History of the War with Indian Savages, Article 15
ARTICLE. XV. The Martyrdome of Mr. Shubael Dummer, with the Fate of York.
BUt the Winter muſt not paſs over, without a Storm of Blood! The Popiſh Indians, after long Silence and Repoſe, in their Inacceſſible Kennels, which made our Frontier Towns, a little Remit their Tired Vigilance, did, Janu. 25. 1691. Set upon the Town of York, where the Inhabitants were in their unguarded Houſes, here and there Scattered, Quiet and Secure. Upon the Firing of a Gun by the Indians, which was their Signal, the Inhabitants looked out, but unto their Amazement, found their Houſes to be Inveſted with horrid Salvages, who immediately kill'd many of thoſe unprovided Inhabitants, and more they took Priſoners. This Body of Indians, Conſiſting of diverſe Hundreds, then ſent in their Summons, to ſome of the Garriſon'd Houſes; and thoſe Garriſons whereof ſome had no more than Two or Three Men in them, yet being ſo well Mann'd, as to Reply, That they would Spend their Blood unto the laſt Drop, e're they would Surrender; theſe Cowardly Miſcreants had not mettle enough to meddle with 'em. So they Retired into their Howling Thickets, having firſt Murdered about Fifty, and Captived near an Hundred, of that unhappy People. In this Calamity, great was the Share, that fell to the Family of Mr. SHUBAEL DUMMER, the Paſtor of the Little Flock thus prey'd upon Thoſe Blood-Hounds, being ſet on by ſome Romiſh Miſſionaries, had long been wiſhing, that they might Em…r…e their Hands, in the Blood of ſome New Engliſh MINISTER; and in this Action, they had their Diabolical Satisfaction. Our Dummer, the Miniſter of York, was One, of whom, for his Exemplary Holin…ſ…, Humbleneſs, Modeſty, Induſtry, and Fidelity, The World was not Worthy. He was a Gentleman Well-Deſcended, Well-Tempered, Well-Educated; and now ſhort of Sixty years of Age. He might have taken for his Coat of Arms, the ſame that the Holy Martyr Hooper Prophetically did, A Lamb in a Flaming Buſh, with Rayes from Heaven ſhining …n it. He had been Sollicited with many Temptations, to Leave his Place, when the Clouds grew Thick and Black, in the Indian Hoſtilities, and were like to break upon it; but he choſe rather, with a paternal Affection to ſtay amongſt thoſe, who had been, ſo many of them, Converted and Edified by his Miniſtry; and he ſpent very much of his own Patramony to Subſiſt among them, when their Diſtreſſes made them unable to ſupport him, as otherwiſe they would have done. In a word, He was one that might, by way of Eminency, be called, A Good Man. This Good Man was juſt going to Take Horſe, at his own Door, upon a Journey in the Service of God, when the Tygres, that were making their Depredations upon the Sheep of York, Siez'd upon this their Shepherd; & they ſhot him ſo, that they left him Dead among the Tribe of Abel, on the Ground. Thus was he, as Ambroſe in his Elegant Oration, De obitu Fratris, Expreſſes it, Non nobis ereptus, ſed periculis. His Wife they carried into Captivity, where through Sorrows and Hardſhips among thoſe Dragons of the Deſart, ſhe alſo quickly Dyed; and his Church, as many of them, as were in that Captivity, Endured This, among other Anguiſhes, that on the Next Lord Day, one of the Tawnies, choſe to Exhibit himſelf unto them, [A Devil as an Angel of Light!] in the Cloaths, whereof they had Stript the Dead Body of this their Father. Many were the Tears, that were dropt throughout New-England, on this Occaſion; and Theſe among the reſt: for, tho' we do not, as Tradition tells us, the Antediluvians did uſe to do, By the Blood of Abel, yet we cannot but mournfully, Sing of the Blood of ſuch an Abel.
EPITAPH.
DVmmer, The Shepherd Sacrific'd,
By Wolves, becauſe the Sheep he priz'd.
The Orphans Father, Churches Light,
The Love of Heav'n, of Hell the Spite.
The Countrys Gapman, and the Face,
That Shone, but knew it not, with Grace.
Hunted by Devils, but Reliev'd
By Angels, and on High Receiv'd.
The Martyr'd Pelican, who Bled
Rather than leave his Charge Unfed.
A proper Bird of Paradiſe,
Shot, and Flow'n thither in a Trice.
Lord, Hear the Cry of Righteous Dummers wounds
Aſcending ſtill againſt the Salvage Hounds,
That Worry thy dear Flocks; and let the Cry
Add Force to Theirs, that at thine Altar ly.
To Compleat the Epitaph of this Good man, there now needs no more, than the famous old Chancers Motto, Mors mihi aerumnarum Requies.