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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50390	A brief narrative of the success which the Gospel hath had, among the Indians, of Martha's-Vineyard (and the places adjacent) in New-England. With some remarkable curiosities, concerning the numbers, the customes, and the present circumstances of the Indians on that island. Further explaining and confirming the account given of those matters, by Mr. Cotton Mather in the life of the renowned Mr. John Eliot. By Matthew Mayhew. Whereto is added, An account concerning the present state of Christianity among the Indians, in other parts of New-England: expressed in the letters of several worthy persons, best acquainted therewithall.	Mayhew, Matthew, 1648-1710.	1694 (1694)	Wing M1436; ESTC R214153	20,858	59

the other Indians in morall Vertue so likewise from other Judicious Persons their Neighbours of whom I shall name Mr. William Vobes a Person now representing the Freeholders of those parts in the Great and General Assembly of the Province of the Massachuset-Bay in New England nor have these People as yet dependance on nor Expectation from any other than their Mother the Church of Martha's Vineyard Of the Indians Government when Christian I have already told my Reader that the Government of this People was the best of all Governments Monarchy and it has been judged not without reason that a main obstruction in the progress of the Gospel in the American Plantations was if not yet is the jealousy the Princes conceived of the Invasion of their Government through the pretences o● Religion and the Eclipsing their Monarchies Dignity The ever Honoured Thomas Mayhew there fore finding that the Princes on these Islands who although they maintained their obsolute Power and Jurisdiction as Kings were ye● bound to doe certain Homage to a Poten● Prince on the Continent and although they were no great People yet had been waste● by Intestine Wars wherein the great Princes on the Continent not unlike European Princes for like Reasons of State were not unassisting whereby they were necessitated to make these Princes the ballance to decide their Controversies and several Jurisdictions by presents annually sent whereby obliging the Princes to give their several Assistance as occasion required and seeing his Son as aforesaid in a zealous indeavour for their Conversion he judged it meet that Moses and Aaron joyn hands he therefore prudently lets them know that by order from his Master the King of England he was to Govern the English which should inhabit these Islands that his Master was in Power far above any of the Indian Monarches but that as he was powerfull so was he a great lover of Justice that therefore he would in no measure invade their Jurisdictions but on the contrary Assist them as need required that Religion and Government were distinct things Thus in no long time they conceived no ill Opinion of the Christian Religion When afterwards the number of the Christian Indians were increased among them he perswaded them to admit of the Counsils of the Judicious Christians among themselves and in cases of more than ordinary consequence of a Jury for Tryal when likewise he promised his Assistance and direction with the Prince when notwithstanding the Princes assent was to be obtained though he were no Christian Thus within a few years there was a happy Government settled among them and Records kept of all Actions and Acts passed in their several Courts by such who having learned to Write fairly were appointed thereto The Princes with their Sachims or Nobles made Publick acknowledgment of their Subjection to the King of England being notwithstanding mindful to be understood as Subordinate Princes to Govern according to the Laws of God and the King Here I shall take leave to insert two remarkables During the late unhappy War between the English and Indians in New-England about Nineteen years since an Evil Spirit possessed too many of our English whereby they suffered themselves to be unreasonably exasperated against all Indians of such there were some on these Islands who could hardly be so moderated by Mr. Mayhew and others in Government with him as to be restrained from rising to assay the disarming of the Indians for whose satisfaction Capt. Richard Sarson Esq was ordered with a small party the Indians being on these Islands Twenty to one having Arms to Treat the Indians on the West end of Martha's Vineyard who were mostly to be doubted he returns with the insuing answer that the delivering their Arms would expose them to the will of the Indians ingaged in the present War who were not less theirs than the Enemies of the English that they had never given occasion of the distrust intimated if in any thing not hazarding their safety they could give any Satisfaction for proof of their Fidelity they would willingly attend what should reasonably be demanded of them but they were unwilling to deliver their Arms unless the English would propose some mean for their safety and livelyhood with this return they drew a Writing in their own Language which I have often read and would have Verbatim inserted but cannot at present find it the Substance was that as they had Submitted to the Crown of England so they resolved to Assist the English on these Islands against their Enemies which they esteemed in