USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Bradford's history "of Plimoth plantation" from the original manuscript > Part 30
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429
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1637.]
& stockins, & other parts of their cloaths, yet so miracu- lously did the Lord preserve them as not one of them was wounded, save those 3. who rashly went into ye swampe. When it was nere day, it grue very darke, so as those of them which were left dropt away betweene our men, though they stood but 12. or 14. foote assunder ; but were presenly discovered, & some killed in ye pursute. Upon searching of ye swampe, ye next morning, they found 9. slaine, & some they pulled up, whom ye Indeans had buried in ye mire, so as they doe thinke that, of all this company, not 20. did escape, for they after found some who dyed in their flight of their wounds received. The prisoners were devided, some to those of ye river, and the rest to us. Of these we send ye male children to Bermuda, * by Mr. William Peirce, & ye women & maid children are disposed aboute in ye townes. Ther have been now slaine & taken, in all, aboute 700. The rest are dispersed, and the Indeans in all quarters so terrified as all their friends are affraid to receive them. 2. of ye sachems of Long Iland came to Mr. Stoughton and tendered them selves to be tributaries under our protection. And 2. of ye Neepnett sachems have been with me to seeke our frendship. Amonge the prisoners we have ye wife & children of Mononotto, a womon of a very modest counte- nance and behaviour. It was by her mediation that the t 2. English [226] maids were spared from death, and were kindly used by her; so that I have taken charge of her. One of her first requests was, that the English would not. abuse her body, and that her children might not be taken from her. Those which were wounded were fetched of soone. by John Galopp, who came with his shalop in a happie houre, to bring them victuals, and to carrie their wounded men to ye pinass, wher our cheefe surgeon was, wth M'.
* But yey were carried to ye West-Indeas.
t They in the manuscript.
430
HISTORY OF
BOOK II.
Willson, being aboute 8. leagues off. Our people are all in health, (ye Lord be praised,) and allthough they had marched in their armes all ye day, and had been in fight all ye night, yet they professed they found them selves so fresh as they could willingly have gone to such another bussines.
This is ye substance of that which I received, though I am forced to omite many considerable circonstances. So, being in much straitnes of time, (the ships being to departe within this 4. days, and in them the Lord Lee and Mr. Vane,) I hear breake of, and with harty saluts to, &c., I rest
Yours assured, JO : WINTHROP.
The 28. of ye 5. month, 1637.
The captains reporte we have slaine 13. sachems ; but Sas- sacouse & Monotto are yet living.
That I may make an end of this matter : this Sassa- couse (ye Pequents cheefe sachem) being fled to ye Mowhakes, they cutt of his head, with some other of ye cheefe of them, whether to satisfie ye English, or rather ye Narigansets, (who, as I have since heard, hired them to doe it,) or for their owne advantage, I well know not; but thus this warr tooke end. The rest of ye Pequents were wholy driven from their place, and some of them submitted them selves to ye Narigansets, & lived under them; others of them be- tooke them selves to ye Monhiggs, under Uncass, their sachem, wth the approbation of ye English of Conigh- tecutt, under whose protection Uncass lived, and he and his men had been faithful to them in this warr, & done them very good service. But this did so vexe
431
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1637.7
the Narrigansetts, that they had not ye whole sweay over them, as they have never ceased plotting and contriving how to bring them under, and because they cannot attaine their ends, because of ye English who have protected them, they have sought to raise a generall conspiracie against ye English, as will appear in an other place.
They had now letters againe out of England from Mr. Andrews & Mr. Beachamp, that Mr. Sherley neither had nor would pay them any money, or give them any accounte, and so with much discontent desired them hear to send them some, much blaming them still, that they had sent all to Mr. Sherley, & none to them selves. Now, though they might have justly referred them to their former answer, and insisted ther upon, & some wise men counselled them so to doe, yet be- cause they beleeved that [227] they were realy out round sumes of money, (espetialy Mr. Andrews, ) and they had some in their hands, they resolved to send them what bever they had .* Mr. Sherleys letters were to this purpose: that, as they had left him in ye paiment of ye former bills, so he had tould them he would leave them in this, and beleeve it, they should find it true. And he was as good as his word, for they could never gett peney from him, nor bring him to any accounte, though Mr. Beachamp sued him in ye Chancerie. But they all of them turned their com-
* But staid it till ye next year.
