By these things it appars what troubls rise herupon, and how hard they were to be reconciled; for though they hear were hartily sorrie for what was fallen out, yet they conceived they were unjustly injuried, and provoked to what was done; and that their neigbours (haveing no jurisdiction over them) did more then was mete, thus to imprison one of theirs, and bind them to [202] their courte. But yet being assured of their Christian love, and perswaded what was done was out of godly zeale, that religion might not suffer, nor sinne any way covered or borne with, espetially y^e guilte of blood, of which all should be very consciencious in any whom soever, they did indeavore to appease & satisfie them y^e best they could; first, by informing them y^e truth in all circomstances aboute y^e matter; 2^ly, in being willing to referr y^e case to any indifferante and equall hearing and judgmente of the thing hear, and to answere it els wher when they should be duly called therunto; and further they craved M^r. Winthrops, & other of y^e reve^d magistrats ther, their advice & direction herein. This did mollifie their minds, and bring things to a good & comfortable issue in y^e end.

For they had this advice given them by M^r. Winthrop, & others concurring with him, that from their courte, they should write to the neigboure plantations, & espetially that of y^e lords, at Pascataway, and theirs of y^e Massachusets, to appointe some to give them meeting at some fitt place, to consulte & determine in this matter, so as y^e parties meeting might have full power to order & bind, &c. And that nothing be done to y^e infringing or prejudice of y^e liberties of any place. And for y^e clearing of conscience, y^e law of God is, y^t y^e preist lips must be consulted with, and therfore it was desired that y^e ministers of every plantation might be presente to give their advice in pointe of conscience. Though this course seemed dangerous to some, yet they were so well assured of y^e justice of their cause, and y^e equitie of their freinds, as they put them selves upon it, & appointed a time, of which they gave notice to y^e severall places a month before hand; viz. Massachusets, Salem, & Pascataway, or any other y^t they would give notice too, and disired them to produce any evidence they could in y^e case. The place for meeting was at Boston. But when y^e day & time came, none apered, but some of y^e magistrats and ministers of y^e Massachusets, and their owne. Seeing none of Passcataway or other places came, (haveing been thus desired, & conveniente time given them for y^t end,) M^r. Winthrop & y^e rest said they could doe no more then they had done thus to requeste them, y^e blame must rest on them. So they fell into a fair debating of things them selves; and after all things had been fully opened & discussed, and y^e opinione of each one demanded, both magistrats, and ministers, though they all could have wished these things had never been, yet they could not but lay y^e blame & guilt on Hockins owne head; and withall gave them such grave & godly exhortations and advice, as they thought meete, both for y^e presente & future; which they allso imbraced with love & thankfullnes, promising to indeavor to follow y^e same. And thus was this matter ended, and ther love and concord renewed; and also M^r. Winthrop & M^r. Dudley write in their behalfes to y^e Lord Ssay & other gentl-men that were interesed in y^t plantation, very effectually, w^th which, togeather with their owne leters, and M^r. Winslows furder declaration of things unto them, they rested well satisfied.

[203] M^r. Winslow was sente by them this year into England, partly to informe and satisfie y^e Lord Say & others, in y^e former matter, as also to make answer and their just defence for y^e same, if any thing should by any be prosecuted against them at Counsell-table, or els wher; but this matter tooke end, without any further trouble, as is before noted. And partly to signifie unto y^e partners in England, that the terme of their trade with y^e company here was out, and therfore he was sente to finishe y^e accounts with them, and to bring them notice how much debtore they should remaine on y^t accounte, and that they might know what further course would be best to hold. But y^e issue of these things will appear in y^e next years passages. They now sente over by him a great returne, which was very acceptable unto them; which was in beaver 3738^li. waight, (a great part of it, being coat-beaver, sould at 20^s. p^r pound,) and 234. otter skines;[DL] which alltogeather rise to a great sume of money.