the same respect equally their own as Subjects to the same King which was Subcribed by the Persons of greatest note among them Having this answer the Government resolved and accordingly improved them as a guard furnishing them with suitable Amunition and found them so faithful that even some neerly related in observance of general instructions given them so soon as they landed from the Continent were immediately brought before the Governour to attend his pleasure insomuch that the English although the War with respect to the multitude of Indians inhabiting the Continent and their advantage by the neerness to the French had no good aspect took no care but left the whole to the Indians nothing doubting to be advertised by them of any danger from the Enemy This was the effect of the bringing the Gospel of Peace among them Viz. a Peace-bringing Gospel The other observable I shall add to show as their Loyalty so their observance of the Laws of England In the time of the late Revolution when many in hopes there was no King in Israel expected to have done what they saw good in their own eyes Several of our English threatning to fetch certain Sheep in possession of the Indians inhabiting a small Island Adjacent to Martha's Vineyard which Sheep they asserted were Stolen from them who met with repulse the Sachim least there should happen any misunderstanding of that matter immediately makes his report to me in these words Viz. Several of your English have been on my Island and would have forceably taken Sheep from thence and we are much threatned therewith I am doubtfull if they persist in that Resolution it may Occasion Blood-shed you know that while your Grand-father and my Father lived there never happened any difference in such things nor hope will be Occasion given by me I desire the same Amity may be continued nor can the English say that we have not manifested our Allegiance to the King by a continued Subjection And although it is true we have desired your Order should come to us rather than your Officer which hath generally been observed yet we are willing in Case the English pretend any thing ours have injured them in let an Officer by writ from Authority doe his duty then we shall know how in an orderly way to be relieved yet shall the least Boy bringing your Order as in your Grandfathers time Command any thing and if you see cause

greatly Tormented and now wholly impotent his Friends advise him to the Powaw's concluding him to be Bewitched they being met and dancing round a great Fire the Sick lying by some of the Neighbours entered the House being perswaded that a great Powaw now called to cure had bewitched the Sick they threaten him that as he had Bewitched unless he would Cure the Sick man they would burn him in that fire after many Excuses too long here to relate they took him up resolving at least to a little Singe him who no sooner felt the heat of the fire near him but the Sick immediately recovered This was a thing Publickly known to the English as well as Indians in the Neighbourhood there can be no doubt of it The other I shall instance in was a Relation from Capt. Thomas Dagget Esq now deceased and Richard Sarson Esq Justices of the Peace who being on an Island where a Bewitched Woman lay in great Extremity and wholly impotent the Powaw's there having without Success indeavoured the Cure the related sent to Martha's Vineyard for more famoused Powaw's the said Gentlemen were admitted to be present on certain conditions the Powaw's goe to dancing who with the Spectators used certain Ceremonies usual in such cases one of the Powaw's Praying to his god with such ardent desires and fervency that Capt. Dagget told me had it been to the true God it had been a Prayer Exceeding most that he had heard the issue was they in a Deer Skin caught the Spirit as they said which entered the Woman this they said was the Spirit of an Englishman drowned in the Adjacent Sound yet it was then supposed the Powaw was by which bewitched her the issue was she immediately recovered the Powaw told her unless she removed to Martha's Vineyard she would again be Sick for being an English Spirit he could not long confine it Of the Conversion of the Indians inhabiting certain Islands near adjoyning to the Continent of new-New-England and the Propagation of the Gospel by some sent to the Maine-land from thence THE Worshipful Thomas Mayhew in the year 1641. having obtained a grant of Martha's Vineyard Nantuket and Elizabeth Isles to make a Settlement his Son Mr. Thomas Mayhew in the year 1642. Settled at Martha's Vineyard with a few other inhabitants where his Reputation for Piety his natural gifts beside the acquired by his Education having attained no small knowledge in the Latin and Greek Tongues and being not wholly a Stranger to the Hebrew soon Occasioned his call to the Ministry among that handful Not long after Viz. in the year 1644. God who had Ordained him an Evangelist for the Conversion of these Gentiles stirred him up with an Holy Zeal and Resolution to Assay what Success he might find in that work he takes opportunity to insinuate the Love and good will he bore to that People and soon finds Occasion to let them know their Deplorable Condition under Satan who as he had kept them in Ignorance of those Bodily and Earthly things which might render their Lives in this World more happy so of