P. S.—The captain reports we have killed 13 Sachems; but Sassacus and Mononotto are still living.
28th of the fifth month, 1637.
That I may make an end of the matter, this Sassacus, the Pequot’s chief sachem, having fled to the Mohawks, they cut off his head, and executed some other of their leaders, whether to satisfy the English or the Narragansetts,—who as I have since heard hired them to do it,—or for their own advantage, I do not know; but thus the war ended. The rest of the Pequots were utterly routed. Some of them submitted themselves to the Narragansetts and lived under them; but others betook themselves to the Monhiggs, under their sachem, Uncas, with the approbation of the English of Connecticut, under whose protection Uncas lived, he and his men having been faithful to them in the war, and having done them very good service. But it so vexed the Narragansetts, that they had not the whole sway over them, that they never ceased plotting and contriving how to subjugate them; and when they found they could not attain their ends, owing to English protection, they tried to raise a general conspiracy against the English, as will appear later.
They received letters again from Mr. Andrews and Mr. Beauchamp in England, saying that Mr. Sherley neither had paid nor would pay them any money, nor give them any account. They were very vexed, blaming them still that they had sent everything to Mr. Sherley and none to themselves. Now, though they might have justly referred them to their former answer, and insisted upon it, and some wise advisers urged them to do so, nevertheless, as they believed they were really out substantial sums of money, especially Mr. Andrews, they resolved to send them what beaver they had on their hands; but they delayed doing so till next year. Mr. Sherley’s letters were to this purpose: that as the other partners had abandoned him in the payment of former bills, so now he told them he would abandon them in this; and, believe it, they should find it true. And he was as good as his word, for they could never get a penny from him, nor bring him to account, though Mr. Beauchamp sued him in Chancery. But they all turned their complaints against the New Plymouth partners, where there was least cause; indeed they had suffered most unjustly. They discharged Mr. Sherley from his agency, and forbade him to buy or send over any more goods for them, and urged him to come to an end with their affairs.
CHAPTER XIX
Trial of three Murderers—Rise in value of Livestock—Earthquake: 1638.
This year Mr. Thomas Prince was chosen Governor.
Amongst other enormities that occurred this year three men were tried and executed for robbery and murder. Their names were Arthur Peach, Thomas Jackson, and Richard Stinnings. There was a fourth, Daniel Crose, who was also found guilty, but he escaped and could not be found. Arthur Peach was the ringleader. He was a strong and desperate young man, and had been one of the soldiers in the Pequot war, and had done as good service as any there, always being one of the first in any attack. Being now out of means and loth to work, and taking to idle ways and company, he intended to go to the Dutch colony, and had lured the other three, who were servants and apprentices, to go with him. But there was also another cause for his going away secretly in this manner; he had not only run into debt, but he had seduced a girl, a maid-servant in the town, and fear of punishment made him wish to get away, though this was not known till after his death. The other three ran away from their masters in the night, and could not be heard of, for they did not go by the ordinary route, but shaped such a course as they thought would evade pursuit. Finding themselves somewhere between the Bay of Massachusetts and the Narragansetts’ country, and wishing to rest, they made a fire a little off the road by the wayside, and took tobacco. At length there came a Narragansett Indian by, who had been trading at the Bay, and had some cloth and beads with him. They had met him the day before, and now he was returning. Peach called him to come and drink tobacco with them, and he came and sat down. He had told the others he would kill the Indian and take his goods. The others were afraid; but Peach said, Hang the rogue, he has killed many of us. So they let him do as he would, and when he saw his opportunity he took his rapier and ran the man through the body once or twice, and took from him five fathoms of wampum and three coats of cloth; and then they went their way, leaving him for dead. But the Indian managed to scramble up when they had gone, and made shift to get home. By this means they were discovered, and the Indians caught them; for, wanting a canoe to take them over the water, and not thinking their act was known, by the sachem’s command they were taken to Aquidnett Island, and were there accused of the deed, and examined and committed upon it by the English. The Indians sent for Mr. Williams, and made grievous complaint; and the friends and relatives of the injured native were ready to rise in arms and incite the rest to do the same, believing they would now find the Pequot’s words were true: that the English would turn upon them. But Mr. Williams pacified them, and told them they should see justice done upon the offenders, and went to the wounded man and took Mr. James, the physician, with him. The man told him who did it, and how it was done. The physician found his wounds mortal, and that he could not live, as he testified upon oath before the jury in open court. He died shortly after. The Governor at the Bay was acquainted with it, but referred it to New Plymouth, because the act was committed in this jurisdiction; but he urged that by all means justice should be done, or it would cause a war. Nevertheless, some of the more ignorant colonists objected that an Englishman should be put to death for an Indian. So at last the murderers were brought home from the Island, and after being tried, and the evidence produced, they all in the end freely confessed to all the Indian had accused them of, and that they had done it in the manner described. So they were condemned by the jury, and executed. Some of the Narragansett Indians and the murdered man’s friends, were present when it was done, which gave them and all the country satisfaction. But it was a matter of much sadness to them here, as it was the second execution since they came,—both being for wilful murder.
This year they received more letters from England, full of renewed complaints, on the one hand that Mr. Beauchamp and Mr. Andrews could get no money or accounting from Mr. Sherley, on the other that the latter should be importuned by them, retorting that he would account with those here and not with them, etc. So, as had been decided before, viz., that if nothing came of their last letters, they would then send them what fur they could, thinking that when some good part had been paid to them, Mr. Sherley and they would more easily agree about the remainder,—they now sent to Mr. Andrews and Mr. Beauchamp through Mr. Joseph Young in the Mary and Anne 1325 lbs. of beaver divided between them. Mr. Beauchamp returned an account of his share, showing that he made £400 sterling out of it, freight and all expenses paid. But Mr. Andrews, though he had the larger and better half, did not make so much out of his through his own indiscretion, and yet charged the loss, which was about £40, to them here. They sent them more by bills and other payments, which was received and acknowledged by them, and divided between them, such as for cattle of Mr. Allerton’s which were sold, and the price of a bark which belonged to the stock and was sold, amounting to £434 sterling. The total value was thus £1234 sterling, except what Mr. Andrews had lost on his beaver, and which was made good otherwise. But this did not stay their clamours, as will appear hereafter.