This year (in y^e foreparte of y^e same) they sente forth a barke to trad at y^e Dutch-Plantation; and they mette ther with on Captaine Stone, that had lived in Christophers, one of y^e West-Ende Ilands, and now had been some time in Virginia, and came from thence into these parts. He kept company with y^e Dutch Gove^r, and, I know not in what drunken fitt, he gott leave of y^e Gov^r to ceaise on their barke, when they were ready to come away, and had done their markett, haveing y^e valew of 500^li. worth of goods abord her; having no occasion at all, or any collour of ground for such a thing, but having made y^e Gov^r drunck, so as he could scarce speake a right word; and when he urged him hear aboute, he answered him, Als 't u beleeft.[DM] So he gat abord, (the cheefe of their men & marchant being ashore,) and with some of his owne men, made y^e rest of theirs waigh anchor, sett sayle, & carry her away towards Virginia. But diverse of y^e Dutch sea-men, which had bene often at Plimoth, and kindly entertayned ther, said one to another, Shall we suffer our freinds to be thus abused, and have their goods carried away, before our faces, whilst our Gov^r is drunke? They vowed they would never suffer it; and so gott a vessell or 2. and pursued him, & brought him in againe, and delivered them their barke & goods againe.

After wards Stone came into y^e Massachusets, and they sent & commensed suite against him for this facte; but by mediation of freinds it was taken up, and y^e suite lett fall. And in y^e company of some other gentle-men Stone came afterwards to Plimoth, and had freindly & civill entertainmente amongst them, with y^e rest; but revenge boyled within his brest, (though concelled,) for some conceived he had a purpose (at one time) to have staped the Gov^r, and put his hand to his dagger for that end, but by Gods providence and y^e vigilance of some was prevented. He afterward returned to Virginia, in a pinass, with one Captaine Norton & some others; and, I know not for what occasion, they would needs goe up Coonigtecutt River; and how they carried themselves I know not, but y^e Indeans knoct him in y^e head, as he lay in his cabine, and had thrown y^e covering over his face (whether out of fear or desperation is uncertaine); this was his end. They likewise killed all y^e rest, but Captaine Norton defended him selfe a long time against them all in y^e cooke-roome, till by accidente the gunpowder tooke fire, which (for readynes) he had sett in an open thing before him, which did so burne, & scald him, & blind his eyes, as he could make no longer resistance, but was slaine also by them, though they much comended his vallour. And having killed y^e men, they made a pray of what they had, and chafered away some of their things to y^e Dutch that lived their. But it was not longe before a quarell fell betweene the Dutch & them, and they would have cutt of their bark; but they slue y^e cheef sachem w^th y^e shott of a murderer.[DN]

I am now to relate some strang and remarkable passages. Ther was a company of people lived in y^e country, up above in y^e river of Conigtecut, a great way from their trading house ther, and were enimise to those Indeans which lived aboute them, and of whom they stood in some fear (bing a stout people). About a thousand of them had inclosed them selves in a forte, which they had strongly palissadoed about. 3. or 4. Dutch men went up in y^e begining of winter to live with them, to gett their trade, and prevente them for bringing it to y^e English, or to fall into amitie with them; but at spring to bring all downe to their place. But their enterprise failed, for it pleased God to visite these Indeans with a great sicknes, and such a mortalitie that of a 1000. above 900. and a halfe of them dyed, and many of them did rott above ground for want of buriall, and y^e Dutch men allmost starved before they could gett away, for ise and snow. But about Feb: they got with much difficultie to their trading house; whom they kindly releeved, being allmost spente with hunger and could. Being thus refreshed by them diverce days, they got to their owne place, and y^e Dutch were very thankfull for this kindnes.

This spring, also, those Indeans that lived aboute their trading house there fell sick of y^e small poxe, and dyed most miserably; for a sorer disease cannot befall them; they fear it more then y^e plague; for usualy they that have this disease have them in abundance, and for wante of bedding & lin̅ing and other helps, they fall into a lamentable condition, as they lye on their hard matts, y^e poxe breaking and mattering, and runing one into another, their skin cleaving (by reason therof) to the matts they lye on; when they turne them, a whole side will flea of at once, [204] (as it were,) and they will be all of a gore blood, most fearfull to behold; and then being very sore, what with could and other distempers, they dye like rotten sheep. The condition of this people was so lamentable, and they fell downe so generally of this diseas, as they were (in y^e end) not able to help on another; no, not to make a fire, nor to fetch a litle water to drinke, nor any to burie y^e dead; but would strivie as long as they could, and when they could procure no other means to make fire, they would burne y^e woden trayes & dishes they ate their meate in, and their very bowes & arrowes; & some would crawle out on all foure to gett a litle water, and some times dye by y^e way, & not be able to gett in againe. But those of y^e English house, (though at first they were afraid of y^e infection,) yet seeing their woefull and sadd condition, and hearing their pitifull cries and lamentations, they had compastion of them, and dayly fetched them wood & water, and made them fires, gott them victualls whilst they lived, and buried them when they dyed. For very few of them escaped, notwithstanding they did what they could for them, to y^e haszard of them selvs. The cheefe Sachem him selfe now dyed, & allmost all his freinds & kinred. But by y^e marvelous goodnes & providens of God not one of y^e English was so much as sicke, or in y^e least measure tainted with this disease, though they dayly did these offices for them for many weeks togeather. And this mercie which they shewed them was kindly taken, and thankfully acknowledged of all y^e Indeans that knew or heard of y^e same; and their m^rs here did much comend & reward them for y^e same.

