“Randall Holden,
“The mark (‡) of Assotemuit,
“The mark (∥) of Mihammoh, Canonicus his son.
“Memorandum, that Ousamequin freely consents, that Mr. William Coddington and his friends united unto him, shall make use of any grass or trees on the main land on Pawakasick side, and all my men, to the said Mr. Coddington, and English, his friends united to him, having received of Mr. Coddington five fathoms of wampum, as gratuity for himself and the rest.
“The mark (X) of OUSAMEQUIN.
Witness, { Roger Williams,
{ Randall Holden.
“Dated the 6th of the fifth month, 1638.”
[180]. Mr. Callender says, (His. Dis. p. 32,) “The English inhabited between two powerful nations, the Wampancags to the north and east, who had formerly possessed some part of their grants, before they had surrendered it to the Narragansets, and though they freely owned the submission, yet it was thought best by Mr. Williams to make them easy by gratuities to the sachem, his counsellors and followers. On the other side, the Narragansets were very numerous, and the natives inhabiting any spot the English sat down upon, or improved, were all to be bought off to their content, and oftentimes were to be paid over and over again.”
[181]. Messrs. Nicholas Easton, John Coggeshall and William Brenton.