the Woods with a considerable Army all last Summer, and maintain'd
several Brushes with the Governors Party: sometime routing them, and
burning all before him, to the great damage of many of his Majesties
loyal Subjects there resident; sometimes he and his Rebels were beaten
by the Governor, &c., and forc't to run for shelter amongst the Woods
and Swomps. In which lamentable condition that unhappy Continent has
remain'd for the space of almost a Twelve-month, every one therein
that were able being forc't to take up Arms for security of their own
lives, and no one reckoning their Goods, Wives, or Children to be
their own, since they were so dangerously expos'd to the doubtful
Accidents of an uncertain War.
But the indulgent Heavens, who are alone able to compute what measure
of punishments are adequate or fit for the sins of transgressions of a
Nation, has in its great mercy thought fit to put a stop, at least, if
not a total period and conclusion to these Virginian troubles, by the
death of this Nat. Bacon, the great Molestor of the quiet of that
miserable Nation; so that now we who are here in England, and have any
Relations or Correspondence with any of the Inhabitants of that
Continent, may by the arrival of the next Ships from that Coast expect
to hear that they are freed from all their dangers, quitted of all
their fears, and in great hopes and expectations to live quietly under
their own Vines, and enjoy the benefit of their commendable labours.
I know it is by some reported that this Mr. Bacon was a very hard
drinker, and that he dyed by inbibing, or taking in two much Brandy.
But I am informed by those who are Persons of undoubted Reputation,
and had the happiness to see the same Letter which gave his Majesty an
account of his death, that there was no such thing therein mentioned:
he was certainly a Person indued with great natural parts, which
notwithstanding his juvenile extravagances he had adorned with many
elaborate acquisitions, and by the help of learning and study knew how
to manage them to a Miracle, it being the general vogue of all that
knew him, that he usually spoke as much sense in as few words, and
delivered that sense as opportunely as any they ever kept company
withal: Wherefore as I am my self a Lover of Ingenuity, though an
abhorrer of disturbance or Rebellion, I think fit since Providence was
pleased to let him dye a Natural death in his Bed, not to asperse him
with saying he kill'd himself with drinking.
[1] This account was written a year after the events described by
an author whose name is unknown. Internal evidence points to his
intimate personal knowledge of what took place. Writing after the
failure of the rebellion; moreover, after Bacon himself was dead,
and the strong popular movement led by him had consequently much
disintegrated, the writer's view is naturally somewhat out of
sympathy with Bacon. Printed in Hart's "American History Told by
Contemporaries."
John Easton Cooke, in his "History of Virginia," declares that
Bacon was "the soul of the rebellion" and his rising "not a
hair-brained project, but the result of deliberate calculation." As
a representative of the Virginia people Bacon "protested strongly
against public grievances, compelling redress." He anticipated that
the country would profit from his uprising, "and his anticipation
was justified." The result as against Berkeley, "compelled the
dissolution of the Royal Assembly, which had remained unchanged
since 1680, and resulted in 'Bacon's assembly,' which began by
raising the public revenue, extending suffrage to freemen, and was
so defiant that Berkeley dissolved it."
KING PHILIP'S WAR
(1676)
BY WILLIAM HUBBARD[1]
The Occasion of Philips so sudden taking up Arms the last Year, was
this: There was one John Sausaman, a very cunning and plausible
Indian, well skilled in the English Language, and bred up in the
Profession of Christian Religion, employed as a Schoolmaster at
Natick, the Indian Town, who upon some Misdemeanor fled from his Place
to Philip, by whom he was entertained in the Room and Office of
Secretary, and his chief Councellor, whom he trusted with all his
Affairs and secret Counsels: But afterwards, whether upon the Sting of
his own Conscience, or by the frequent Sollicitations of Mr. Eliot,
that had known him from a Child, and instructed him in the Principles
of our Religion, who was often laying before him the heinous Sin of
his Apostacy, and returning back to his old Vomit; he was at last
prevailed with to forsake Philip, and return back to the Christian
Indians at Natick where he was baptised, manifested publick Repentance
for all his former Offences, [15] and made a serious profession of the
Christian Religion; and did apply himself to preach to the Indians,
wherein he was better gifted than any other of the Indian Nation; so
as he was observed to conform more to the English Manners than any
other Indian.