Anno Dom: 1635.

M^r. Winslow was very wellcome to them in England, and y^e more in regard of y^e large returne he brought with him, which came all safe to their hands, and was well sould. And he was borne in hand, (at least he so apprehended,) that all accounts should be cleared before his returne, and all former differences ther aboute well setled. And so he writ over to them hear, that he hoped to cleare y^e accounts, and bring them over with him; and y^t the accounte of y^e White Angele would be taken of, and all things fairly ended. But it came to pass [205] that, being occasioned to answer some complaints made against the countrie at Counsell bord, more cheefly concerning their neigbours in y^e Bay then them selves hear, the which he did to good effecte, and further prosecuting such things as might tend to y^e good of y^e whole, as well them selves as others, aboute y^e wrongs and incroachments that the French & other strangers both had and were like further to doe unto them, if not prevented, he prefered this petition following to their Hon^rs that were deputed Comissioners for y^e Plantations.

This petition found good acceptation with most of them, and Mr. Winslow was heard sundry times by them, and appointed further to attend for an answer from their Lo^pps, espetially, having upon conferance with them laid downe a way how this might be doone without any either charge or trouble to y^e state; only by furnishing some of y^e cheefe of y^e cuntry hear with authoritie, who would undertake it at their owne charge, and in such a way as should be without any publick disturbance. But this crossed both S^r Ferdinandos Gorges' & Cap: Masons designe, and y^e arch-bishop of Counterberies by them; for S^r Ferd: Gorges (by y^e arch-pps favore) was to have been sent over generall Gov^r into y^e countrie, and to have had means from y^e state for y^t end, and was now upon dispatch and conclude of y^e bussines. And y^e arch-bishops purposs & intente was, by his means, & some he should send with him, (to be furnished with Episcopall power,) [206] to disturbe y^e peace of y^e churches here, and to overthrow their proceedings and further growth, which was y^e thing he aimed at. But it so fell out (by Gods providence) that though he in y^e end crost this petition from taking any further effecte in this kind, yet by this as a cheefe means the plotte and whole bussines of his & S^r Ferdinandos fell to y^e ground, and came to nothing. When M^r. Winslow should have had his suit granted, (as indeed upon y^e pointe it was,) and should have been confirmed, the arch-bishop put a stop upon it, and M^r. Winslow, thinking to gett it freed, went to y^e bord againe; but y^e bishop, S^r Ferd: and Captine Masson, had, as it seemes, procured Morton (of whom mention is made before, & his base carriage) to complaine; to whose complaints M^r. Winslow made answer to y^e good satisfaction of y^e borde, who checked Morton and rebuked him sharply, & allso blamed S^r Fer^d Gorges, & Masson, for countenancing him. But y^e bish: had a further end & use of his presence, for he now begane to question M^r. Winslow of many things; as of teaching in y^e church publickly, of which Morton accused him, and gave evidence that he had seen and heard him doe it; to which M^r. Winslow answered, that some time (wanting a minster) he did exercise his gifte to help y^e edification of his breethren, when they wanted better means, w^ch was not often. Then aboute mariage, the which he also confessed, that, haveing been called to place of magistracie, he had sometimes maried some. And further tould their lord^ps y^t mariage was a civille thinge, & he found no wher in y^e word of God y^t it was tyed to ministrie. Again, they were necessitated so to doe, having for a long time togeather at first no minister; besids, it was no new-thing, for he had been so maried him selfe in Holand, by y^e magistrats in their Statt-house. But in y^e end (to be short), for these things, y^e bishop, by vemente importunity, gott y^e bord at last to consente to his comittemente; so he was comited to y^e Fleete, and lay ther 17. weeks, or ther aboute, before he could gett to be released. And this was y^e end of this petition, and this bussines; only y^e others designe was also frustrated hereby, with other things concurring, which was no smalle blessing to y^e people here.