432
HISTORY OF
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plaints against them here, wher ther was least cause, and who had suffered most unjustly ; first from Mr. Allerton & them, in being charged with so much of yt which they never had, nor drunke for; and now in paying all, & more then all (as they conceived), and yet still thus more demanded, and that with many heavie charges. They now discharged Mr. Sherley from his agencie, and forbad him to buy or send over any more goods for them, and prest him to come to some end about these things.
Anno Dom: 1638.
THIS year Mr. Thomas Prence was chosen Gov".
Amongst other enormities that fell out amongst them, this year 3. men were (after due triall) executed for robery & murder which they had committed; their names were these, Arthur Peach, Thomas Jackson, and Richard Stinnings ; ther was a 4., Daniel Crose, who was also guilty, but he escaped away, and could not be found. This Arthur Peach was ye cheefe of them, and ye ring leader of all ye rest. He was a lustie and a desperate yonge man, and had been one of ye souldiers in ye Pequente warr, and had done as good servise as ye most ther, and one of ye forwardest in any attempte. And being now out of means, and loath to worke, and falling to idle courses & company, he intended to goe to ye Dutch plantation ; and had alured these 3., being other mens servants and apprentices,
433
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1638.]
to goe with him. But another cause ther was allso of his secret going away in this maner; he was not only rune into debte, but he had gott a maid with child, (which was not known till after his death,) a mans servante in ye towne, and fear of punishmente made him gett away. The other 3. complotting with him, rane away from their maisters in the night, and could not be heard of, for they went not ye ordinarie way, but shaped such a course as they thought to avoyd ye pursute of any [228]. But falling into ye way that lyeth betweene ye Bay of Massachusetts and the Narrigansets, and being disposed to rest them selves, struck fire, and took tobaco, a litle out of ye way, by ye way side. At length ther came a Narigansett Indean by, who had been in ye Bay a trading, and had both cloth & beads aboute him. (They had meett him ye day before, & he was now returning.) Peach called him to drinke tobaco with them, and he came & sate downe with them. Peach tould ye other he would kill him, and take what he had from him. But they were some thing afraid; but he said, Hang him, rogue, he had killed many of them. So they let him alone to doe as he would; and when he saw his time, he tooke a rapier and rane him through the body once or twise, and tooke from him 5. fathume of wampam, and 3. coats of cloath, and wente their way, leaving him for dead. But he scrabled away, when they were gone, and made shift to gett home, (but dyed within
434
HISTORY OF
[BOOK II.
a few days after,) by which means they were dis- covered ; and by subtilty the Indeans tooke them. For they desiring a canow to sett them over a water, (not thinking their facte had been known,) by ye sachems comand they were carried to Aquidnett Iland, & ther accused of ye murder, and were examed & comitted upon it by ye English ther. The Indeans sent for Mr. Williams, & made a greeveous complainte ; his freinds and kinred were ready to rise in armes, and provock the rest therunto, some conceiving they should now find ye Pequents words trew : that ye English would fall upon them. But Mr. Williams pacified them, & tould them they should see justice done upon ye offenders ; & wente to ye man, & tooke Mr. James, a phisition, with him. The man tould him who did it, & in what maner it was done; but ye phisition found his wounds mortall, and that he could not live, (as he after testified upon othe, before ye jurie in oppen courte, ) and so he dyed shortly after, as both Mr. Williams, Mr. James, & some Indeans testified in courte. The Gov't in ye Bay were aquented with it, but refferrd it hither, because it was done in this jurisdiction ; * but pressed by all means yt justice might be done in it; or els ye countrie must rise & see justice done, otherwise it would raise a warr. Yet some of ye rude & ignorante sorte murmured that any
* And yet afterwards they laid claime to those parts in ye controversie about Seacunk.