Yet having Occasion to go up with some others of his Country men to
Namasket, whether for the Advantage of Fishing or some such Occasion,
it matters not; being there not far from Phillips Country, he had
Occasion to be much in the Company of Philips Indians, and of Philip
himself: by which Means he discerned by several Circumstances that the
Indians were plotting anew against us; the which out of Faithfulness
to the English the said Sausaman informed the Governour of; adding
also, that if it were known that he revealed it, he knew they would
presently kill him. There appearing so many concurrent Testimonies
from others, making it the more probable, that there was certain Truth
in the Information; some Inquiry was made into the Business, by
examining Philip himself, several of his Indians, who although they
could do nothing, yet could not free themselves from just Suspicion;
Philip therefore soon after contrived the said Sausamans Death, which
was strangely discovered; notwithstanding it was so cunningly
effected, for they that murdered him, met him upon the Ice on a great
Pond, and presently after they had knocked him down, put him under the
Ice, yet leaving his Gun and his Hat upon the Ice, that it might be
thought he fell in accidentally through the Ice and was drowned: but
being missed by his Friend, who finding his Hat and his Gun, they were
thereby led to the Place, where his Body was found under the Ice: when
they took it up to bury him, some of his Friends, specially one David,
observed some Bruises about his Head, which made them suspect he was
first knocked down, before he was put into the Water: however, they
buried him near about the Place where he was found, without making any
further Inquiry at present: nevertheless David his Friend, reported
these Things to some English at Taunton (a Town not far from
Namasket), occasioned the Governour to inquire further into the
Business, wisely considering, that as Sausaman had told him, If it
were known that he had revealed any of their Plots, they would murder
him for his Pains.
Wherefore by special Warrant the Body of Sausaman being digged again
out of his Grave, it was very apparent that he had been killed, and
not drowned. And by a strange Providence an Indian was found, that by
Accident was standing unseen upon a Hill, had seen them murther the
said Sausaman, but durst never reveal it for Fear of losing his own
Life likewise, until he was called to the Court at Plimouth, or before
the Governour, where he plainly [16] confessed what he had seen. The
Murderers being apprehended, were convicted by his undeniable
Testimony, and other remarkable Circumstances, and so were all put to
Death, being but three in Number; the last of them confessed
immediately before his Death, that his Father (one of the Councellors
and special Friends of Philip) was one of the two that murdered
Sausaman, himself only looking on.
This was done at Plimouth Court, held in June, 1674. Insomuch that
Philip apprehending the Danger his own Head was in next, never used
any further Means to clear himself from what was like to be laid to
his Charge, either about his plotting against the English, nor yet
about Sausamans Death: but by keeping his Men continually about him in
Arms, and gathering what Strangers he could to join with him, marching
up and down constantly in Arms, both all the while the Court sat, as
well as afterwards. The English of Plimouth hearing of all this, yet
took no further Notice, than only to order a Militia Watch in all the
adjacent Towns, hoping that Philip finding himself not likely to be
arraigned by Order of the said Court, the present Cloud might blow
over, as some others of like Nature had done before; but in
Conclusion, the Matter proved otherwise; for Philip finding his
Strength daily increasing, by the flocking of Neighbour-Indians unto
him, and sending over their Wives and Children to the Narhagansets for
Security (as they use to do when they intend War with any of their
Enemies,) immediately they began to alarm the English at Swanzy, (the
next Town to Philips Country,) as it were daring the English to begin;
at last their Insolences grew to such an Height, that they began not
only to use threatening Words to the English, but also to kill their
Cattel and rifle their Houses; whereat an English-man was so provoked,
that he let fly a Gun at an Indian, but did only wound, not kill him;
whereupon the Indians immediately began to kill all the English they
could, so as on the 24th of June, 1675, was the Alarm of War first
sounded in Plimouth Colony, when eight or nine of the English were
slain in and about Swanzy....