But y^e charge fell heavie on them hear, not only in M^r. Winslows expences, (which could not be smale,) but by y^e hinderance of their bussines both ther and hear, by his personall imploymente. For though this was as much or more for others then for them hear, and by them cheefly he was put on this bussines, (for the plantation kēwe nothing of it till they heard of his imprisonmente,) yet y^e whole charge lay on them.

Now for their owne bussines; whatsoever M^r. Sherleys mind was before, (or M^r. Winslow apprehension of y^e same,) he now declared him selfe plainly, that he would neither take of y^e White-Angell from y^e accounte, nor [207] give any further accounte, till he had received more into his hands; only a prety good supply of goods were sent over, but of y^e most, no note of their prises, or so orderly an invoyce as formerly; which M^r. Winslow said he could not help, because of his restrainte. Only now M^r. Sherley & M^r. Beachamp & M^r. Andrews sent over a letter of atturney under their hands & seals, to recovere what they could of M^r. Allerton for y^e Angells accounte; but sent them neither y^e bonds, nor covenants, or such other evidence or accounts, as they had aboute these matters. I shall here inserte a few passages out of M^r. Sherleys letters aboute these things.

This year they sustained an other great loss from y^e French. Monsier de Aulnay coming into y^e harbore of Penobscote, and having before gott some of y^e cheefe y^t belonged to y^e house abord his vessell, by sutlty coming upon them in their shalop, he gott them to pilote him in; and after getting y^e rest into his power, he tooke possession of y^e house in y^e name of y^e king of France; and partly by threatening, & other wise, made Mr. Willett (their agente ther) to approve of y^e sale of y^e goods their unto him, of which he sett y^e price him selfe [208] in effecte, and made an inventory therof, (yett leaving out sundry things,) but made no paymente for them; but tould them in convenient time he would doe it if they came for it. For y^e house & fortification, &c. he would not alow, nor accounte any thing, saing that they which build on another mans ground doe forfite y^e same. So thus turning them out of all, (with a great deale of complemente, and many fine words,) he let them have their shalop and some victualls to bring them home. Coming home and relating all the passages, they here were much troubled at it, & haveing had this house robbed by y^e French once before, and lost then above 500^li. (as is before remembred), and now to loose house & all, did much move them. So as they resolved to consulte with their freinds in y^e Bay, and if y^ey approved of it, (ther being now many ships ther,) they intended to hire a ship of force, and seeke to beat out y^e Frenche, and recover it againe. Ther course was well approved on, if them selves could bear y^e charge; so they hired a fair ship of above 300. tune, well fitted with ordnance, and agreed with y^e m^r. (one Girling) to this effect: that he and his company should deliver them y^e house, (after they had driven out, or surprised y^e French,) and give them peacable possession therof, and of all such trading comodities as should ther be found; and give y^e French fair quarter & usage, if they would yeeld. In consideration wherof he was to have 700^li. of beaver, to be delivered him ther, when he had done y^e thing; but if he did not accomplish it, he was to loose his labour, and have nothing. With him they also sent their owne bark, and about 20. men, with Captaine Standish, to aide him (if neede weer), and to order things, if the house was regained; and then to pay him y^e beaver, which they keept abord their owne barke. So they with their bark piloted him thither, and brought him safe into y^e harbor. But he was so rash & heady as he would take no advice, nor would suffer Captaine Standish to have time to summone them, (who had com̅ission & order so to doe,) neither would doe it him selfe; the which, it was like, if it had been done, & they come to affaire parley, seeing their force, they would have yeelded. Neither would he have patience to bring his ship wher she might doe execution, but begane to shoot at distance like a madd man, and did them no hurte at all; the which when those of y^e plantation saw, they were much greeved, and went to him & tould him he would doe no good if he did not lay his ship beter to pass (for she might lye within pistoll shott of y^e house). At last, when he saw his owne folly, he was perswaded, and layed her well, and bestowed a few shott to good purposs. But now, when he was in a way to doe some good, his powder was goone; for though he had ...[DO] peece of ordnance, it did now [209] appeare he had but a barrell of powder, and a peece; so he could doe no good, but was faine to draw of againe; by which means y^e enterprise was made frustrate, and y^e French incouraged; for all y^e while that he shot so unadvisedly, they lay close under a worke of earth, & let him consume him selfe. He advised with y^e Captaine how he might be supplyed with powder, for he had not to carie him home; so he tould him he would goe to y^e next plantation, and doe his indeour to procure him some, and so did; but understanding, by intelligence, that he intended to ceiase on y^e barke, & surprise y^e beaver, he sent him the powder, and brought y^e barke & beaver home. But Girling never assualted y^e place more, (seeing him selfe disapoyented,) but went his way; and this was y^e end of this bussines.

