Maidesfield and burnt at least fifty Houses killed and took divers of the Inhabitants being all surprised before they were aware For the subtle Indians near day-break came about the Houses privately and lay close in the Fences and as people came out of their Houses shot them down Upon this the Governour of Massachuset sent out about Five hundred or Six hundred men under the Conduct of Major Thomas Savadge and Captain Mosely as next in Command to him who having intelligence by a girl that had made her escape that the Indians were in Three Towns beyond Quoboge marched thither where they joyned Major Treat with the Connecticot Forces but the Enemy were fled only skulkingly out of the Woods they shot one of Captain Moseleys men and wounded one or two more But their main body being closely pursued dispersed and ran into Woods and Swamps so that it was impossible for our men to come up with them and therefore marched away for Hadley and Northampton to secure them and the other Towns in those parts and by a special Providence came very seasonably For within two days after his Arrival Northampton though fortified round was assaulted the Centinel surprised and slain and the Enemy entred the Fortifications Being ignorant as it is supposed of any Recruits newly come thither but found such warm entertainment that though they had kindled their fire they durst not stay to roast their break-fast but were forced to fly with great confusion we having lost only three men and the Enemy above twenty as was judged though the number could not be certainly known it being their Custome to carry off their dead always with them if possible The next day they appeared about a thousand strong whereupon the Major drew out his Forces and pursued them to their usuall place of Rendevouz near Deerfield But they would not abide his coming up with them but fled dispersedly into the Woods where he was able to do little or no Execution upon them The Councill of Boston to the great surprize of many people refusing to maintain the Narraganset Garrison raised by the United Colonies lodged as aforesaid in Mr Smiths house they having eat and destroyed what they could quitted the said House those of the Soldiers that belonged to Connecticot hiring a Boat to transport them to Pawcatucke fearing to March through the Narraganset Countrey and those of the Massachusets and Plimmouth went to Seacunicke But the very next day after their Departure the Indians came and burnt the said Garrison-house one of the most delightfull seats in New-England and another house of the said Capt. Smiths at Sawgaw together with all the Houses at Narraganset and the day following assaulted Warwick with so unhappy a successe that they burnt most of the Houses there and indeed ruined all but four which during the present danger were kept by their owners with their friends and servants as Garrisons Out of which there was a sally made with Twenty men who with the losse of one of their number killed ten of the Indians yet could not preserve the rest of the Town nor hinder them from carrying from thence a Considerable booty of Cattel The 14th of March the savage Enemy set upon a Considerble Town called Groughton and burnt Major Wilberds House first who with his Family removed to Charls Town and afterwards destroyed sixty Five dwelling-houses more there leaving but six houses standing in the whole Town which they likewise furiously attempted to set on fire But being fortified with Arms and Men as Garisons they with their shot killed several of the Enemy and prevented so much of their designe Nor do we hear that any person on our side was here either slain or taken captive But the very next day two men coming from Malbury to Sudbury were set upon in the Woods by a great Number of Indian Women armed with Clubs pieces of Swords and the like who by their numbers having over-mastered the two poor Travellers that had nothing but small sticks to defend themselves with beat out their brains and cut off their privy members which they carried away with them in triumph so vain it is to expect any thing but the most barbarous usages from such a people amongst whom the most milde and gentle sex delight in cruelties and have utterly abandoned at once the two proper Virtues of Womankinde Pity and Modesty Their next Attempt I mean of any considerable Body of the Indians was upon a Town called Nashaway which they set fire to and burnt down to the ground There was little resistance made here people endeavouring rather to escape their Fury by flight then opposition and yet they killed many burnt the Town down to the ground and took no lesse then five and fifty persons into their mercilesse Captivity And that you may perceive the malicious hatred these Infidels have to Religion and Piety it may be observed how they endeavour to signalize their Cruelty and gratifie their enraged spleen chiefly on the promoters of it For of these 55. Captives the Minister of the Towns Relations made up no lesse then seventeen viz. Mrs Rowlinson the Ministers Wife and his three Children and two Sisters of her own with seven and the other with four Children As they were leading them away in this lamentable condition one of the