those that related to their Future happiness in that to come And whereas he could not be in hopes of being heard in a more Publick he Treats them in a more Private way sometimes going to some particular Houses of Persons whom he esteemed most Rational and Well qualified other while discoursing with particular men The first Indian imbracing the motion of forsaking their gods and Praying to the true God was called La-coomes Esteemed by the Indians as a contemptible Person among themselves unto this man God who ordereth all things for His own Glory gave so great a measure of Faith and Confidence in His Power that he is soon beyond the fear of Concealing his Contempt of their gods the Sachems and Powaw's being much inraged threaten his Life the Powaw's or Wizzards told him a thing Publickly known that he could not be ignorant that they could kill such as displeased them Viz. by Witchcraft he answers for himself before the Sachimes Witches and a great Assembly acknowledges the god they Worshipped had great Power but Limited and was Subservient to the God he now had chosen therefore although by their means many had suffered much and some were killed he despised their power as being himself a Servant of Him whose Power over-ruled all Powers and ordered all things the Expecting multitude wait the event which while they Concluded to be Sickness or Death the good man remaines wholly Sound to their astonishment Mr. Mayhew makes use of this advantage is uncessant in his labour and Promises Now while they Stumbled in doubt of their own to set them in the Right Path he spares not his Body by Night nor Day lodges in their Houses proposes such things to their Consideration he thinks firstly requisite solves all their Scruples and Objections and tells them they might plainly see it was in good will for their good from whom he Expected no reward that he sustained so much los● of time and indured wet and cold It pleased God to give such Success to these indeavours that it was not long before he obtained Publick Audience among them when generally he spent more time after Sermon in reasoning with them than in Sermon whereby I must tell my Reader it came to pass that their Religion was as well in Head as Heart This worthy Servant of the Lord continued his painfull Labours among them untill the year 1657. in which time God was pleased to give such Success to his faithfull and unwearied Labour that many hundred men and women were added to the Church such who might truely be said to be Holy in Conversation and for knowledge such who needed not to be taught the first Principles of Religion beside the many hundred of looser Professors of which that such worthy Christians whose godly Zeal for Propagating the Gospel to such who sat in Darkness and saw no Light provoked an holy Emulation to compass Sea and Land by their liberal Contributions for Proselyting the Heathen to the Service and Worship of the Lord Jesus who yet Survive might rejoyce since that God gave a Blessing to and caused a Plentiful harvest to Succeed their Sowing in these Waters and that the Successors and Children of those ever to be Honoured deceased Christians might rejoyce that their Predecessors Religious intent in giving freely of their Worldly Goods to advance the Work for Salvation of Souls was so far from deminishing their Estates that they thereby left an Inheritance to their Childrens Children I shall give a true Relation of the Progress and present State of the undertaking and Gods blessing following the indeavours of those he called for Converting the Indians on Martha's Vineyard and Adjacent Isles by letting the World know who and how qualified these were who were Esteemed Christians When such a Number professed the Christian Religion as gave Occasion to the Indians in general to Esteem them a Sect differing from

themselves and by the denomination of Praying men to Signalize that difference and that their Number was such as to Meet Publickly to Worship God such who forsook their Heathenish Worship and Idolatry professing to become Christians in the Publick Assembly declared the grounds and reasons moving them to imbrace the one and forsake the other way with their Resolution to Pray to Serve and indeavour to Obey the true God in Jesus Christ how this Resolution was wrought in them what Temptations had obstructed what Reason Scripture and Strength from God had incouraged them and inabled them to retain such Resolution how they had often Prayed to God and yet been overcome by discouragements and Temptations c. Closing all with professing a Resolution by Gods Assistance to Pray to and Serve Him and Him onely begging the Prayers of the Congregation to God in their behalf which said many of the Congregation took them by the hand in token of love and good will If after such Publick Profession any was observed not to perform the usual Worshipping of God in Praying with their Families desiring a Blessing on their Food or the like who yet in their Publick meeting constantly attended they were Publickly Examined of the same Of which let me give a remarkable instance One who after his Admission if I may so term it into the Number and Society of the Praying Indians being present at a great Assembly after the Exercise was by him that Preached informed that it was reported he had ceased to Pray desired him to let the Congregation know what