“The 23d of March (1623) being a yearly court day, we came to this
conclusion; that Captain Standish should take as many men as he thought
sufficient to make his party good, against all the Indians in the
Massachusetts Bay; and because it is impossible to deal with them upon
open defiance, but to take them in such traps as they lay for others;
therefore that he should pretend trade, as at other times; but first go
to the English, and acquaint them with the plot and the end of his own
coming, that by comparing it with their carriage toward them, he might
better judge of the certainty of it, and more fitly take opportunity to
revenge the same; but should forbear, if it were possible, till such time
as he could make sure of Wittuwamat, a bloody and bold villain, whose
head he had orders to bring with him. Upon this, Captain Standish made
choice of eight men, and would not take more, because he would prevent
jealousy. On the next day, before he could go, came one of Weston’s
company to us with a pack on his back, who made a pitiful narration of
their lamentable and weak estate, and of the Indians’ carriage; whose
boldness increased abundantly, insomuch as they would take the victuals
out of their pots, and eat before their faces; yea, if in any thing they
gainsayed them, they were ready to hold a knife at their breasts. He said
that, to give them content, they had hanged one of the company, who had
stolen their corn, and yet they regarded it not; that another of them
had turned savage; that their people had mostly forsaken the town, and
made their rendezvous where they got their victuals, because they would
not take pains to bring it home; that they had sold their clothes for
corn, and were ready to perish with hunger and cold, and that they were
dispersed into three companies, having scarcely any powder and shot.
As this relation was grievous to us, so it gave us good encouragement
to proceed; and the wind coming fair the next day, March 25th, Captain
Standish being now fitted, set forth for Massachusetts.
“The Captain being come to Massachusetts, went first to the ship, but
found neither man nor dog therein. On the discharge of a musket, the
Master and some others shewed themselves, who were on shore gathering
ground-nuts and other food. After salutation, Captain Standish asked
them how they durst so leave the ship, and live in such security? they
answered, like men senseless of their own misery, that they feared not
the Indians, but lived and suffered them to lodge with them, not having
sword nor gun, nor needing the same. To which the Captain replied,
that if there were no cause, he was glad. But upon further inquiry,
understanding that those in whom John Sanders had reposed most confidence
were at the plantation, thither he went, and made known the Indians’
purpose, and the end of his own coming; and told them that if they
durst not stay there, it was the intention of the Governor and people
of Plymouth, to receive them, till they could be better provided for.
These men answered that they could expect no better, and it was of God’s
mercy that they were not killed before his coming, desiring that he would
neglect no opportunity to proceed; hereupon he advised them to secrecy
and to order one third of their company that were farthest off to come
home, and on pain of death to keep there, himself allowing them a pint
of Indian corn, to a man, for a day, though that was spared out of our
feed. The weather proving very wet and stormy, it was the longer before
he could do any thing.
“In the mean time an Indian came to him and brought some furs, but rather
to get what he could from the Captain than to trade; and though the
Captain carried things as smoothly as he could, yet, at his return, the
Indian reported that he saw by his eyes that he was angry in his heart,
and therefore began to suspect themselves discovered. This caused one
Pecksuot, who was a Pinese (chief) being a man of a notable spirit to
come to Hobamock (Standish’s Indian guide and interpreter) and tell him
that he understood the Captain was come to kill himself and the rest of
the savages there: ‘Tell him, said he, we know it, but fear him not,
neither will we shun him; but let him begin when he dare, he shall not
take us at unawares.’ Many times after, divers of them, severally or a
few together, came to the plantation, where they would whet and sharpen
the point of their knives before his face, and use many other insulting
gestures and speeches. Among the rest, Wittuwamat bragged of the
excellency of his knife, on the handle of which was pictured a woman’s
face. ‘But, said he, I have another at home, wherewith I have killed both
French and English, and that hath a man’s face on it, and by and by,
these two must be married.’ Further he said of that knife which he there
had, _Hinnaim namen, binnaim michen, matta cuts_, that is to say, _by and
by it should see, by and by it should eat, but not speak_. Also Pecksuot
being a man of greater stature than the Captain, told him ‘though you are
a great Captain, yet you are but a little man; though I be no Sachem,
yet I am a man of great strength and courage.’ These things the Captain
observed, but, for the present, bore them with patience.