Sisters being big with childe going into the Woods to be privately delivered the Indians followed and in a jeering manner they would help her and be her Midwives and thereupon they barbarously ript up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and burnt the childe before her face and then in a mercifull cruelty to put her out of her pain knockt her o' th head There was a Report that they had forced Mrs Rowlinson to marry the one-eyed Sachem but it was soon contradicted For being a very pious Woman and of great Faith the Lord wonderfully supported her under this affliction so that she appeared and behaved her self amongst them with so much courage and majestick gravity that none durst offer any violence to her but on the contrary in their rude manner seemed to shew her great respect But who can expresse the sorrows of her Husband the Minister and his Brother when returning from Boston presently after the Engagement they found all their Goods destroyed their Houses laid in ashes and their dear Wives and Children thus miserably captivated This was a fit Scene for Faith and Patience to be exercised in In such a juncture of affairs a man had need have a God to go to for support and an Interest in Christ to yield him Consolation Mr Rowlinson after much pains and trouble ransomed his Wife for Twenty Pounds and got her out of their hands but his children and the rest if living remain still in that most Wretched Slavery About the same time one Mr. Clarks Wife Children and all his Family at his Farm-house two miles from Plimouth were surprized and killed except one Boy who was knockt down and left for dead but afterwards
them as are Freemen may as many of them as may be timely put in their Votes by Proxy which for this extraordinary season is most advisable and hereby Recommended to them to do All Soldiers and Inhabitants being hereby enjoyned and Commanded in all respects to yield Obedience accordingly By the Council Edward Rawson Secr. April 26. Captain Hinskman having received Commission and Instruction did then march for Major Wilberds Funerall who died in his bed in peace though God had honoured him with severall signal Victories over our Enemys in war to Charles-Town and from thence to Concord the place of Rendevouz From Mr. Woodcocks Garison we hear that himself and two of his Sons and some other men being gone out to labour in the field were about this time surprised one of his Sons and another man being killed and himself and the other Son dangerously though as it pleased God not mortally wounded so that there were only five sound persons left to keep Garison besides the old woman and three daughters and yet through mercy it has always held out May the First Captain Dennison with his Volunteers and Indians fell upon a Party of the Enemy and killed Six and twenty of them and took fifty Captives Also we had advice that the Pequods and other Friendly Indians had carried many Prisoners to New London that some had voluntarily surrendred themselves to the Magistrates of Connecticot-Colony and more came in from the Sachem of Penny-cook About a fortnight afterwards the fore-mentioned Captain Turner by Trade a Taylor but one that for his Valour has left behinde him an Honourable Memory hearing of the Indians being about Twenty miles above them at Connecticot River drew out a Party at Hadly and Northampton where there was a Garrison and marching all night came upon them before day-break they having no Centinels or Scouts abroad as thinking themselves secure by reason of their remote distance from any of our Plantations ours taking this advantage of their negligence fell in amongst them and killed several hundreds of them upon the place they being out of any posture or order to make any formidable resistance though they were six times superiour to us in number But that which was almost as much nay in some respect more considerable then their lives we there destroied all their Ammunition and Provision which we think they can hardly be so soon and easily recruited with as possibly they may be with men We likewise here demolisht Two Forges they had to mend their Armes took away all their materialls and Tools and drove many of them into the River where they were drowned and threw two great Piggs of Lead of theirs intended for making of bullets into the said River But this great successe was not altogether without its allay as if Providence had designed to checquer our joys and sorrows and lest we should sacrifice to our own Nets and say Our own Arms or prowesse hath done this to permit the Enemy presently after to take an advantage against us For as our men were returning to Hadly in a dangerous Passe which they were not sufficiently aware of the skulking Indians out of the Woods killed at one Volley the said Captain and Eight and Thirty of his men but immediatly after they had discharged they fled In June Major Talkot slew and took captive Four and Twenty of the Enemies in one Weeks time and also killed the Old Queen of Narraganset and an arch Villain of their Party that had been with them at the sacking of Providence famously known by the Name of Stone-wall or Stone-Layer John for that being an active ingenious Fellow he