A farther Brief and True NARRATION OF THE LATE VVARS RISEN IN New-England, Occasioned by the Quarrel­some Disposition and Perfidious Carriage of the Barbarous and Sa­vage Indian Natives there.

With an Account of the FIGHT, the 19th of December last, 1675.

London, February 17th, 1675/6.

Licensed, Henry Oldenburg.

London, Printed by J. D. for M. K. and are to be Sold by the Booksellers, 1676.

BOSTON

DECEMBER 28 th, 1675.
SIR,

TIs verily Believed with us that all Generous minds in both Englands which concern themselves to en­quire after our Affairs in these parts of the World, and wish us well, have a longing desire the In­dian Wars might be ended, and we presumed e're this that the powers of perswasion or force would have made a happy Change, by altering the minds, or restraining the Malice of our Heathen Foes.

But so it is, the Rod of Gods Anger is still upon us; For the Po­canakit Sachem Metacom, alias Philip, still lives! he lives to be a vex­ation to us in all places where he comes; Yea he lives, and by his sub­tilty proves a more forcible and perilous Enemy to us then ever we could have Imagined; He hath drawn into his Confederacy all In­dians from Cape Sables Eastward to the Mowhauks, which is about 300 Miles or upwards: And our Fears are (which would to God they were but Fears) that some Traders of Europe for love of gain have from time to time supplyed them with Ammunition.

At the Eastward the Indians have ruined Falmouth black point, and Saco, and slain in those Towns 30 Persons; some they took alive [Page 4]and sat them upright in the Ground, using this Sarchasm; You Eng­lish since you came into this Countrey have grown exceedingly above Ground, let us now see how you will grow when Planted into the Ground. At Ketterey they have slain fourteen Persons, and Burnt Sundry Houses; At Dover they also have killed some, and Fired two or three Houses; Our Enemies proudly exult over us and Blaspheme the name of our Blessed God; Saying, Where is your O God? taunting at the Poor Wretches, which (to make themselves Sport with) they cruelly Torture to Death: But our Affiance is in the God that made Heaven and Earth, who when he Arises will Scatter our Enemies.

It hath been the great care of our Council to distinguish between Friends and Enemies; for most of our mischiefs have flowed from pretended Friends; who have Demeaned themselves exceeding fairly with us till they have had the opportunity secretly and suddainly to endamage us; and then they fly to our avowed Adversaries. Many of our Commonalty would have all Indians ( quatenus such) declared Enemies; But our Soberest Sort justly fear to Condemn the Innocent with the Guilty; knowing that Justitia est firmitas Regni; not would they draw on themselves the guilt of blotting out the Interest of the Gospel amonst the Indians; remembring New-England was Origi­nally a Plantation more famous for Religion than Trade; And to this day the Massachusets in the impress of their Publick Seal have an Indian Engraven with these Words, Come over and Help us; Allu­ding to Act. 16.9. Much Intestine Heart-Burnings and Complain­ings (not to say Mutinies) have been about these matters; to quiet which, eleven of the most notorious, with whom some English plun­der was found, were Arraigned, six whereof being evidently found Guilty, were soon after Executed; and at the Desire of the Honestest of them all, the professing Indians are placed and provided for on certain Islands where they are out of Harms way; And by an Act of the General Court (which is our Parliament there) 'Tis Death for any of them to come oft thence without License from the Magistrate. Our People since the loss of Captain Lathrop of Beverly with about 60 Men by Surprize, and the Burning of Spring field, are grown not less valourous, but more cautious: Experience is the Mother of Prudence; and little good comes of dispising an Enemy. [Page 5]Yet let not the World censure too much Captain Lathrop: he in the Pequot Wars had done Exploits, not in this would have been behind­hand if the Narrow Passage or Causey where his unexpected Enemies set on him would have given him leave to have drawn up his Men; but however, this may be said, to use the Words of a Wise Man; There was never Censor that Judged, Senator that Ordered; General that Commanded, Council that Executed, Orator that Perswaded, nor any other Mortal Man, but sometimes he committed Errors. Let such as are too apt to censure the Conduct of some Affairs here, Remem­ber this.

On the 19 of October Philip Assaulted Hatsfield, a Town on Con­necticot-River, with about 800 Men: But there were 200 of ours then in the Town, which in two Hours space, with the loss of one Man only, put the Indians to a total flight, and killed about 100 of them, 60 of whose dead Bodies the Indians carried with them on Horses, &c. (for they had several Horses amongst them); After which Philip and the Nipnet Indians fled to the Narragansits; which caused the Council of the Massachusets, to publish in print this Manifesto.

To our Brethren and Friends the In­habitants of the Colony of the Massachusets.

A [...]though you cannot be Ignorant, how studious this Government hath been to preserve Peace in this Co­lony, and have taken up and Compromised diverse Quarrels that have Risen between our Selves, our Neighbours, and the Indians; And thereby at seve­ral times prevented those Calamities wherewith we are now Pressed: Yet to satisfie you that the same Mind and the same Endeavours are continued in the present Government, we have thought it necessary to let you understand the Rise and Progress of our pre­sent Troubles, with our Endeavours to have preven­ted the same.