435
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1638.]
English should be put to death for ye Indeans. So at last they of ye iland brought them hither, and being often examened, and ye evidence prodused, they all in the end freely confessed in effect all yt the Indean accused them of, & that they had done it, in ye maner afforesaid ; and so, upon ye forementioned evidence, were cast by ye jurie, & condemned, & executed for the same. And some of ye Narigansett Indeans, & of ye parties freinds, were presente when it was done, which gave them & all ye countrie good satisfaction. But it was a matter of much sadnes to them hear, and was ye 2. execution which they had since they came; being both for wilfull murder, as hath bene before related. Thus much of this mater.
[229] They received this year more letters from England full of reneued complaints, on ye one side, that they could gett no money nor accounte from Mr. Sherley ; & he againe, yt he was pressed therto, saying he was to accounte with those hear, and not with them, &c. So, as was before resolved, if nothing came of their last letters, they would now send them what they could, as supposing, when some good parte was payed them, that Mr. Sherley & they would more easily agree aboute ye remainder.
So they sent to Mr. Andrews and Mr. Beachamp, by Mr. Joseph Yonge, in ye Mary & Anne, 1325". waight of beaver, devided betweene them. Mr. Beachamp re- turned an accounte of his moyety, that he made 400t.
436
HISTORY OF
[BOOK II.
starling of it, fraight and all charges paid. But Mr. Andrews, though he had ye more and beter parte, yet he made not so much of his, through his owne indis- cretion ; and yet turned ye loss * upon them hear, but without cause.
They sent them more by bills & other paimente, which was received & acknowledged by them, in money t & ye like; which was for katle sould of Mr. Allertons, and ye price of a bark sold, which belonged to ye stock, and made over to them in money, 434". sterling. The whole sume was 1234". sterling, save what Mr. Andrews lost in ye beaver, which was other- wise made good. But yet this did not stay their clamors, as will apeare here after more at large.
It pleased God, in these times, so to blesse ye cuntry with such access & confluance of people into it, as it was therby much inriched, and catle of all kinds stood at a high rate for diverce years together. Kine were sould at 20". and some at 25t. a peece, yea, some times at 28". A cow-calfe usually at 10". A milch goate at 3". & some at 4ª. And femall kids at 30s. and often at 40s. a peece. By which means ye anciente planters which had any stock begane to grow in their estats. Corne also wente at a round rate, viz. 68. a bushell. So as other trading begane to be neglected ; and the old partners (having now forbidden Mr. Sherley to send them any more goods) broke of their trade at
* Being about 40ti.
t And devided betweene them.
437
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1638.]
Kenebeck, and, as things stood, would follow it no longer. But some of them, (with other they joyned with,) being loath it should be lost by discontinuance, agreed with ye company for it, and gave them aboute ye 6. parte of their gaines for it; [230] * with ye first fruits of which they builte a house for a prison; and the trade ther hath been since continued, to ye great benefite of ye place ; for some well fore-sawe that these high prises of corne and catle would not long continue, and that then ye comodities ther raised would be much missed.
This year, aboute ye 1. or 2. of June, was a great & fearfull earthquake; it was in this place heard be- fore it was felte. It came with a rumbling noyse, or low murmure, like unto remoate thunder ; it came from ye norward, & pased southward. As ye noyse aproched nerer, they earth begane to shake, and came at length with that violence as caused platters, dishes, & such like things as stoode upon shelves, to clatter & fall downe; yea, persons were afraid of ye houses them selves. It so fell oute yt at ye same time diverse of ye cheefe of this towne were mett together at one house, conferring with some of their freinds that were upon their removall from ye place, (as if ye Lord would herby shew ye signes of his displeasure, in their shaking a peeces & removalls one from an other.) How ever it was very terrible for ye time, and as
* 130 in MS.
