Narrative of the Troubles with the Indians in New England, To the reader – Errata
An Advertisement to the Reader.
THe following historical Essay, was when first drawn up, intended only for the satisfaction of a private Friend, & not for the use of the publick; therfore hope I may be excused, if I fall short therein of that exactness, which might be expected from one that designedly undertook a Work of this nature: however tursting more to the judgment of some who have accidentally had the perusal thereof, then mine own, I am not unwilling that others should receive benefit thereby. The Compiler of an History can challenge little to himself but methodizing the work, the materials being found to his hand: diligence in gathering them together, and faithfulness in improving them, is all that is upon point required of him, in both which I have endeavoured to make good, what the profession I have now taken up obliges me unto. The matters of fact therein related (being rather Massacres, barbarous inhumane outrages, then acts of Hostility, or valiant atchievements) no more deserve the name of a VVarre, then the report of them the title of an History, therefore I contented my self with a Narrative. Much of what is therein mentioned, dep…nding on the single authority of particular persons, an exact description of every occurrent was har…ely to be obtained: All Souldiers are not like Caesar, able to describe with their pens, what they have done with their Swords: But the most material passages inserted, were either gathered out of the Letters, or taken from the mouthes of such as were eye or ear-witnesses of the things themselves; and those also persons worthy of credit. In such passages as were variously reported by the Actors, or Spectators, that which seemed most probable is only inserted. If any error be committed about the Scituation or distance of places, it may deserve an excuse rather then a censure: For our … in the pursuit of their enemies being drawn into many desert places, in … Woods, and unknown Paths, which no Geographers hand ever measured, scarce any vultures eye had ever seen, there was a necessity to take up many things in reference thereunto upon no better credit sometimes then common Report. One or two passages need a more particular excuse, or at least explication As where it is said, p. 2. that the first Colony was sent hither …, 1606, The mistake is easily helped, by minding the Reader that the Patent or Commission was that year granted, when also Capt. Henery Ch…ons was sent over upon some further discovery of the Country, before the Adventurers would hazard a greater charge: soon after the departure of the said Challons, the same year Sr. John Popham, one of the principal undertakers, sent out another ship to second him under the Command of Capt. H… man, Martin Prin of Bristow being Master, who not finding Challons (for he miscaried in his design being seized by some Strangers in the way) yet returning with good news, the next year they sent out two … with an hundred men, with Ordnance and other Provision, under the conduct of Capt. Geo…g… Popham, & Capt. Rawley Gilbert, who built a Fort in some place about Saga de hoch, called St. George… Fort, the ruines of which are remaining to this day, as some say. Probably other like mistakes may be observed, in describing the bounds and dimensions of some of the Patents, & grants of land belonging to the other Colonies, but an Historian being no Pretorian Iudge, his report cannot prejudice any peoples Iurisdiction, or persons propriety.
Further also where it is said, p. 7. That the Indians had lived peaceably with the English here near forty years, ever since the Pequod Warr; it is to be understood with reference to publick acts of Hostility; for particular mischiefs have been committed by several Indians in some parts of the Country but the actors were not abetted therein by any of their Country-men: As … Nantucket, an Island to the eastward of Cape Cod, where in the end of the year 1664. some villanous Indians murthered some that suffered shipwrac… …pon that Island, yet justice was done upon two or three of the chief actors. In like manner within a few years after the Pequod Warrs, Mris. Hutchinson was killed by the Indians near a Dutch Plantation; about which time some other insol…ncies of like nature were acted by the Indians southward, either upon long Island, or in some place within New-haven Colony. Also a murther was committed at Farmington, another at Woburn, by some Indians in their drunken humors, upon a maid-servant or two, who denied them …rink. All which hinder not the truth of what is affirmed in the Narrative, such murthers being too frequently committed in the most peaceable places in the world. Such errors as are the forementioned, being overlooked by the Candid Reader, it is presumed, there will not be many other faults to be complained of, unless such as are meerly Typographical, or else were ocasioned by the dropping in of particular passages, after the whole was drawn up, which I was willing to insert, although it occasioned the discourse in some places, to be a little more confused then else would have been. If ever the matter require another edition, more acurateness may be observed. If those into wh…se hand th…se shall happen to come, find any satisfaction about the occur… …urrents, that have here fallen out, the Publisher shall account his pains well b…stowed.
To the Reverend Mr. William Hubbard on his most exact History of New-Englands Troubles.
WHen thy rare Piece unto my view once came
It made my Muse that erst did smoke to flame:
Raising my Fancy so sublime, that I
That famous forked Mountain did espie;
Thence in an Extasie I softly fell
Down near unto the Helliconian Well▪
Where Poetry, in Prose, made I did see
By a Mercurian Brai…, which sure was Thee;
Such is thy modest Stile enrich'd with Sence,
Invention fine, faced with Eloquence:
Thy florid Language quaintly doth express
The Truth of matter in a comely Dress;
C…ching the Sen… in such a pleasing Strain
As makes the Readers Heart to leap again:
And sweetly draws him like those Lotteries
Which never miss but alwayes win the Prize:
But whither reves my Muse? What can be done
By'm that augment… the Sea, or lights the Sun?