had learnt the Masons Trade and was of great use to the Indians in building their Forts c. Likewise Potucke the Great Indian Counsellour a man considering his Education of a wonderfull subtlety was brought Prisoner into Rhode-Island In July we had very considerable Forces abroad who took and killed above 200. of the barbarous bloudy Indians and that cruell Infidel Puncham amongst the rest The Squaw Sachem King Philips Sister who at first so much promoted this Warr and was since by Treaty with Ninnicroft Sachem of the Narragansets to be delivered up hath lately surrendred her self and is come into the Plimmouth Army having submitted to the mercy of Major Bradford who with a small Party some time since separated himself from the rest of his Narragansets pretending when he found they could not prosper that he disapproved of their doings in breaking their Treaty with the English hath likewise taken shelter under our Forces at Stoneington to secure his Life at present For not only those of his men that continue in Rebellion still but likewise those that formerly surrendred themselves to us threaten to cut off his Head the first pretending that by his treacherous Councils he drew them into this Warr and then basely deserted them and the second charging him as a Traytor and Truce-breaker to the English Thus abominable is Treachery and Violation of ones Faith even amongst the most barbarous and savage Infidels King Philip and some of these Northern Indians being wandred up towards Albany the Mohucks marched out very strong in a warlike posture upon them putting them to flight and pursuing them as far as Hossicke-River which is about two days march from the East-side of Hudsons-River to the N.E. killing diverse and bringing away some prisoners with great pride and triumph which ill successe on that side where they did not expect any enemy having lately endeavoured to make up the ancient animofities did very much daunt and discourage the said Northern Indians so that some hundreds came in and submitted themselves to the English at Plimmouth-Colony and Philip himself is run skulking away into some Swamp with not above ten men attending him Nor doubt we shortly to have a good account given of that Prime Incendiary there being severall of our Troops daily abroad in Quest of him It is Computed by most Judicious men That the Indians that were killed taken sent away and now of late come in by way of submission cannot in all Men Women and Children amount to fewer then Six Thousand besides vast quantities of their Corn Houses Ammunition and other Necessaries without which they cannot long subsist in Hostility taken and destroyed A True but Brief Account of our Losses sustained since this Cruel and Mischievous War began take as follows In Narraganset not One House left standing At Warwick but One. At Providence not above Three At Potuxit none left Very Few at Seaconicke At Swansey two at most Marlborough wholly laid ashes except two or three Houses Grantham and Nashaway all ruined but one house or two Many Houses burnt at Springfield Scituate Lancaster Brookefield and Northampton The greatest part of Rehoboth and Taunton destroyed Great spoil made at Hadley Hatfield and Chelmsford Deerfield wholly and Westfield much ruined At Sudbury many Houses burnt and some at Hingham Weymouth and Braintree Besides particular Farms and Plantations a great Number not to be reckoned up wholly laid waste or very much damnified And as to Persons it is generally thought that of the English there hath been Lost in all Men Women and Children above Eight Hundred since the War began of whom many have been destroyed with exquisite Torments and most inhumane barbarities the Heathen rarely giving Quarter to those that they take but if they were Women they first forced them to satisfie their filthy lusts and then murthered them either cutting off the head ripping open the Belly or skulping the head of skin and hair and hanging them up as Trophees wearing mens fingers as bracelets about their Necks and stripes of their skins which they dresse for Belts They knockt one Youth of the Head and laying him for dead they flead or skulp'd his head of skin and hair After which the boy wonderfully revived and is now recovered only he hath nothing but the dry Skull neither skin nor hair on his head Nor have our Cattle escaped the Cruelty of these worse then brute and savage beasts For what cattle they took they seldom killed outright or if they did would eat but little of the flesh but rather cut their bellies and letting them go severall days trailing their guts after them putting out their eyes or cutting off one leg c. But to reckon up all their Cruelties would be no lesse burthensome to compassionate Christians ears then too tedious for a Letter which is already swelled too big and therefore I think it now high time to conclude with hearty thanks to Almighty God for our late successes against this bloudy Enemy whereby though not wholly freed from apprehensions of future dangers yet we have grounds to hope that their fury is much quasht and abated so that if our sins obstruct not so great a blessing we may shortly once again see peace and safety restored to our lately disconsolate habitations in this Wilderness For which as I doubt not of the concurence of yours and all good Christians prayers so I shall not fail to recommend you and yours to the same Almighty protection and with my hearty respects presented remain Your affectionate Friend and Servant N. S. FINIS
