“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, be 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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