Upon y^e ill success of this bussines, the Gov^r and Assistants here by their leters certified their freinds in y^e Bay, how by this ship they had been abused and disapoynted, and y^t the French partly had, and were now likly to fortifie them selves more strongly, and likly to become ill neigbours to y^e English. Upon this they thus writ to them as folloeth:—

Upon the receite of y^e above mentioned, they presently deputed 2. of theirs to treate with them, giving them full power to conclude, according to the instructions they gave them, being to this purposs: that if they would afford such assistance as, togeather with their owne, was like to effecte the thing, and allso bear a considerable parte of y^e charge, they would goe on; if not, [210] they (having lost so much allready) should not be able, but must desiste, and waite further opportunitie as God should give, to help them selves. But this came to nothing, for when it came to y^e issue, they would be at no charge, but sente them this letter, and referd them more at large to their owne messengers.

This thing did not only thus breake of, but some of their merchants shortly after sent to trad with them, and furnished them both with provissions, & poweder & shott; and so have continued to doe till this day, as they have seen opportunitie for their profite. So as in truth y^e English them selves have been the cheefest supporters of these French; for besids these, the plantation at Pemaquid (which lyes near unto them) doth not only supply them with what y^ey wante, but gives them continuall intelligence of all things that passes among y^e English, (espetially some of them,) so as it is no marvell though they still grow, & incroach more & more upon y^e English, and fill y^e Indeans with gunes & munishtion, to y^e great deanger of y^e English, who lye open & unfortified, living upon husbandrie; and y^e other closed up in their forts, well fortified, and live upon trade, in good securitie. If these things be not looked too, and remeady provided in time, it may easily be conjectured what they may come toe; but I leave them.

This year, y^e 14. or 15. of August (being Saturday) was such a mighty storme of wind & raine, as none living in these parts, either English or Indeans, ever saw. Being like (for y^e time it continued) to those Hauricanes and Tuffons that writers make mention of in y^e Indeas. It began in y^e morning, a litle before day, and grue not by degrees, but came with violence in y^e begining, to y^e great amasmente of many. It blew downe sundry [211] houses, & uncovered others; diverce vessells were lost at sea, and many more in extreme danger. It caused y^e sea to swell (to y^e southward of this place) above 20. foote, right up & downe, and made many of the Indeans to clime into trees for their saftie; it tooke of y^e borded roofe of a house which belonged to the plantation at Manamet, and floted it to another place, the posts still standing in y^e ground; and if it had continued long without y^e shifting of y^e wind, it is like it would have drouned some parte of y^e cuntrie. It blew downe many hundered thowsands of trees, turning up the stronger by the roots, and breaking the hiegher pine trees of in the midle, and y^e tall yonge oaks & walnut trees of good biggnes were wound like a withe, very strang & fearfull to behould. It begane in y^e southeast, and parted toward y^e south & east, and vered sundry ways; but y^e greatest force of it here was from y^e former quarters. It continued not (in y^e extremitie) above 5. or 6. houers, but y^e violence begane to abate. The signes and marks of it will remaine this 100. years in these parts wher it was sorest. The moone suffered a great eclips the 2. night after it.

Some of their neighbours in y^e Bay, hereing of y^e fame of Conightecute River, had a hankering mind after it, (as was before noted,) and now understanding that y^e Indeans were swepte away with y^e late great mortalitie, the fear of whom was an obstacle unto them before, which being now taken away, they begane now to prosecute it with great egernes. The greatest differances fell betweene those of Dorchester plantation and them hear; for they set their minde on that place, which they had not only purchased of y^e Indeans, but wher they had builte; intending only (if they could not remove them) that they should have but a smale moyety left to y^e house, as to a single family; whose doings and proceedings were conceived to be very injurious, to attempte not only to intrude them selves into y^e rights & possessions of others, but in effect to thrust them out of all. Many were y^e leters & passages that went betweene them hear aboute, which would be to long here to relate.

I shall here first inserte a few lines that was write by their own agente from thence.

Amongst y^e many agitations that pased betweene them, I shal note a few out of their last letters, & for y^e present omitte y^e rest, except upon other occasion I may have fitter opportunity. After their thorrow veiw of y^e place, they began to pitch them selves upon their land & near their house; which occasioned much expostulation betweene them. Some of which are such as follow.