willing they should, or els deprive them of such advantage as them selves desired by having them become tributaries unto them, or y^e like.

For y^e rest of this bussines, I shall only relate y^e same as it is in a leter which came from M^r. Winthrop to y^e Gov^r hear, as followeth.

Worthy S^r: I received your loving letter, and am much provocked to express my affections towards you, but straitnes of time forbids me; for my desire is to acquainte you with y^e Lords greate mercies towards us, in our prevailing against his & our enimies; that you may rejoyce and praise his name with us. About 80. of our men, haveing costed along towards y^e Dutch plantation, (some times by water, but most by land,) mett hear & ther with some Pequents, whom they slew or tooke prisoners. 2. sachems they tooke, & beheaded; and not hearing of Sassacous, (the cheefe sachem,) they gave a prisoner his life, to goe and find him out. He wente and brought them word where he was, but Sassacouse, suspecting him to be a spie, after he was gone, fled away with some 20. more to y^e Mowakes, so our men missed of him. Yet, deviding them selves, and ranging up & downe, as y^e providence of God guided them (for y^e Indeans were all gone, save 3. or 4. and they knew not whither to guid them, or els would not), upon y^e 13. of this month, they light upon a great company of them, viz. 80. strong men, & 200. women & children, in a small Indean towne, fast by a hideous swamp, which they all slipped into before our men could gett to them. Our captains were not then come togeither, but ther was M^r. Ludlow and Captaine Masson, with some 10. [225] of their men, & Captaine Patrick with some 20. or more of his, who, shooting at y^e Indeans, Captaine Trask with 50. more came soone in at y^e noyse. Then they gave order to surround y^e swampe, it being aboute a mile aboute; but Levetenante Davenporte & some 12. more, not hearing that co[=m]and, fell into y^e swampe among y^e Indeans. The swampe was so thicke with shrub-woode, & so boggie with all, that some of them stuck fast, and received many shott. Levetenant Davenport was dangerously wounded aboute his armehole, and another shott in y^e head, so as, fainting, they were in great danger to have been taken by y^e Indeans. But Sargante Rigges, & Jeffery, and 2. or 3. more, rescued them, and slew diverse of y^e Indeans with their swords. After they were drawne out, the Indeans desired parley, & were offered (by Thomas Stanton, our interpretour) that, if they would come out, and yeeld them selves, they should have their lives, all that had not their hands in y^e English blood. Wherupon y^e sachem of y^e place came forth, and an old man or 2. & their wives and children, and after that some other women & children, and so they spake 2. howers, till it was night. Then Thomas Stanton was sente into them againe, to call them forth; but they said they would selle their lives their, and so shott at him so thicke as, if he had not cried out, and been presently rescued, they had slaine him. Then our men cutt of a place of y^e swampe with their swords, and cooped the Indeans into so narrow a compass, as they could easier kill them throw y^e thickets. So they continued all y^e night, standing aboute 12. foote one from an other, and y^e Indeans, coming close up to our men, shot their arrows so thicke, as they pierced their hatte brimes, & their sleeves, & stockins, & other parts of their cloaths, yet so miraculously did the Lord preserve them as not one of them was wounded, save those 3. who rashly went into y^e swampe. When it was nere day, it grue very darke, so as those of them which were left dropt away betweene our men, though they stood but 12. or 14. foote assunder; but were presenly discovered, & some killed in y^e pursute. Upon searching of y^e swampe, y^e next morning, they found 9. slaine, & some they pulled up, whom y^e Indeans had buried in y^e mire, so as they doe thinke that, of all this company, not 20. did escape, for they after found some who dyed in their flight of their wounds received. The prisoners were devided, some to those of y^e river, and the rest to us. Of these we send y^e male children to Bermuda,[DY] by M^r. William Peirce, & y^e women & maid children are disposed aboute in the townes. Ther have been now slaine & taken, in all, aboute 700. The rest are dispersed, and the Indeans in all quarters so terrified as all their friends are affraid to receive them. 2. of y^e sachems of Long Iland came to M^r. Stoughton and tendered them selves to be tributaries under our protection. And 2. of y^e Neepnett sachems have been with me to seeke our frendship. Amonge the prisoners we have y^e wife & children of Mononotto, a womon of a very modest countenance and behaviour. It was by her mediation that the[DZ] 2. English [226] maids were spared from death, and were kindly used by her; so that I have taken charge of her. One of her first requests was, that the English would not abuse her body, and that her children might not be taken from her. Those which were wounded were fetched of soone by John Galopp, who came with his shalop in a happie houre, to bring them victuals, and to carrie their wounded men to y^e pinass, wher our cheefe surgeon was, w^th M^r. Willson, being aboute 8. leagues off. Our people are all in health, (y^e Lord be praised,) and allthough they had marched in their armes all y^e day, and had been in fight all y^e night, yet they professed they found them selves so fresh as they could willingly have gone to such another bussines.