grounds and motives occasioned such neglect the man answered It was true he had not lately used Publickly to Pray yet did sometimes Pray Privately that he did not in his judgement disapprove the Service of God but acknowledged it to be good but found himself weak not able to live up to Rules of that Religion but when God should give him more strength he hoped he should be again a Praying man Thus Mr. Mayhew continued his almost inexpressible labour and vigilant care for the good of the Indians whom he justly esteemed his Joy and Crown and having seen so great a Blessing on his faithful indeavours in the making known the Name of his Lord among these Gentiles with indefatigable pains expecting no reward but alone from Him who said Goe teach all Nations Lo I am with you God moved the hearts of some Godly Christians in England to advance a Considerable Sum for incouraging the Propagating and Preaching the Gospel to the Indians in New-England and seeing the Spirit given to Sundry of the Indians with the gift of Prophesying according to the Promise given by Him who Ascended and gave gifts unto men an able Godly English man named Peter Foulger who was imployed in teaching the Youth in Reading Writing and the Principles of Religion by Catechising and being well Learned in the Scripture able to assist them in what might be needfull his Honoured Father the Governour well skilled in their Language and highly honouring the work for their Conversion whereby if in his absence any difficult matter might happen they might find suitable Assistance in the year 1647. he intended a Short Voyage for England but alas the Ship wherein he took Passage was never heard of Thus came to an Immature Death Mr. Mayhew who was so Affectionately esteemed of by the Indians that many years after he was seldom named without Tears Mr. Thomas Mayhew after the loss of his Son as aforesaid Seeing no such Salary probably to be obtained that might invite a Minister to imbrace the work among the Indians and little hopes of finding any of the Spirit of his Son or Mr. ELIOT to bear the burthen attending and in that day of necessity to be undergone without a prospect of more than could well be expected for incouraging to so in-it-self-troublesome imploy and that his onely Son had spent his Strength and yet rejoyced in the mid'st of those many Aches Pain 's and Distempers contracted by his often lodging in their cold houses and induring Wet and Cold in faith of Gods accepting of and prospering him in that whereunto he could see nothing could rationally move him concludes that it was Of God and not of man he therefore resolves to Visit and incourage them often he goes once every Week to some of their Plantations and with the Assistance of Godly Indians who taught and instructed their Neighbours on the Lords Day 's perswaded the Indians of the Gay-head who many years were obstinately resolved not to admit the Glad-Tidings of the Gospel among them being animated by the Sachims of the Continent now to imbrace it so that now the Indians on the Islands of Martha's-Vineyard and Nantuket might justly bear the denomination of Christian the number of Adult Persons on both Islands being about three thousand of which I have taken the more particular care to make an Exact Computation that I might Vindicate Mr. Cotton Mather from the Imputation of over-reckoning when in the Life of Mr. Eliot he reckons the number supposed on Martha's Vineyard professing the Christian Religion to be Sixteen hundred The Indians being thus brought over to the acknowledgment and profession of the Christian Religion and many of them desiring to joyn in such Communion whereby they might injoy the presence of God in all His Ordinances Mr. Mayhew and Mr. John Cotton now Pastor of the Church of New-Plymouth who having been sometime Preacher to the English had attained some knowledge in the Indian Tongue and Preached unto them two years being well Satisfied with their suitable qualifications after mature Consideration and advice concluded to give their help and Assistance thereto which was happily accomplished to the good Satisfaction of the English Church and Godly Professors of the Island who by advantage of many years acquaintance with them had great Experience of their qualifications An Indian Church Confederated at Martha's Vineyard Aug. 22. 1670. Mr. Mayhew by Mr. Cotton's removing from the Island was left alone as to any English Assistance but Mr. John Mayhew his grandson being called to Preach to a small People by the urgent and ardent desires of the Indians and being well skilled in their Language complyed with them and once every week Preached at some of their Plantations His diligence was now to be doubled especially after Mr. Mayhew his Grand-fathers Death in the year 1681. by reason of certain Heterodox Oppinions likely to take root among them and being a man of great natural parts he used to desire such who had imbibed any of those Principles to produce their Reasons as likewise any that desired to be resolved in any matter to give him advantage to resolve them in Publick that others might receive Satisfaction and Instruction whereby I believe and know that they received more Conviction Instruction and Satisfaction than in the ordinary way of Preaching which alwayes notwithstanding preceeded that insomuch that none of those Erroneous Oppintons spread to