A New and Further NARRATIVE Of the STATE of NEW-ENGLAND BEING A Continued ACCOUNT of the Bloudy Indian-War From March till August 1676. Giving a Perfect Relation of the Several Devastations Engagements and Transactions there As also the Great Successes Lately obtained against the Barbarous Indians The Reducing of King Philip and the Killing of one of the Queens c. Together with a Catalogue of the Losses in the whole sustained on either Side since the said War began as near as can be be collected Licensed October 13. Roger L'Estrange C R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT LONDON Printed by J. B. for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultry 1676. For the better Understanding some Indian Words which are necessarily used in the Following Narrative the Reader is Desired to take Notice That a Swamp signifies a Moorish Place overgrown with Woods and Bushes but soft like a Quagmire or Irish Bogg over which Horse cannot at all nor English Foot without great difficulty passe A Sachem is a King Prince or Chief of an ancient Family over whom he is as an absolute Monarch A Squaw Sachem is a Princess or Queen Wigwams are Indian Huts or Houses BOSTON July 22. 1676. SIR HAving presumed in Two former Letters to give you a faithfull Account of the Original Occasion as near as I could Discover and sad Progresse of the Cruel Wars between us and our Barbarous Enemies the Indians I thought having this other Opportunity your Curiosity might expect at least from that knowledge I have for many years had of your Courteous Disposition was assured your Good-nature would Pardon the trouble of a Further Relation of material Occurrences which have since happened amongst us the rather for that I remember my self under the voluntary Obligation of a promise so to do My last which I hope you Received was of the 9th of February 1675 6 And seriously at that time my hand trembled and my heart almost fainted when my minde reflected on our present miseries and revolved for the future what might be the Issue of that Deluge of Calamity which threatned us The Dispensation we lay under was Cloudy and affrighting Fresh Messengers like Jobs servants howrly arriving to bring the Dolefull Tidings of New Massacres Slaughters and Devastations committed by the Brutish Heathens and certainly it cannot but deserve both Wonder and Commiseration that these parts which were not many Moneths since hardly to be Parrallel'd for plenty and security are now almost destroyed and laid waste by the savage Cruelties of a bloody and sometimes despicable Enemy who are now become so well-furnisht with Arms and Ammunition by the base treachery we fear of some of our Neighbours so instructed in Discipline by Experience and heightned in Pride by unexpected successe That unlesse our God whose tender mercies are over all his works in compassion to the English Nation in this Wildernesse wonderfully appear for our deliverance nothing could be expected but an utter Desolation And of this his gracious dealing towards us we have lately had severall Instances our Forces being crowned with successe and the Enemy put to flight or so far divided and discouraged that great Numbers have surrendred themselves when by our own strength or outward Circumstances we could least expect it But that I may set down things in some Method I shall re-assume the Narritive of our Troubles where I left off in my last Letter and relate the most considerable Actions from that time in the same Order as they happened After that sharp Eight on the 19. of November whereof I formerly gave you the Particulars our wounded men in number about 150. being drest were sent into Rhode-Island as the best place for their Acommodation where accordingly they were kindely received by the Governour and others only some churlish Quakers were not free to entertain them untill compelled by the Governour Of so inhumane peevish and untoward a disposition are these Nabals as not to Vouchsafe Civility to those that had ventured their Lives and received dangerous wounds in their defence As for the Indians that survived the battell they forsook their New-built Fort and that Swamp where the Fight hapned and posted themselves in a Swamp twenty miles distant from thence The Weather being extreme cold and the snow so deep that we could not for some time march in pursuit of them yet still kept Scouts abroad daily to observe their Motions and thereby hindred them from coming to the Sea-side killed and took Prisoners divers of them as they were found stragling and burnt great Numbers of their Wigwams or houses And being re-inforced with some Additionall Forces from Boston and Plimouth together with a Bark laden with Provision we resolved to set upon them again with the first opportunity And in order thereunto marched to Potuxit where we understood That two nights before the Indians had assaulted a Gentlemans House about