438
HISTORY OF
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ye men were set talking in ye house, some women & others were without ye dores, and ye earth shooke with yt violence as they could not stand without catching hould of ye posts & pails yt stood next them ; but ye violence lasted not long. And about halfe an hower, or less, came an other noyse & shaking, but nether so loud nor strong as ye former, but quickly passed over; and so it ceased. It was not only on ye sea coast, but ye Indeans felt it within land; and some ships that were upon ye coast were shaken by it. So powerfull is ye mighty hand of ye Lord, as to make both the earth & sea to shake, and the mountaines to tremhle before him, when he pleases ; and who can stay his hand? It was observed that ye somers, for divers years togeather after this earthquake, were not so hotte & seasonable for ye ripning of corne & other fruits as formerly; but more could & moyst, & subjecte to erly & untimly frosts, by which, many times, much Indean corne came not to maturitie; but whether this was any cause, I leave it to naturallists to judge.
Anno Dom: 1639. & Anno Dom: 1640.
THESE 2. years I joyne togeather, because in them fell not out many things more then ye ordinary pas- sages of their comone affaires, which are not need- full to be touched. [231] Those of this plantation having at sundrie times granted lands for severall
439
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1639, 1640.]
-
townships, and amongst ye rest to ye inhabitants of Sityate, some wherof issewed from them selves, and allso a large tracte of land was given to their 4. London partners in yt place, viz. Mr. Sherley, Mr. Beacham, Mr. Andrews, & Mr. Hatherley. At Mr. Hatherley's request and choys it was by him taken for him selfe and them in yt place; for the other 3. had invested him with power & trust to chose for them. And this tracte of land extended to their utmoste limets that way, and bordered on their neig- bours of ye Massachusets, who had some years after seated a towne (called Hingam) on their lands next to these parts. So as now ther grue great differance betweene these 2. townships, about their bounds, and some meadow grownds that lay betweene them. They of Hingam presumed to alotte parte of them to their people, and measure & stack them out. The other pulled up their stacks, & threw them. So it grew to a controversie betweene the 2. goverments, & many letters and passages were betweene them aboute it; and it hunge some 2. years in suspense. The Courte of Massachusets appointed some to range their line according to ye bounds of their patente, and (as they wente to worke) they made it to take in all Sityate, and I know not how much more. Againe, on ye other hand, according to ye line of ye patente of this place, it would take in Hingame and much more within their bounds.
.
440
HISTORY OF
[BOOK II.
In ye end boath Courts agreed to chose 2. comis- sioners of each side, and to give them full & absolute power to agree and setle ye bounds betwene them; and what they should doe in ye case should stand irrevo- cably. One meeting they had at Hingam, but could not conclude; for their comissioners stoode stiffly on a clawes in their graunte, That from Charles-river, or any branch or parte therof, they were to extend their limits, and 3. myles further to ye southward ; or from ye most southward parte of ye Massachusets Bay, and 3. mile further. But they chose to stand on ye former termes, for they had found a smale river, or brooke rather, that a great way with in land trended southward, and issued into some part of yt river taken to be Charles-river, and from ye most southerly part of this, & 3. mile more south- ward of ye same, they would rune a line east to ye sea, aboute 20. mile; which will (say they) take in a part of Plimoth itselfe. Now it is to be knowne yt though this patente & plantation were much the ancienter, yet this inlargemente of ye same (in which Sityate stood) was granted after theirs, and so theirs were first to take place, before this inlargmente. Now their answer was, first, that, however according to their owne plan, they could noway come upon any part of their ancieante grante. [232] 2ly. They could never prove yt to be a parte of Charles-river, for they knew not which was Charles-river, but as ye people of this
441
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1639, 1640.]