About this Time several Parties of English, within Plimouth
Jurisdiction, were willing to have a Hand in so good a Matter, as
catching of Philip would be, who perceiving that he was now going down
the Wind, were willing to hasten his Fall. Amongst others, a small
Party, July 31 [1676], went out of Bridgewater upon discovery, and by
Providence were directed to fall upon a Company of Indians where
Philip was; they came up with them, and killed some of his special
Friends; Philip himself was next to his Uncle, that was shot down, and
had the Soldier had his Choice which to shoot at, known which had been
the right Bird, he might as well have taken him as his Uncle, but `tis
said that he had newly cut off his Hair, that he might not be known:
the Party that did this Exploit were few in Number, and therefore not
being able to keep altogether close in the Reer, that cunning Fox
escaped away through the Bushes undiscerned, in the Reer of the
English....
Within two Days after, Capt. Church, the Terror of the Indians in
Plimouth Colony, marching in pursuit of Philip, with but thirty
English-men, and twenty reconciled Indians, took twenty three of the
Enemy, and the next Day following them by their Tracts, fell upon
their Head-Quarters, and killed and took about an hundred and thirty
of them, but with the Loss of one English Man; in this Engagement God
did appear in a more than ordinary Manner to fight for the English:
for the Indians by their Number, and other Advantages of the Place,
were so conveniently provided, that they might have made the first
Shot at the English, and done them much Damage; but one of their own
Country-men in Capt. Church's Company espying them, called aloud unto
them in their own Language, telling them that if they shot a Gun, they
were all dead Men; with which they were so amazed, that they durst not
once offer to fire at the English, which made the Victory the more
remarkable: Philip made a very narrow Escape at that Time, being
forced to leave his Treasures, his beloved Wife and only Son to the
Mercy of the English, Skin for Skin, all that a Man hath will he give
for his Life.
His Ruine being thus gradually carried on, his Misery was not
prevented but augmented thereby; being himself made acquainted with
the Sence and experimental Feeling of the captivity of his Children,
loss of his Friends, slaughter of his Subjects, bereavement of all
Family Relations, and being stript of all outward Comforts, before his
own Life should be taken away. Such Sentence sometimes passed upon
Cain, made him cry out, that his Punishment was greater than he could
bear.
This bloody Wretch had one Week or two more to live, an Object of
Pity, but a Spectacle of Divine Vengeance; his own Followers beginning
now to plot against his Life, to make the better Terms for their own,
as they did also seek to betray Squaw Sachim of Pocasset, Philips near
Kinswoman and Confederate....
Philip, like a Salvage and wild Beast, having been hunted by the
English Forces through the Woods, above an hundred Miles backward and
forward, at last was driven to his own Den, upon Mount-hope, where
retiring himself with a few of his best Friends into a Swamp, which
proved but a Prison to keep him safe, till the Messengers of Death
came by Divine Permission to execute Vengeance upon him, which was
thus accomplished.
Such had been his inveterate Malice and Wickedness against the
English, that despairing of Mercy from them, he could not bear that
any thing should be suggested to him about a Peace, insomuch as he
caused one of his Confederates to be killed for propounding an
Expedient of Peace; which so provoked some of his Company, not
altogether so desperate as himself, that one of them (being near of
kin that was killed) fled to Road-Island (whither, that active
Champion Capt. Church was newly retired, to recruit his Men for a
little Time, being much tired with hard Marches all that Week)
informing them that Philip was fled to a Swamp in Mount-hope whither
he would undertake to lead them that would pursue him. This was
welcome News, and the best Cordial for such martial Spirits: whereupon
he immediately with a small Company of Men, part English and part
Indians, began another March, which shall prove fatal to Philip, and
end that Controversie betwixt the English and him: for coming very
early to the side of the Swamp, his Soldiers began presently to
surround it, and whether the Devil appeared to him in a Dream that
Night, as he did unto Saul, forboding his tragical End (it matters
not); as he intended to make his Escape out of the Swamp, he was shot
through the Heart by an Indian of his own Nation, as is said, that had
all this while kept himself in a Neutrality until this Time, but now
had the casting-vote in his Power, by which he determined the Quarrel
that had held so long in Suspense.
