Narrative of the Troubles with the Indians in New England, Narrative 1 (2 of 2)
In the years 1645, and 1646. they grew so insolent, that the Commissioners of the united Colonyes were compelled to raise Forces to go against them, but when they perceived that the English were in good earnest, they began to be afraid, and sued for peace, and submitted to pay a tribute to satisfy for the charge of preparation for the warr, but were alwayes very backward to make payment untill the English were forced to demand it by new Forces, so that it appeared they were unwillingly willing to hold any friendly correspondence with the English, yet durst they never make any open attempt upon them, untill the present Rebellion, where in that they had no small land, is too too evident, notwithstanding all their pretences to the conrary, as will appear in the sequell of this History.
Thus it is apparent upon what Terms the English stood with the Narhagansets, ever since the cutting off Miantonimoh, their chief Sachems head by Vncas, it being done from the advice and Counsell of the English Anno 1643. As for the rest of the Indians, ever since the suppressing of the Pequods in the year 1637 untill the year 1675, there was alwayes in▪ appearance amity and good correspondence on all sides, scarce an English man was ever known▪ to be ass…lted or hurt by any of them, until after the year 1671, when the son of one Matoonas, who …s was supposed, being vexed in his mind that the design against the English, intended to begin 1671 did not take place, out of meer malice and …pight against them, slew an English-man travelling along the Road, the said Matoonas being a Nipnet Indian, which Nipnets were under the command of the Sachem of Mount-hope the Author of all the present mischiefs. Upon a due enquiry into all preceding transactions between the Indians and the English, from their first setling in these coasts, there will appear no ground of quarrell that any of them had against the English, nor any appearance of provocation upon one account or other; for when Plimouth Colony was first planted, within three moneths after their first landing, March. 16. 1620. Massasoit the chief Sachem of all that side of the Country repaired to the English at Plimouth, and entred into a solemn League upon sundry Articles printed in N. E. Memorial 166…. P. 24. the words are as followeth.
1. THat neither he, nor any of his should injure or doe hurt to any of their people.
2. That if any of his did any hurt to any of theirs, he should send the Offender that they might punish him.
3. That if any thing were taken away from any of theirs, he should cause it to be restored; and they should doe the like to his.
4. That if any did unjustly warr against him, they should aid him; and … any did warr against them, he should aid them;
5. That he should send to his neighbour Confederates, to certifie them of this, that they might not wrong… them, but might be likewise comprised in these Conditions of Peace.
6. That when his Men came to them upon any occasion, they should leave their Arms (which were then Bows and Arrows) behind them.
7. Lastly, that so doing, their Soveraign Lord King James would esteem him as his Friend and Ally.
The which League the same Sachim, Sept. 25. 1630. a little before his death, coming with his eldest Son, afterward called Alexander, did renew with the English at the Court of Plimouth, for himself and his Son, and their Hours and Successers: and after that he came to Mr. Browns, that lived not far from Mount Hope, bringing his two Sons, Alexander and Philip with him, desiring that the…e m…ght be Love and Amitv after his death, between his Sons and them, as there had been betwixt himself and them in former times: yet it is very remarkable, that this Massasoit, called also Woosamequen (how much soever he affected the English, yet) was never in the least degree any wayes well affected to the Religion of the English, but would in his last Treaty with his Neighbours at Plimouth when they were with him about purchasing some Land at Swanzy, have had them engaged never to attempt to draw away any of his People from their old Pag…n Superstition, and Devilish Idolatry, to the Christian Religion, and did much insist upon it till he saw the English were resolved never to make any Treaty with him more upon that account, which when he discerned, he did not further urge it: but that was a bad Omen that notwithstanding what ever his humanity were to the English, as they were Strangers) for indeed they … repayed his forme kindness to them, by protecting him afterwards against the insolencies of the Narrhagansets) he manifested no small displacency of Spirit against them as they were Christians: which strain was evident more in his Son that succeeded him, and all his People, in so much that some di…cerning persons of that Jurisdiction have feared that that Nation of Indians would all be rooted out, as is since come to pass. The like may be observed concerning he Narrhagansets, who were alwayes more civil and courteous to the English then any of the other Indians, yet never as yet received the least tincture of Christian Religion, but have in a manner run the same fare with the rest of their Neighbours of Mount Hope, there being very few of them now left standing. Nor is it unworthy the Relation, what a person of quality amongst us hath of late affirmed, one being much con…ersant with the Indians about Merimack River, being Anno. 1660. invited by some Sagamores or Sachims to a great Dance (which solemnities are the times they make use of to tell their stories, and convey the knowledge of fore past and most memorable things to Posterity) Passaconaway, the great Sachim of that part of the Country, intending at that time to make his last and farwel speech to his Children and People, that were then all gathered together, to whom he addressed himself in this manner:
I am now going the way of all Flesh, or ready to dy, and not likely to see you ever met together any more. I will now leave this word of Counsel with you, that you take heed how you quarrel with the English, for though you may do them much mischief; yet assuredly you will all be destroyed, and rooted off the Earth if you do: for, said he, I was as much an Enemy to the English, at their first coming into these parts, as; any one whatsoever, and did try all ways and means possible to have destroyed them, at least to have prevented them fitting down here, but I could no way effect it (it is to be noted that this Pass conaway was the most noted Pawaw and Sorcerer of all the Country) therefore I advise you never to contend with the English, nor make war with them: And accordingly his eldest Son Wonnalancet by name, as soon as he perceived that the Indians were up in Arms, he withdrew himself into some remote place, that be might not be burt by the English, or the Enemies, or be in danger by them.