This is y^e substance of that which I received, though I am forced to omite many considerable circomstances. So, being in much straitnes of time, (the ships being to departe within this 4. days, and in them the Lord Lee and M^r. Vane,) I hear breake of, and with harty saluts to, &c., I rest

Yours assured, JO: WINTHROP.

The 28. of y^e 5. month, 1637.

The captains reporte we have slaine 13. sachems; but Sassacouse & Monotto are yet living.

That I may make an end of this matter: this Sassacouse (y^e Pequents cheefe sachem) being fled to y^e Mowhakes, they cutt of his head, with some other of y^e cheefe of them, whether to satisfie y^e English, or rather y^e Narigansets, (who, as I have since heard, hired them to doe it,) or for their owne advantage, I well know not; but thus this warr tooke end. The rest of y^e Pequents were wholy driven from their place, and some of them submitted them selves to y^e Narigansets, & lived under them; others of them betooke them selves to y^e Monhiggs, under Uncass, their sachem, w^th the approbation of y^e English of Conightecutt, under whose protection Uncass lived, and he and his men had been faithful to them in this warr, & done them very good service. But this did so vexe the Narrigansetts, that they had not y^e whole sweay over them, as they have never ceased plotting and contriving how to bring them under, and because they cannot attaine their ends, because of y^e English who have protected them, they have sought to raise a generall conspiracie against y^e English, as will appear in an other place.

They had now letters againe out of England from M^r. Andrews & M^r. Beachamp, that M^r. Sherley neither had nor would pay them any money, or give them any accounte, and so with much discontent desired them hear to send them some, much blaming them still, that they had sent all to M^r. Sherley, & none to them selves. Now, though they might have justly referred them to their former answer, and insisted ther upon, & some wise men counselled them so to doe, yet because they beleeved that [227] they were realy out round sumes of money, (espetialy M^r. Andrews,) and they had some in their hands, they resolved to send them what bever they had.[EA] M^r. Sherleys letters were to this purpose: that, as they had left him in y^e paiment of y^e former bills, so he had tould them he would leave them in this, and beleeve it, they should find it true. And he was as good as his word, for they could never gett peney from him, nor bring him to any accounte, though Mr. Beachamp sued him in y^e Chancerie. But they all of them turned their complaints against them here, wher ther was least cause, and who had suffered most unjustly; first from M^r. Allerton & them, in being charged with so much of y^t which they never had, nor drunke for; and now in paying all, & more then all (as they conceived), and yet still thus more demanded, and that with many heavie charges. They now discharged M^r. Sherley from his agencie, and forbad him to buy or send over any more goods for them, and prest him to come to some end about these things.

_Anno Dom: 1638._

This year M^r. Thomas Prence was chosen Gov^r.