break of day with much Violence and wounded Two men in it striving to Fire the House several times by tying Pine-splinters or long Poles in a Bunch fired and held upon the Shingles but those within prevented that stratagem from taking effect beat off the Assailants and found one of them left dead upon the place But the Out-houses and Hay the Indians burnt and drove away all the sheep and cattel We marched after them with all convenient expedition and came to the Swamp where they had been but most of them were then fled having by their Scouts discovered the advance of our men yet our Horse killed and took many of them following the pursuit till our Horses were tired our men faint and our victuals spent Insomuch that several horses were killed and eaten whereof the General the worthy Josiah Winslow Esquire Governour of New-London eat his part and in all as well hardships as dangers was not wanting to encourage his men by his own valiant example But finding it both vain and hazardous to march farther after this flying rabble of barbarous Heathens who we heard were then got together about 5000. men women and children towards Quobage Our Army left the Chace and having placed a Garison of about Seventy men in Captain Smiths a strong house within four Miles of the Narragansets Dwellings marched homewards to Marleborough and from thence to Boston where they were disbanded in December But upon this the Indians began to appear abroad again as mischievous as ever For the very next week they set upon Lancaster Town killed several people and carried away many prisoners Such houses as were fortified defended themselves but the greatest part of the Town they fired and plundered and had destroyed the whole place had not Captain Wadsworth upon hearing of the Guns come with great expedition from Sudbury with a party to their relief After this they cut off a farm-house near Sudbury killed seven people in a barbarous manner and carried some away captive Three hundred of them set upon the Town of
taken up and revived The house they plundred of provision and goods to a great value Eight compleat Arms 30 l. of Powder with an answerable Quantity of Lead for Bullets and 150 l. in ready money The said Mr. Clark himself narrowly escaping their Cruelty by being at that Instant at a Meeting Sunday the 26th of March was sadly remarkable to us for the Tidings of a very deplorable disaster brought unto Boston about 5 a Cloak that afternoon by a Post from Dedham viz. That Captain Peirce scituate in Plimmouth Colony having Intelligence in his Garrison at Seaconicke that a Party of the Enemy lay near Mr. Blackstones went forth with 63 English and 20 of the Cape Indians who had all along continued faithful and joyned with them and upon their march discovered rambling in an obscure woody place 4 or 5. Indians who in getting away from us halted as if they had been Lame or wounded But our men had pursued them but a little way into the woods before they found them to be only Decoys to draw them into their Ambuscade For on a sudden they discovered above 500 Indians who in very good order furiously attacqued them being as readily received by ours So that the Fight began to be very fierce and dubious and our men had made the Enemy begin to retreat but so slowly that it scarce deserved that name when a fresh company of about 400. Indians came in so that the English and their few Indian friends were quite surrounded and beset on every side Yet they made a brave resistance for above Two hours During all which time they did great execution upon the Enemy whom they kept at a distance and themselves in order For Captain Pierce cast his 63. English and 20 Indians into a Ring and fought back to back and were double-double distance all in one Ring whilst the Indians were as thick as they could stand Thirty deep Over power'd with whose Numbers the said Captain and 55. of his English and ten of their Indian friends were slain upon the place which in such a Cause and upon such disadvantages may certainly be stiled The Bed of Honour However they sold their worthy Lives at a gallant rate It being affirmed by those few that not without wonderfull difficulty and many wounds made their escape that the Indians lost as many Fighting men not counting women and children in this Engagement as were killed at the battle in the Swamp near Narraganset mentioned in our last Letter which were generally computed to be above Three hundred The same day some Christians going to a Meeting at Springfield with a small Guard were ambuscaded by Eight Indians and a man and woman slain and the rest supposing the Enemies number to have been greater then it was for in truth our men were twice as many yet struck with terrour fled and left two women and two Children to the Enemies mercy whom they carried away captive greatly insulting that so few of them should make so many English fly Of this accident Major Savage at Hadly being immediatly advertised by a Post sent specially on that occasion dispatcht a Party of Horse to pursue the Enemy and the next morning found their Track and soon after discovered them who seeing our men approach took the two poor Infants and in the sight both of their Mothers