This Passage was thought fit to be inserted here, it having so near an agreement with the former, inmamtting some secret awe of God upon the hearts of some of the principal amongst them, that they durst not hurt the English, although they bare no good affection to their Religion, wherein they seem not a little to imitate Balaam, who whatever he uttered, when he was under the awful power of divine illumination, yet when left to himself, was as bad an Enemy to the Israel of God as ever before.
But to return, whence there hath been this Digreffion:
After the death of this Woosamequen or Massasoit, his eldest Son succeeded him about twenty years since, Alexander by name, who notwithstanding the League he had entred into with the English, together with his Father, in the year 1639. had neither affection to the Englishmens persons, nor yet to their Religion, but had been plotting with the Narhagansets, to rise against the English; of which the Governour and Council of Plimouth being informed, they presently sent for him to being him to the Court, the person to whom that service was committed, was a prudent and resolute Gentleman, the present Governour of the said Colony, who was neither afraid of Danger, nor yet willing to delay in a matter of that moment, he forthwith taking eight or ten stout men with him well armed, intended to have gone to the said Alexanders dwelling, distant at least forty miles from the Governours house, but by a good providence, he found him whom he went to seek as an Hunting House, within six miles of the English Towns, where the said Alexander with about eighty men were newly come in from Hunting, and had left their Guns without doors, which Major Winslow with his small company wisely seized, and conveyed away, and then went into the Wigwam, and demanded Alexander to go along with him before the Governour, at which message he was much appalld, but being told by the undaunted Messenger, that if he stird or refused to go he was a dead man; he was by one of his chief Counsellors, in whose advice he most confided, perswaded to go along to the Governours house, but such was the pride and height of his Spirit, that the very surprizal of him, raised his Choler and indignation, that it put him into a Feaver, which notwithstanding all possible means that could be used, seemed Mortal; whereupon intreating those that held him Prisoner, that he might have liberty to return home, promising to return again if he recovered, and to send his Son as Hostage till he could so do; on that consideration he was fairly dismissed, but dyed before he got half way home: Here let it be observed, that although some have taken up false Reports, as if the English had compelled him to go further or faster then he was able, and so fell into a Feaver, or as if he were not well used by the Physitian that looked to him, while he was with the English, all which are notoriously false; nor is it to be imagined that a person of so noble a disposition as is that Gentleman (at that time imployed to bring him) should himself, or suffer any else to be uncivil to a person allied to them, by his own, as well as his Fathers League as the said Philip also was; nor was any thing of that nature ever objected to the English of Plimouth, by the said Alexanders Brother, by name Philip, commonly for his ambitious and haughty Spirit nicknamed King-Philip, when he came in the year 1662. in his own person with Sansaman his Secretary and chief Counsellor to renew the former League that had been between his Predecessors and the English of Plimouth: but there was as much correspondence betwixt them for the next seven years as ever had been in any former times, what can be imagined therefore, besides the instigation of Satan, that either envied at the prosperity of the Church of God here seated, or else fearing lest the power of the Lord Jesus, that had overthrown his kingdome in other parts of the World, should do the like here, and so the stone taken out of the Mountain without hands, should become a great Mountain it self, and fill the whole earth, no cause of provocation being by the English; For once before this in the year 1671 the Devill, who was a Murderer from the beginning, had so filled the heart of this salvage Miscreant with envy and ma…ice against the English, that he was ready to break out into open war against the Inhabitants of Plimouth, pretending some petite injuryes done him in his planting land, but when the master of controversie came to be heard before diverse of the Massachusets Colony, yea when he himself came to Boston, as it were referring his case to the Judgment of that Colony, nothing of that nature could be made to appear, whereupon in way of submission, he was of necessity by that evident conviction forced to acknowledge that it was the naughtiness of his own heart, that put him upon that Rebellion, and nothing of any provocation from the English, and to a Consession of this nature, with a solemn renewal of his Covenant, declaring his desire, that this his Covenant might testifie to the world against him, if ever he should prove unsaithfull to those of Plimouth, or any other of the English Colonyes therein, himself with his … Counsellors subscribed in the presence of some Messengers sent on purpose to hear the difference between Plimouth and the said Philip. But for further satisfaction of the Reader, the said Agreement and Submission shall here be published.