Go on brave Worthy▪ and let these Essayes,
Like fair Aurora usher in the Rayes
Of a Refulgent Sun arising clear
Hence to illuminate our Hemisphere;
… th' after Ages may extoll the High-One
For's Loving kindness to our little Sion:
And may our Senatours with due regard
These and thy future labours all reward;
Though not in full, yet such incouragement,
As may in them be …ust, to thee content;
For th' present Age, and those that shall ensue,
VVill be perpetual Debrtors unto You.
Fame shall with Honour …rown the… and wee'l raise
Thy lasting Monument in Groves of Bayes.
Heavens bless thee in thy Wor…, and may success
Attend thee here, hereafter Happiness.
J. S.
UPON The elaborate Survey of New-Englands Passions from the NATIVES By the impartial Pen of that worthy Divine Mr. WILLIAM HUBBARD.
A Countreys Thanks with Garlands ready lye
To wreathe the Brows of your Divinity
Renowned Sir: to write the Churches Warre
In ancient times fell to the Prophets share
New-Englands Chronicles are to be had
From Nathans Pen, or Manuscript of Gad.
Purchase wrote much, Hacluyt traversed farr,
Smith and Dutch John de Laet famous are,
Martyr, with learn'd Acosta thousands too,
Here's noveltyes and stile which all out-doe,
VVrote by exacter hand then ever took
Historians Pen since Europe wee forsooke.
I took your Muse for old Columbus Ghost,
Who scrapt acquaintance with this western Coast,
But in converse some pages I might find
Then all Columbus Gemms a brighter mind.
Former Adventures did at best beguile
About these Natives Rise (obscure as Nile)
Their grand Apostle writes of their return▪
Williams their Language; Hubbard how they burn,
Rob, kill and Roast, lead Captive, flay, blaspheme;
of English valour too he makes his Theme,
Whose tragical account may Christned be
New-Englands Travels through the bloudy Sea.
Drake … …enown by creeping round the old;
To treat of this New World our Author's bold.
Names uncouth which ne'r Minshew could reduce
By's Polyglotton to the vulgar use.
Unheard of places like some New-Atlantis,
Before in fancy only, now Newlandis:
New found and subtle Stratagems of Warre,
We can quaint Elton and brave Barriffe spare:
New Discipline and Charges of Command
Are cloath'd in Indian by this English hand.
Moxon who drew two Globes, or whosoere
Must make a third, or else the old ones tear,
To find a Roome for thy new Map by which
Thy friends and Country all thou dost enrich?
Gratitudinis ergò apposuit B. T.
The Printer to the Reader.
BY Reason of the Authors long, and necessary absence from the Press, together with the difficulty of reading his hand, many faults have escaped in the Printing, either by mistaking of words, or mispointing of Sentences, which doe in some places not a little-confound the Sence, which the Reader is desired to correct before he begins to read.
PAg. 1. l. 9. for eight r. right. pag 3 l. 13. for Northwest r. most northerly place. p. 4. l. 15 for Council of Plimouth r. of some Gentleman that had a grant of the Council of Plimouth. p. 5. l. 19. for Pequod. r. Narrhaganset. p. 6. l. 1… after charge r. bu… p. 10. l. 14. after him r. …. p. 15 l. 35. leave out the first that. p. 25 l 4. for defence r shelter. p 27. l 7. for heads r. arms. p. 30 l r4 for attended r. altered. p 31. l. 4 for that r. their. p 34 l 9. for for h…ses r. horses. p. 43. l. 7. for being r. were. p. 47. l. 40 for not r. now. and leave out for the present. l 17 for therefore being r. were p. 4… l 1. leave o…t …o. l 14 before besides. r. and, or further. p. 5…. l. …. for over r. upon p 54 l 3. r. Massachusets Regiment. l ult for there. r. their. p. 55. l 15. for from r. …o. l 27. for hoping r. hoped p. 5… l. 5 for 1665 r 1675. p 58 l. 8 r Ia… p. 61 l for and … for the rest r. that. l. 18 after cause r. which. p 68. l 21 for 27. r. ten or twelv… p 81. l 11. after trusted r. that deceived them. l. 29. after at r. tha… p 104 l. 22. for on Pocasset side … Plimouth.
In the second Part. p 81. between the seventh and eighth line, a whole line is casually omitted in most of the Copyes viz. As for predictions or Presages of the present troubles. p 82 l 29. for blinded r. blended p 83 l 24 leave out but. l 31 r. harrassed. p… g 4 l. 20 r. dispersed for disposed. l 16. after Gentiles put the Parenthesis. p. …7. l. 4. for Stockain r. S…ockam.