and our men tossed them up in the air and dasht their brains out against the Rocks and with their hackets knockt down the women and forthwith fled The place being exceeding rocky and a Swamp just by our horse could not follow them and on foot were not able to overtake them So that the bloudy Villains for the present escaped deserved vengeance Yet it pleased God that both the women revived and being come again to their understanding one of them declared that she knew every particular person of these Eight Indians and that they advised them to put all the men they could light upon to death but to save as many women and houses as they could for them c. On Tuesday following the barbarous Infidels destroied sixty and six Houses besides Barns and Buildings in Seaconicke but we do not hear of any person there slain On Wednesday they stormed Providence and consumed the greatest part of the Houses but without taking away the life of any person except one Wright of whom it is reported That he was a man of a singular and sordid humour of great knowledge in the Scriptures but of no particular professed sect or perswasion one that derided Watches Fortifications and all publick endeavours and administrations for the common safety Insomuch that after all alarms round about he refused to bring in any of his Goods which were of considerable value or to shelter himself in any Garison but presumed he should be safe in his own house where the Enemy found and butchered him It is further credibly related concerning him that he had a strange confidence or rather conceit that whilest he held his Bible in his hand he looked upon himself as secure from all kinde of violence and that the Enemy finding him in that posture deriding his groundlesse apprehension or folly therein ript him open and put his Bible in his belly But indeed the reason that the Inhabitants of the Towns of Seaconick and Providence generally escaped with their lives is not to be attributed to any compassion or good-nature of the Indians whose very mercies are inhumane cruelties but next to Gods providence to their own prudence in avoiding their fury when they found themselves too weak and unable to resist it by a timely Flight into Rhode-Island which now became the common Zoar or place of Refuge for the Distressed yet some remained till their coming to destroy the said Towns as in particular Mr Williams at Providence who knowing several of the chief Indians that came to fire that Town discoursed with them a considerable time who pretended their greatest quarrel was against Plimmouth and as for what they attempted against the other Colonies they were constrained to it by the spoil that was done them at Narraganset They told him that when Captain Pierce engaged them near Mr. Blackstones they were bound for Plimouth They gloried much in their successe promising themselves the Conquest of the whole Country and rooting out of all the English Mr. Williams reproved their confidence minded them of their Cruelties and told them that the Bay viz. Boston could yet spare Ten thousand men and if they should destroy all them yet it was not to be doubted but our King would send as many every year from Old England rather then they should share the Countrey they answered proudly That they should be ready for them or to that effect but told Mr. Williams that he was a good man and had been kinde to them formerly and therefore they would not hurt him About the latter end of March came advice from New-York That the Indians in a bravado had released two English
Captives and sent them down thither to give Information of what they had seen which was That being carried with a Party three days Journey towards the North East from the place where King Philip lay which was between thirty and fourty English miles from Albany He came up to an Indian Rendevouz made by a mighty Sachem near Hossicke-River towards Canada where one of them told one and Twenty hundred men compleat and the Indians themselves drawing out into three ranks that he might view them the better made him tell them over three times who he said were generally well-armed with good fire-arms and most of them young men few so old as forty And that amongst them there were about 500. of those with straws about their noses commonly called French-Indians That neither King Philip nor that party consisting of about four hundred were then with them and that the said Philips own men were not above one hundred himself being very sickly and having but little esteem or authority amongst them One of the said released prisoners declared further that from that rendevouz he returned with the rest towards Albany being afterwards given by the North-Indians to the Mahicanders or River-Indians who have been always suspected to be too kinde to those bloody ones of the North And also affirms that the said North-Indians at the said rendevouz in a vapouring manner declared that their intent was first to destroy Connecticot this Spring then Boston in the Harvest and afterwards the Dutch meaning what the Dutch had here About the same time also there was much discourse and consultation about a project for giving these Northern Indians that thus infested and harassed