Amongst other enormities that fell out amongst them, this year 3. men were (after due triall) executed for robery & murder which they had committed; their names were these, Arthur Peach, Thomas Jackson, and Richard Stinnings; ther was a 4., Daniel Crose, who was also guilty, but he escaped away, and could not be found. This Arthur Peach was y^e cheefe of them, and y^e ring leader of all y^e rest. He was a lustie and a desperate yonge man, and had been one of y^e souldiers in y^e Pequente warr, and had done as good servise as y^e most ther, and one of y^e forwardest in any attempte. And being now out of means, and loath to worke, and falling to idle courses & company, he intended to goe to y^e Dutch plantation; and had alured these 3., being other mens servants and apprentices, to goe with him. But another cause ther was allso of his secret going away in this maner; he was not only rune into debte, but he had gott a maid with child, (which was not known till after his death,) a mans servante in y^e towne, and fear of punishmente made him gett away. The other 3. complotting with him, ranne away from their maisters in the night, and could not be heard of, for they went not y^e ordinarie way, but shaped such a course as they thought to avoyd y^e pursute of any [228]. But falling into y^e way that lyeth betweene y^e Bay of Massachusetts and the Narrigansets, and being disposed to rest them selves, struck fire, and took tobaco, a litle out of y^e way, by y^e way side. At length ther came a Narigansett Indean by, who had been in y^e Bay a trading, and had both cloth & beads aboute him. (They had meett him y^e day before, & he was now returning.) Peach called him to drinke tobaco with them, and he came & sate downe with them. Peach tould y^e other he would kill him, and take what he had from him. But they were some thing afraid; but he said, Hang him, rogue, he had killed many of them. So they let him alone to doe as he would; and when he saw his time, he tooke a rapier and rane him through the body once or twise, and tooke from him 5. fathume of wampam, and 3. coats of cloath, and wente their way, leaving him for dead. But he scrabled away, when they were gone, and made shift to gett home, (but dyed within a few days after,) by which means they were discovered; and by subtilty the Indeans tooke them. For they desiring a canow to sett them over a water, (not thinking their facte had been known,) by y^e sachems command they were carried to Aquidnett Iland, & ther accused of y^e murder, and were examend & comitted upon it by y^e English ther. The Indeans sent for M^r. Williams, & made a greeveous complainte; his freinds and kinred were ready to rise in armes, and provock the rest therunto, some conceiving they should now find y^e Pequents words trew: that y^e English would fall upon them. But M^r. Williams pacified them, & tould them, they should see justice done upon y^e offenders; & wente to y^e man, & tooke M^r. James, a phisition, with him. The man tould him who did it, & in what maner it was done; but the phisition found his wounds mortall, and that he could not live, (as he after testified upon othe, before the jurie in oppen courte,) and so he dyed shortly after, as both Mr. Williams, M^r. James, & some Indeans testified in courte. The Gov^rt in the Bay were aquented with it, but refferrd it hither, because it was done in this jurisdiction;[EB] but pressed by all means y^t justice might be done in it; or els y^e countrie must rise & see justice done, otherwise it would raise a warr. Yet some of y^e rude & ignorante sorte murmured that any English should be put to death for y^e Indeans. So at last they of y^e iland brought them hither, and being often examened, and y^e evidence prodused, they all in the end freely confessed in effect all y^t the Indean accused them of, & that they had done it, in y^e maner afforesaid; and so, upon y^e forementioned evidence, were cast by y^e jurie, & condemned, & executed for the same. And some of y^e Narigansett Indeans, & of y^e parties freinds, were presente when it was done, which gave them & all y^e countrie good satisfaction. But it was a matter of much sadnes to them hear, and was y^e 2. execution which they had since they came; being both for wilfull murder, as hath bene before related. Thus much of this mater.

[229] They received this year more letters from England full of reneued complaints, on y^e one side, that they could gett no money nor accounte from M^r. Sherley; & he againe, y^t he was pressed therto, saying he was to accounte with those hear, and not with them, &c. So, as was before resolved, if nothing came of their last letters, they would now send them what they could, as supposing, when some good parte was payed them, that M^r. Sherley & they would more easily agree aboute y^e remainder.

So they sent to M^r. Andrews and M^r. Beachamp, by M^r. Joseph Yonge, in y^e Mary & Anne, 1325^li. waight of beaver, devided betweene them. M^r. Beachamp returned an accounte of his moyety, that he made 400^li. starling of it, fraight and all charges paid. But M^r. Andrews, though he had y^e more and beter parte, yet he made not so much of his, through his owne indiscretion; and yet turned y^e loss[EC] upon them hear, but without cause.

They sent them more by bills & other paimente, which was received & acknowledged by them, in money[ED] & y^e like; which was for katle sould of M^r. Allertons, and y^e price of a bark sold, which belonged to y^e stock, and made over to them in money, 434^li. sterling. The whole sume was 1234^li. sterling, save what M^r. Andrews lost in y^e beaver, which was otherwise made good. But yet this did not stay their clamors, as will apeare here after more at large.

