"As soon as I heard their Design to war with you, I gave you Notice, and came up hither myself, that I might be ready to give all the Assistance and Advice that so short a Time would allow me.
"I am now about sending a Gentleman to England, to the King, my Master, to let him know, that the French have invaded his Territories on this Side of the great Lake, and warred upon the Brethren his Subjects. I therefore would willingly know, whether the Brethren have given the Governor of Canada any Provocation or not; and if they have, how, and in what Manner; because I am obliged to give a true Account of this Matter. This Business may cause a War between the King of England and the French King, both in Europe and here, and therefore I must know the Truth.
"I know the Governor of Canada dare not enter into the King of England's Territories, in a hostile Manner, without Provocation, if he thought the Brethren were the King of England's Subjects; but you have, two or three Years ago, made a Covenant-chain with the French, contrary to my Command, (which I knew could not hold long) being void of itself among the Christians; for as much as Subjects (as you are) ought not to treat with any foreign Nation, it not lying in your Power, you have brought this Trouble on your selves, and, as I believe, this is the only Reason of their falling on you at this Time.
"Brethren, I took it very ill, that after you had put yourselves into the Number of the great King of England's Subjects, you should ever offer to make Peace or War without my Consent. You know that we can live without you, but you cannot live without us. You never found that I told you a Lye, and I offered you the Assistance you wanted, provided that you would be advised by me; for I know the French better than any of you do.
"Now since there is a War begun upon you by the Governor of Canada, I hope without any Provocation by you given, I desire and command you, that you hearken to no Treaty but by my Advice; which if you follow, you shall have the Benefit of the great Chain of Friendship between the great King of England and the King of France, which came out of England the other Day, and which I have sent to Canada by Anthony le Junard. In the mean Time, I will give you such Advice as will be for your good; and will supply you with such Necessaries, as you will have Need of.
"First, My Advice is, as to what Prisoners of the French you shall take, that you draw not their Blood, but bring them Home, and keep them to exchange for your People, which they have Prisoners already, or may take hereafter.
"2dly, That if it be possible, that you can order it so, I would have you take one or two of your wisest Sachems, and one or two of your chief Captains, of each Nation, to be a Council to manage all Affairs of the War. They to give Orders to the rest of the Officers what they are to do, that your Designs may be kept private; for after it comes among so many People, it is blazed abroad, and your Designs are often frustrated; and those chief Men should keep a Correspondence with me by a trusty Messenger.
"3dly, The great Matter under Consideration with the Brethren is, how to strengthen themselves, and weaken their Enemy. My Opinion is, that the Brethren should send Messengers to the Utawawas, Twihtwies, and the farther Indians, and to send back likewise some of the Prisoners of these Nations, if you have any left, to bury the Hatchet, and to make a Covenant-chain, that they may put away all the French that are among them, and that you will open a Path for them this Way, they being the King of England's Subjects likewise, tho' the French have been admitted to trade with them; for all that the French have in Canada, they had it of the great King of England; that by that Means they may come hither freely, where they may have every Thing cheaper than among the French: That you and they may join together against the French, and make so firm a League, that whoever is an Enemy to one, must be to both.
"4thly, Another Thing of Concern is, that you ought to do what you can to open a Path for all the North Indians and Mahikanders, that are among the Utawawas and further Nations: I will endeavour to do the same to bring them Home; for, they not daring to return Home your Way, the French keep them there on purpose to join with the other Nations against you, for your Destruction; for you know, that one of them is worse than six of the others; therefore all Means must be used to bring them Home, and use them kindly as they pass through your Country.
"5thly, My Advice further is, that Messengers go, in behalf of all the Five Nations, to the Christian Indians at Canada, to persuade them to come Home to their native Country. This will be another great Means to weaken your Enemy; but if they will not be advised, you know what to do with them.