IN June last, we were Certified by our Friends and Confederates of Plimouth, that Philip the Sachem of Mount-Hope was in Arms, and had Solicited all the Indians to joyn with him against the English; and withal, they desired our Assistance to Sup­press him: which we by the Articles of Confederation could not deny, and therefore applied our selves to Raise some Force for their Assistance, but were still desirous to prevent a War with the Indians; and there­fore upon a former Experience of a good Effect wrought upon the said Philip, We resolved to use the same Means, viz. sending Mes­sengers from hence to Philip to Treat with him, hoping of the like Issue, which upon the like case about four Years since, we by Good Hand obtained. But our Messengers arriving at Swanzy, in their way towards Philip, found divers English Murthered on the Road, and were informed by the English there, of divers Hostilities of the In­dians, [Page 7]which rendred our Design and their Negotiation hopeless: Ʋpon which they returned, and informed us as abovesaid. Where­upon our Forces began their March in Aid of our Friends at Ply­mouth, and having driven Philip from his Countrey, we being in­formed that the Narragansets harboured his Women, and aided him with Men: We ordered our Souldiers to March to Narraganset, in or­der to keep them quiet, and prevent their Succouring or Harbouring the Enemy: Where, after some delay, they were drawn to consent to our Demands, promising neither to Entertain nor Assist our Enemies, which they since confirmed in a Treaty with the Commissioners of the Colonies; Further engaging, that they would deliver all those of Phi­lips party, that upon his Rout near Scatoneck, or since were fled to him; but have failed in every particular.

You may also take notice, That before any of our Souldiers marched to Mount-Hope, we were very careful to understand the state of the Nipnet-Indians, to prevent Philips design, and secure those Indians, and therefore dispatched two Messengers well known to them, to certifie them of Philips motion, and of our desire to keep Amity and Friendship with them, according to the Covenants made with them long since, no ways Violated on our part. And by the said Messengers, received fair returns from the most of them, being in ten or twelve Plantations. Some of them pretending fear of us: For their further Satisfaction (when our Forces were sent out against Philip) we to satisfie and secure them, sent them by Ephraim Curtice, a Declaration under the Pub­lick Seal, that we had no Design or Intent to disturb them, or any other Indians that would remain in their Plantations peaceably: which Message and Messenger was evilly treated by many of them then Assem­bled, and the Messenger much endangered by the younger Men, and not with any Satisfaction by their Sachems; as the Event shewed, though at that present more moderately received.

Soon after this Dispatch, and before Philips flying from Pocasset, and March up towards the Nipnet Countrey, some of the said Nipnet-Indians Assaulted and Slew divers of our People at Mendam; where­upon Captain Hutchinson with a small Guard, was sent up to the said Nipnet-Indians, (if possible to keep them quiet) who arriving at Quabaog, whereabouts was a Rendezvous of the Indians, and having sent to them, they promised to meet him in a certain place, whither he at the time repairing, found not the Indians; and being encouraged by the English of Quabaog, that the Indians were peaceable, &c. he [Page 8]advanced forward towards the place of the Indians Rendezvous to Treat them: But in the way, was by Ambuscado, treacherously way­laid, by which himself, with several others, were Wounded and Slain, the English of Quabaog immediately Assaulted, and the Town, ex­cept one House, totally destroyed; at which time, as we understand, Philip also with his broken Party came up to the said Indians, and upon the first, or immediately before the arrival of the Forces we sent up for the Relief of those of Quabaog, Philip and his whole Crew retreated (as we then feared, and afterwards were informed) to­wards Conecticot River, from whence Recruiting himself with Am­munition from Albany, and with Men, partly from the treacherous Indians about Hadly and Spring field; he hath prosecuted his first design to Ruine and Destroy the English. And notwithstanding all the Opposition of our Forces, hath done much Mischief and Spoil; and since the Repulse he received at Hatsfield, withdrew into the Nip­net Country, and since that (as we understand) toward the Narra­gansets, who we do conclude, have favoured, abbetted, and assisted him therein; and by entertaining and harbouring our Enemies, have dealt falsly and perfidiously with us: whereby we find our selves neces­sarily Ingaged, with the Consent, Advice, and Assistance of the rest of the Colonies, in a War with them, as well as with Philip, unless they prevent the same by a timely Complyance, and Performance, and Security for the future: for the managing and carrying on whereof, we hope for, and expect (as we have hitherto had) the Assistance of all his Majesties Subjects of this Colony in their respective Capacities, in the just Defence of the Glory of God, the Honour, Defence and Safety of our King, Countrey, and our Selves, from the Subtilty, Rage and Treacherous Attempts of our Barbarous Enemies.

Dated in Boston, the 7th of December, Anno Christi, 1675. Annoque Dommini Caroli Secundi Regis Angl. Scot. Fran. & Hiber. Defensoris Fidei, &c. 27th.
By the Council, EDWARD RAWSON, Secret.
FINIS.

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