[1] From Hubbard's "Narrative of the Troubles with the Indians of
New England." Hubbard was graduated from Harvard in 1642 in the
first class sent out by the college. In 1666 he was settled as
minister at Ipswich, Mass., and died in 1704. His qualities as a
minister, his learning and his ability as a writer were praised by
John Eliot, the apostle to the Indians.
THE FOUNDING OF PENNSYLVANIA
I
PENN'S ACCOUNT OF THE COLONY[1]
(1684)
The first planters in these parts were the Dutch, and soon after them
the Swedes and Finns. The Dutch applied themselves to traffic, the
Swedes and Finns to husbandry. There were some disputes between them
for some years; the Dutch looking upon them as intruders upon their
purchase and possession, which was finally ended in the surrender made
by John Rizeing, the Swedish governor, to Peter Stuyvesant, governor
for the States of Holland, anno 1655.
The Dutch inhabit mostly those parts of the province that lie upon or
near the bay, and the Swedes the freshes of the river Delaware. There
is no need of giving any description of them, who are better known
there than here; but they are a plain, strong, industrious people, yet
have made no great progress in culture, or propagation of fruit-trees;
as if they desired rather to have enough than plenty or traffic. But I
presume the Indians made them the more careless by furnishing them
with the means of profit, to wit, skins and furs for rum and such
strong liquors. They kindly received me as well as the English, who
were few before the people concerned with me came among them. I must
needs commend their respect to authority, and kind behaviour to the
English. They do not degenerate from the old friendship between both
kingdoms. As they are people proper and strong of body, so they have
fine children, and almost every house full: rare to find one of them
without three or four boys and as many girls; some six, seven, and
eight sons. And I must do them that right; I see few young men more
sober and laborious.
The Dutch have a meeting-place for religious worship at Newcastle; and
the Swedes three; one at Christina, one at Tenecum, and one at Wicoco,
within half a mile of this town.
There rests that I speak of the condition we are in, and what
settlement we have made; in which I will be as short as I can. The
country lieth bounded on the east by the river and bay of Delaware and
Eastern Sea. It hath the advantage of many creeks, or rivers, that run
into the main river or bay, some navigable for great ships, some for
small craft. Those of most eminency are Christina, Brandywine,
Skilpot, and Sculkil, any one of which has room to lay up the royal
navy of England, there being from four to eight fathom of water.
The lesser creeks or rivers, yet convenient for sloops and ketches of
good burthen, are Lewis, Mespillion, Cedar, Dover, Cranbrook,
Feversham, and Georges below; and Chichester, Chester, Toacawny,
Pammapecka, Portquessin, Neshimenck, and Pennberry in the freshes:
many lesser, that admit boats and shallops. Our people are mostly
settled upon the upper rivers, which are pleasant and sweet, and
generally bounded with good land.
The planted part of the province and territories is cast into six
counties: Philadelphia, Buckingham, Chester, Newcastle, Kent, and
Sussex, containing about four thousand souls. Two general assemblies
have been held, and with such concord and despatch that they sat but
three weeks, and at least seventy laws were passed without one dissent
in any material thing. But of this more hereafter, being yet raw and
new in our gear. However, I cannot forget their singular respect to me
in this infancy of things, who, by their own private expenses, so
early considered mine for the public, as to present me with an impost
upon certain goods imported and exported, which, after my
acknowledgment of their affection, I did as freely remit to the
province and the traders to it. And for the well-government of the
said counties, courts of justice are established in every county, with
proper officers, as justices, sheriffs, clerks, constables; which
courts are held every two months. But, to prevent lawsuits, there are
three peacemakers chosen by every county court, in the nature of
common arbitrators, to hear and end differences between man and man.
And spring and fall there is an orphans' court in each county, to
inspect and regulate the affairs of orphans and widows.