place, which came first, imposed such a name upon yt river, upon which, since, Charles-towne is builte (supposing yt was it, which Captaine Smith in his mapp so named). Now they yt first named it have best reason to know it, and to explaine which is it. But they only tooke it to be Charles river, as fare as it was by them navigated, and yt was as farr as a boate could goe. But yt every runlett or small brooke, yt should, farr within land, come into it, or mixe their stremes with it, and were by ye natives called by other & differente names from it, should now by them be made Charles-river, or parts of it, they saw no reason for it. And gave instance in Humber, in Old England, which had ye Trente, Ouse, and many others of lesser note fell into it, and yet were not counted parts of it; and many smaler rivers & broks fell into ye Trente, & Ouse, and no parts of them, but had nams aparte, and divisions & nom- inations of them selves. Againe, it was pleaded that they had no east line in their patente, but were to begine at ye sea, and goe west by a line, &c. At this meeting no conclution was made, but things dis- cussed & well prepared for an issue. The next year ye same comissioners had their power continued or re- newed, and mett at Sityate, and concluded ye mater, as followeth.
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HISTORY OF
[BOOK II.
The agreemente of ye bounds betwixte Plimoth and Massa- chusetts.
Wheras ther were tow comissiones granted by ye 2. juris- dictions, ye one of Massachsets Govermente, granted unto John Endecott, gent : and Israell Stoughton, gent : the other of New-Plimoth Govermente, to William Bradford, Govr, and Edward Winslow, gent: and both these for ye setting out, setling, & determining of ye bounds & limitts of ye lands betweene ye said jurisdictions, wherby not only this presente age, but ye posteritie to come may live peaceably & quietly in yt behalfe. And for as much as ye said comissioners on both sids have full power so to doe, as appeareth by ye records of both jurisdictions ; we therfore, ye said comissioners above named, doe hearby with one consente & agreemente conclude, detirmine, and by these presents declare, that all ye marshes at Conahasett yt lye of ye one side of ye river next to Hingam, shall belong to ye jurisdition of Massa- chusetts Plantation ; and all ye marshes yt lye on ye other side of ye river next to Sityate, shall be long to ye jurisdiction of New-Plimoth; excepting 60. acers of marsh at ye mouth of ye river, on Sityate side next to the sea, which we doe herby agree, conclude, & detirmine shall belong to ye juris- dition of Massachusetts. And further, we doe. hearby agree, determine, and conclude, yt the bounds of ye limites betweene both ye said jurisditions are as followeth, viz. from ye mouth of ye brook yt runeth into Chonahasett marches (which we call by ye name of Bound-brooke) with a stright & directe line to ye midle of a great ponde, yt lyeth on ye right hand of ye uper path, or commone way, yt leadeth betweene Waimoth and Plimoth, close to ye path as [233] we goe alonge, which was formerly named (and still we desire may be caled) Accord pond, lying aboute five or 6. myles from Weimoth southerley ; and from thence with a straight line to
443
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1639, 1640.]
ye souther-most part of Charles-river,* & 3. miles southerly, inward into ye countrie, according as is expresed in ye patente granted by his Matie to ye Company of ye Massachusetts Plan- tation. Provided allways and never ye less concluded & determined by mutuall agreemente betweene ye said comis- sioners, yt if it fall out yt the said line from Accord-pond to ye sothermost parte of Charles-river, & 3. myles southerly as is before expresed, straiten or hinder any parte of any plantation begune by ye Govert of New-Plimoth, or hereafter to be begune within 10. years after ye date of these psnts, that then, notwithstanding 'ye said line, it shall be lawfull for ye said Gov't of New-Plimoth to assume on ye northerly side of ye said line, wher it shall so intrench as afforesaid, so much land as will make up ye quantity of eight miles square, to belong to every shuch plantation begune, or to [be] begune as afforesaid; which we agree, determine, & conclude to appertaine & belong to ye said Gov't of New- Plimoth. And wheras ye said line, from ye said brooke which runeth into Choahassett saltmarshes, called by us Bound- brooke, and ye pond called Accord-pond, lyeth nere ye lands belonging to ye tounships of Sityate & Hingam, we doe ther- fore hereby determine & conclude, that if any devissions allready made and recorded, by either ye said townships, doe crose the said line, that then it shall stand, & be of force according to ye former intents and purposes of ye said townes granting them (the marshes formerly agreed on exepted). And yt no towne in either jurisdiction shall hereafter ex- ceede, but containe them selves within ye said lines expressed. In witnes wherof we, the comissioners of both jurisdictions, doe by these presents indented set our hands & seales ye ninth day of ye 4. month in 16. year of our soveraine lord, king Charles ; and in ye year of our Lord, 1640.