“On the next day, seeing he could not get many of them together at once,
but Pecksuot and Wittuwamat being together, with another man and the
brother of Wittuwamat a youth of eighteen, putting many tricks on the
weaker sort of men, and having about as many of his own men in the same
room, the Captain gave the word to his men; and the door being fast shut,
he begun himself with Pecksuot and snatching the knife from his neck,
after much struggling killed him therewith; the rest killed Wittuwamat
and the other man; the youth they took and hanged. It is incredible, how
many wounds these men received, before they died, not making any fearful
noise, but catching at their weapons, and striving to the last. Hobamock
stood by as a spectator, observing how our men demeaned themselves in the
action; which being ended, he, smiling, brake forth and said, ‘Yesterday
Pecksuot bragged of his own strength and stature, and told you that
though you were a great Captain, yet you were but a little man; but,
to-day, I see you are big enough to lay him on the ground.’
“There being some women, at the same time there, Captain Standish left
them, in the custody of Weston’s people, at the town; and sent word to
another company, to kill those Indian men that were among them. These
killed two more; himself with some of his own men, went to another place
and killed another; but through the negligence of one man, an Indian
escaped, who discovered and crossed their proceedings.
“Captain Standish took one half of his men with one or two of Weston’s
and Hobamock, still seeking them. At length they espied a file of
Indians, making toward them; and, there being a small advantage in the
ground, by reason of a hill, both companies strove for it. Captain
Standish got it; whereupon the Indians retreated, and took each man his
tree, letting fly their arrows amain, especially at himself and Hobamock.
Whereupon Hobamock cast off his coat, and chased them so fast, that our
people were not able to hold way with him. They could have but one
certain mark, the arm and half the face of a notable villain, as he drew
his bow at Captain Standish, who with another, both discharged at him,
and brake his arm. Whereupon, they fled into a swamp; when they were
in the thicket, they parlied but got nothing but foul language. So our
Captain dared the Sachem to come out and fight like a man, showing how
base and woman-like he was, in tonguing it as he did; but he refused and
fled. So the Captain returned to the plantation; where he released the
women and took not their beaver coats from them, nor suffered the least
discourtesy to be offered them.
“Now were Weston’s people resolved to leave the plantation, and go to
Monhegan, hoping to get passage and return to England with the fishing
ships. The Captain told them, that for his own part, he durst live there
with fewer men than they were; yet since they were otherwise minded,
according to his orders from the Governor and people of Plymouth, he
would help them with corn, which he did, scarce leaving himself more than
brought them home. Some of them disliked to go to Monhegan; and desiring
to go with him to Plymouth, he took them into the shallop; and seeing
the others set sail, and clear of Massachusetts Bay, he took leave and
returned to Plymouth, bringing the head of Wittuwamat, which was set up
on the fort.
“This sudden and unexpected execution, hath so terrified and amazed the
other people who intended to join with the Massachusencks against us,
that they forsook their houses, running to and fro like men distracted;
living in swamps, and other desert places, and so brought diseases
upon themselves, whereof many are dead; as Canacum, Sachem of Manomet;
Aspinet, of Nauset; and Ianough, of Matachiest. This Sachem, (Ianough)
in the midst of these distractions, said, ‘the God of the English was
offended with them, and would destroy them in his anger.’ From one of
these places, a boat was sent with presents to the Governor, hoping
thereby to work their peace; but the boat was lost, and three of the
people drowned; only one escaped, who returned; so that none of them
durst come among us.”
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