Philadelphia: the expectation of those who are concerned in this
province is at last laid out, to the great content of those here who
are any ways interested therein. The situation is a neck of land, and
lieth between two navigable rivers, Delaware and Sculkill, whereby it
hath two fronts upon the water, each a mile, and two from river to
river. Delaware is a glorious river; but the Sculkill, being an
hundred miles boatable above the falls, and its course north-east
toward the fountain of Susquehannah, (that tends to the heart of the
province, and both sides our own), it is like to be a great part of
the settlement of this age. I say little of the town itself, because a
platform will be shown you by my agent, in which those who are
purchasers of me, will find their names and interests. But this I will
say, for the good providence of God, that of all the many places I
have seen in the world, I remember not one better seated; so that it
seems to me to have been appointed for a town, whether we regard the
rivers, or the conveniency of the coves, ducks, and springs, the
loftiness and soundness of the land, and the air, held by the people
of those parts to be very good.
It is advanced within less than a year, to about fourscore houses and
cottages, such as they are, where merchants and handicrafts are
following their vocations as fast as they can; while the countrymen
are close at their farms. Some of them got a little winter corn in the
ground last season; and the generality have had a handsome
summer-crop, and are preparing for their winter corn. They reaped
their barley this year, in the month called May, the wheat in the
month following; so that there is time in these parts for another crop
of divers things before the winter season. We are daily in hopes of
shipping to add to our number; for, blessed be God! here is both room
and accommodation for them: the stories of our necessity being either
the fear of our friends, or the scarecrows of our enemies; for the
greatest hardship we have suffered hath been salt meat, which, by fowl
in winter and fish in summer, together with some poultry, lamb,
mutton, veal, and plenty of venison, the best part of the year, hath
been made very passable. I bless God I am fully satisfied with the
country and entertainment I got in it; for I find that particular
content, which hath always attended me, where God in his providence
hath made it my place and service to reside. You cannot imagine my
station can be at present free of more than ordinary business; and, as
such, I may say it is a troublesome work. But the method things are
putting in will facilitate the charge, and give an easier motion to
the administration of affairs. However, as it is some men's duty to
plow, some to sow, some to water, and some to reap, so it is the
wisdom as well as the duty of a man to yield to the mind of
providence, and cheerfully as well as carefully embrace and follow the
guidance of it.
[1] Penn had already been part proprietor of West Jersey when in
1681 he received the grant of Pennsylvania, as compensation for a
claim of his father's estate against the English Government. He
came out in person to America in 1682, made his famous treaty with
the Indians and founded Philadelphia. He returned to England in
1684, and again visited Pennsylvania in 1699-1701. His account is
printed in Hart's "American History Told by Contemporaries."
II
PENN'S TREATY WITH THE INDIANS
(1683)
HIS OWN ACCOUNT[1]
Every king hath his council; and that consists of all the old and wise
men of his nation, which perhaps is two hundred people. Nothing of
moment is undertaken, be it war, peace, selling of land, or traffic,
without advising with them, and, which is more, with the young men,
too. It is admirable to consider how powerful the kings are, and yet
how they move by the breath of their people. I have had occasion to be
in council with them upon treaties for land, and to adjust the terms
of trade.
Their order is thus: The king sits in the middle of an half-moon, and
has his council, the old and wise, on each hand. Behind them, or at a
little distance, sit the younger fry in the same figure. Having
consulted and resolved their business, the king ordered one of them to
speak to me. He stood up, came to me, and in the name of the king
saluted me, then took me by the hand, and told me that he was ordered
by his king to speak to me, and that now it was not he but the king
who spoke, because what he should say was the king's mind. He first
prayed me to excuse them, that they had not complied with me the last
time. He feared there might be some fault in the interpreter, being
neither Indian nor English. Besides, it was the Indian custom to
deliberate and take up much time in council before they resolved; and
that, if the young people and owners of the land had been as ready as
he, I had not met with so much delay.
Having thus introduced his matter, he fell to the bounds of the land
they had agreed to dispose of, and the price; which now is little and
dear, that which would have bought twenty miles not buying now two.
During the time that this person spoke, not a man of them was observed
to whisper or smile--the old grave, the young reverent, in their
deportment. They, speak little, but fervently, and with elegance. I
have never seen more natural sagacity, considering them without the
help (I was going to say the spoil) of tradition: and he will deserve
the name of Wise who outwits them in any treaty about a thing they
understand.