WILLIAM BRADFORD, Gov". Jo : ENDECOTT.
ED : WINSLOW. ISRAELL STOUGHTON.
* Which is Charles River may still be questioned.
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HISTORY OF
BOOK II.
Wheras ye patente was taken in ye name of William Bradford, (as in trust, ) and rane in these termes : To him, his heires, and associats & assignes; and now ye noumber of free-men being much increased, and diverce tounships established and setled in severall quarters of ye govermente, as Plimoth, Duxberie, Sityate, Tanton, Sandwich, Yarmouth, Barnstable, Marchfeeld, and not longe after, Seacunke (called afterward, at ye desire of ye inhabitants, Rehoboth) and Nawsett, it was by ye Courte desired that William Bradford should make a surrender of ye same into their hands. The which he willingly did, in this maner following.
Wheras William Bradford, and diverce others ye first in- struments of God in the begining of this great work of plantation, together with such as ye allordering hand of God in his providence soone added unto them, have been at very great charges to procure ye lands, priviledges, & freedoms from all intanglments, as may appeare by diverse & sundrie deeds, inlargments of grants, purchases, and payments of debts, &c., by reason wherof ye title to ye day of these presents [234] remaineth in ye said William Bradford, his heires, associats, and assignes : now, for ye better setling of ye estate of the said lands (contained in ye grant or pattente), the said William Bradford, and those first instru- ments termed & called in sondry orders upon publick recorde, Ye Purchasers, or Old comers; witnes 2. in spetiall, the one bearing date ye 3. of March, 1639. the other in Des: the 1. Anº 1640. wherunto these presents have spetiall relation & agreemente, and wherby they are distinguished from other ye freemen & inhabitants of ye said corporation. Be it knowne unto all men, therfore, by these presents, that the
445
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1639, 1640.]
said William Bradford, for him selfe, his heires, together with ye said purchasers, doe only reserve unto them selves, their heires, and assignes those 3. tractes of land mentioned in ye said resolution, order, and agreemente, bearing date ye first of Des : 1640. viz. first, from ye bounds of Yarmouth, 3. miles to ye eastward of Naemschatet, and from sea to sea, crose the neck of land. The 2. of a place called Acoughcouss, which lyeth in ye botome of ye bay adjoyning to ye west-side of Pointe Perill, and 2. myles to ye westerne side of ye said river, to an other place called Acushente river, which entereth at ye westerne end of Nacata, and 2. miles to ye eastward therof, and to extend 8. myles up into ye countrie. The 3. place, from Sowansett river to Patucket river, (with Caw- sumsett neck,) which is ye cheefe habitation of ye Indeans, & reserved for them to dwell upon,) extending into ye land 8. myles through ye whole breadth therof. Togeather with such other small parcells of lands as they or any of them are per- sonally possessed of or intressed in, by vertue of any former titles or grante whatsoever. And ye said William Bradford doth, by ye free & full consente, approbation, and agreemente of ye said old-planters, or purchasers, together with ye liking, approbation, and acceptation of ye other parte of ye said corporation, surrender into ye hands of ye whole courte, con- sisting of ye free-men of this corporation of New-Plimoth, all yt other right & title, power, authority, priviledges, immu- nities, & freedomes granted in ye said letters patents by ye said right Honble Counsell for New-England; reserveing his & their personall right of freemen, together wth the said old planters afforesaid, excepte ye said lands before excepted, declaring the freemen of this corporation, togeather with all such as shal be legally admitted into ye same, his associats. And ye said William Bradford, for him, his heiers, & assignes, doe hereby further promise and grant to doe & performe whatsoever further thing or things, acte or actes, which in him lyeth, which shall be needfull and expediente for ye better
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