It pleased God, in these times, so to blesse y^e cuntry with such access & confluance of people into it, as it was therby much inriched, and catle of all kinds stood at a high rate for diverce years together. Kine were sould at 20^li. and some at 25^li. a peece, yea, some times at 28^li. A cow-calfe usually at 10^li. A milch goate at 3^li. & some at 4^li. And femall kids at 30^s. and often at 40^s. a peece. By which means y^e anciente planters which had any stock begane to grow in their estats. Corne also wente at a round rate, viz. 6^s. a bushell. So as other trading begane to be neglected; and the old partners (having now forbidden M^r. Sherley to send them any more goods) broke of their trade at Kenebeck, and, as things stood, would follow it no longer. But some of them, (with other they joyned with,) being loath it should be lost by discontinuance, agreed with y^e company for it, and gave them aboute y^e 6. parte of their gaines for it; [230][EE] with y^e first fruits of which they builte a house for a prison; and the trade ther hath been since continued, to y^e great benefite of y^e place; for some well fore-sawe that these high prises of corne and catle would not long continue, and that then y^e co[=m]odities ther raised would be much missed.

This year, aboute y^e 1. or 2. of June, was a great & fearfull earthquake; it was in this place heard before it was felte. It came with a rumbling noyse, or low murmure, like unto remoate thunder; it came from y^e norward, & pased southward. As y^e noyse aproched nerer, they earth begane to shake, and came at length with that violence as caused platters, dishes, & such like things as stoode upon shelves, to clatter & fall downe; yea, persons were afraid of y^e houses them selves. It so fell oute y^t at y^e same time diverse of y^e cheefe of this towne were mett together at one house, conferring with some of their freinds that were upon their removall from y^e place, (as if y^e Lord would herby shew y^e signes of his displeasure, in their shaking a peeces & removalls one from an other.) How ever it was very terrible for y^e time, and as y^e men were set talking in y^e house, some women & others were without y^e dores, and y^e earth shooke with y^t violence as they could not stand without catching hould of y^e posts & pails y^t stood next them; but y^e violence lasted not long. And about halfe an hower, or less, came an other noyse & shaking, but nether so loud nor strong as y^e former, but quickly passed over; and so it ceased. It was not only on y^e sea coast, but y^e Indeans felt it within land; and some ships that were upon y^e coast were shaken by it. So powerfull is y^e mighty hand of y^e Lord, as to make both the earth & sea to shake, and the mountaines to tremble before him, when he pleases; and who can stay his hand? It was observed that y^e so[=m]ers, for divers years togeather after this earthquake, were not so hotte & seasonable for y^e ripning of corne & other fruits as formerly; but more could & moyst, & subjecte to erly & untimly frosts, by which, many times, much Indean corne came not to maturitie; but whether this was any cause, I leave it to naturallists to judge.

_Anno Dom: 1639. & Anno Dom: 1640._

These 2. years I joyne togeather, because in them fell not out many things more then y^e ordinary passages of their co[=m]one affaires, which are not needfull to be touched. [231] Those of this plantation having at sundrie times granted lands for severall townships, and amongst y^e rest to y^e inhabitants of Sityate, some wherof issewed from them selves, and allso a large tracte of land was given to their 4. London partners in y^e place, viz. M^r. Sherley, M^r. Beacham, M^r. Andrews, & M^r. Hatherley. At M^r. Hatherley's request and choys it was by him taken for him selfe and them in y^t place; for the other 3. had invested him with power & trust to chose for them. And this tracte of land extended to their utmoste limets that way, and bordered on their neigbours of y^e Massachusets, who had some years after seated a towne (called Hingam) on their lands next to these parts. So as now ther grue great differance betweene these 2. townships, about their bounds, and some meadow grownds that lay betweene them. They of Hingam presumed to alotte parte of them to their people, and measure & stack them out. The other pulled up their stacks, & threw them. So it grew to a controversie betweene the 2. goverments, & many letters and passages were betweene them aboute it; and it hunge some 2. years in suspense. The Courte of Massachusets, appointed some to range their line according to y^e bounds of their patente, and (as they wente to worke) they made it to take in all Sityate, and I know not how much more. Againe, on y^e other hand, according to y^e line of the patente of this place, it would take in Hingame and much more within their bounds.