New-England a diversion by engaging the Mohucks another sort of Indians inhibiting towards New-York and formerly inveterate enemies to these â—â—ainst them on the other side and it was certainly reported that thâ—â—â—vernour of New-York would upon request and reasonable proposalls freely make use of his interest amongst that people which is very great for effecting so good a designe Yea the Pequod Sachem who always has continued freindly and faithful to the English venturing his men on all occasions who have done very good service seemed much to wonder that we did not carry it on affirming that the said Mohucks were the only persons likely to put an end to the war by hindring the Enemy from planting and forcing them down upon us but this counsell for I know not what good reasons of some amongst us was not thought fit at least for the present to be so vigourously pursued as some expected But to proceed with the Narrative On the second of April Maj. Savage Capt. Mosely Capt. William Turner and Capt. Whitpoll with 300 men marched from Marleborow to Quoboge where they had ordered the Connecticot Forces to attend their coming and accordingly the parties being joined endeavoured to finde out the Enemy and give them battel But these Heathens being like wolves and other beasts of prey that commonly do their mischiefs in the Night or by stealth durst not come forth out of the woods and Swamps where they lay skulking in small companies being so light of foot that they can run away when they list and passe boggs rocky mountains and thickets where we could by no means pursue them only now and then we met with some straglers before they were aware and one time marching towards Northampton had a brisk dispute with a small party who fell upon our rear but we quickly repelled them and killed about 20. in a hot pursuit after them without the losse of one man on our side and but one wounded About the same time Maj. Palmer having been scouring the Narragansets Country brought in 30. of the Enemy and 60. of Ninnicrofts people which were about 30. fighting men who delivered up themselves to our protection we kept their wives and children safely as hostages and made the men go abroad with our parties who did us great service in clearing the woods likewise the Pequods and Mohegins who proved a good guard to New London Norwich and the Rivers mouth brought in 27. of the Enemy and much plunder April the 6. John Winthrope Esq a member of the Royal Society and Governour of Connecticot Colony having like a faithfull patriot served his Country dyed at Boston of a natural distemper after about 8. days sicknesse and was there interred in his fathers Tomb with an Universal lamentation and all the Honours that our distresses and distractions would allow And though it be usually said Inter arma silent Musae yet could not all our martial confusions wholly strike our Muses dumb upon so worthy an occasion enough to make our Countrey bathe it self in tears as it hath lately done in bloud but they appeared in publique to pay a Funeral Tribute to his Honourable dust in a no lesse ingenious then passionate and mournfull Elegy upon him Printed here at Boston The next day the Governour intended to have marched out with about 300 English of his own Colony and 50 Cape-Indians and all things were in a readiness accordingly but not being supplied with any assistance from us he wanted Soldiers to secure his own Towns if they should be attacqued suddenly by the Indians who lie in wait for such opportunities during his absence and therefore was forced to let fall his designe and continue at home The 11. of April Cap. Denison with an 100. English Volunteers belonging to Connecticot Colony and as many Indians of whom some were Mohegins some Pequods and some of Ninnicrofts men that had revolted from him the said friendly Indians being commanded by the young Sachem Unkus whose Father the only Christian Sagamore hath during all this War continued faithful Upon their March ranging the Narraganset Countrey near Potuxit they fell upon a Party of the Enemy Commanded by that famous but very bloudy and cruel Sachem Quononshot otherwise called Myantonomy whom the English formerly presented with a rich Lac't Coat they fought very obstinately a considerable time but at last our men with very small losse obtained the victory killed above 50 of the Enemy on the place and took 40. more alive and amongst the rest that insolent Sachem Myantonomy himself together with another Sachem and several other of his chief Counsellors and friends The said Myantonomys carriage was strangely proud and lofty after he was taken being examined why he did foment that War which would certainly be the destruction of him and all the Heathen Indians in the country c. He would make no other reply to any Interrogatories but this That he was born a Prince and if Princes came to speak with him he would answer but none present being such he thought himself obliged in honour to hold his tongue and not hold discourse with such persons below his birth and quallity He told them he wisht rather to die then to continue under confinement that all he desired was not to be tortured but presently put to death which he