So great a work, and mighty was it found,
To fix your English on that distant ground.
Mean while, the English of that colony,
'On whose account I'm here in agency,
Entered the river, and posses'd the same,
'Paying no deference to his dreadful name.

This high affront the tyrant deep resents,
And vows to ruinate their settlements.
His priests, his captains, and great men of war,
'He calleth to consult on this affair.

Who being met, the case to them relates,
And thus the wretch on us recriminates:

เ

My noble captains and wise counsellers,

You know how that of old our ancestors,
By their known liberties and ancient laws,
Were well allowed to marry many squaws.
'Their way of worship was to dance and sing,
By the religious rules of Powawing.

Their gods always accepted their address,
And crown'd their arms with glorious success.
Then was the Pequot name greatly renown'd,
And terrible to neighbouring nations round.
These rules and their estate so prosperous,
They handed down unblemished to us :
And we have been as prosperous in our days,
In following their long approved ways.
'But there's of men a more audacious brood,
Lately come hither from beyond the flood,
Who teach us other doctrines to believe,
'Than ever our fore-fathers did receive:
These tell the Indians they have got no eyes:
But as for they themselves are very wise.

They preach there is no other God but one; Him whom your fathers worship'd, he is none. Their way of worship was a cursed way; They serv'd the devil in their antick play.

'Tis very like they now are all in hell,

Where they in fire and brimstone roar and yell.
And you, for following the steps they tread
Are like enough so to be punished,
Unless for what is past you soon repent,
And turn you from those ways to full intent.

• You

'You must not have so many handsome wives,
'That dont consist with mortified lives;
'And we allow no such pluralities;

'Therefore forsake them, pity not their cries.
'The Sabbath you must keep, yea fast and pray,
And watch your wicked hearts both night and day.
And when all this is done, you must complain,
All stands for nothing till your born again.
Now shall we all at once be rul'd by them,
And so our fathers and our gods condemn?
Shall we at once forsake our pleasant wives,
'That so we may live mortified lives?

Shall we yield them the empire we command, And humbly wait upon them cap in hand? 'Or shan't we rather curb them now betimes, 'And make them feel the folly of their crimes? 'Speak freely. On the honour of a prince, I'll hear as freely, and without offence.

'Then an old Panime rose, to ease his breast,
And thus his deep resentments he exprest:
• Such horrid words, such sayings blasphemous,
• Comes from no tongue but the most impious.
All nations yet have ever honoured

The sacred name and mem'ry of the dead.
No man till these dare ever yet despise,
And trample on immortal deities.

No strangers yet, till conquest gave them cause,
Dare once prescribe to native princes laws.
Which shews their blasphemy and insolence
Is great, and doth surpass all precedents.
• Our laws, our empire, and religion too,
Are safely, Sir, deposited with you.

And you have kept them safely hitherto, As 'tis your duty and your praise to do. Suffer them not to keep insulting thus, • Nor put such impositions upon us. But arm your warriors; let us try the odds 'Twixt them and us, 'twixt theirs and our gods. For much I fear impending vengeance

• Will ruin us, unless we drive them hence.

This said, one of his chiefest warriors rose, • And thus his mind did to his prince disclose :

"If they are so audacious while a few,

'When grown a multitude, what will they do? Therefore 'tis my advice to arm, and try

The quarrel with them in their infancy. 'Sure now, if ever, we may well succeed, 'Whilst warlike Sasacus doth us lead; 'Whose very name and martial policy 'Has always gain'd us half the victory.

To what he said, they all agreed as one: 'Now is the trumpet of defiance blown. War with the English nation is proclaim'd; "(Their priests their martial men greatly enflam'd). A bloody host is sent to Saybrook fort,

To plunder, kill and cut the English short: 'Where they arriv'd, and diverse murdered; Then round the English fort beleaguered.

Another army cross the land is sent, With fire and sword to kill the innocent. 'At Weathersfield they lay in ambuscade, 'And a sad slaughter of the people made. Others they took, and them in captive led Unto their forts, there to be tortured.

Thus from our peace most suddenly we are
Wrapt up in the calamities of war.

So have I sometimes in the summer seen
The sun ascending and the sky serene;
Nor wind nor cloud in all the hemisphere,
All things in such a perfect calmness were.
• At length a little cloud doth up arise,
To which the nitrous sulphury vapour flies.
'Soon a dark mantle over heaven spread,
With which the lamp of day was darkened.

'And now the clouds in tempest loud contend,

And rain and dreadful lightning downward send; With which such loud and mighty thunders broke, 'As made earth tremble, and the mountains smoke; "And the convulsive world seem drawing on

Apace to her own dissolution;

• The awfulness of which amazing sight

Greatly did earth's inhabitants affright.

• E'en so those halcyon days, that were with us, Were soon turn'd into times tempestuous.

'Mischief

'Mischief on mischief every day succeeds,
And every mischief greater mischief breeds.
The numerous nations all the country o'er
'Who had appeared friendly heretofore,
Seeing the Pequots had the war begun,
And well succeeded in their carrying on,
'Calling to mind their former victories,
The English men grew abject in their eyes.
Some at the first the Pequot armies join'd
And all the rest but of a wavering mind;
Waiting but for an opportunity

To murder us by force or treachery. 'No confidence in any we repose,

"Our seeming friends we find our real foes.
Fears never to behold the morning light,
Encumbered our natural rest each night.
Nor had we place of refuge to repair,

Only to the Most High in Heaven by prayer;
To whom was offered up the sacrifice

Of broken hearts, and penitential cries.
'A council met at Hartford, who conclude,

We must subdue the foe, or be subdued;

And that the gangrene still would further stray,

• "Till the infected limb be cut away.

And thereupon they ordered and decreed,
To raise our utmost forces with all speed.
This resolution publish'd and declar'd,

Ninety brave combatants in arms, appear'd.
This was the sum of all our infantry,

Yet scarce a tithe unto the enemy.
But what they wanted in their multitude,
'Twas hop'd their resolution would make good.
These were the men, this was the little band,
That durst the force of the new world withstand;
These were the men that by their swords made way
For peace and safety in America.

And these are those whose names fame hath enrol'd,
Fairly in brightest characters of gold.

The army now drawn up: To be their head

• Our valiant Mason was commissioned;

(Whose name is never mentioned by me,

Without a special note of dignity).

The

The leader march'd them to the river side,
There to embark his army on the tide
Where lay our little fleet, to wait upon
Our army for their transportation.
(Going on board, Oraculous Hooker said,
Fear not the foe, they shall become

your bread). 'Twas here that Uncass did the army meet, With many stout Mohegans at his feet.

'He to the general goes, and doth declare,

He came for our assistance in the war.

He was that sagamore, whom great Sasacus' rage Had hitherto kept under vassalage.

But weary of this great severity,

He now revolts and to the English fly.

With cheerful air our captain him embraces,

And him and his chief men with title graces;
But over them preserved a jealous eye,
Lest all this might be done in treachery.

Then down the river with their fleet they stood; But stranding often on the flats and mud. Uncass impatient of such long delays, Stood forth, and freely to the general says, 'Suffer me and my men to go on shore, "We are not us'd to shipping, sails and oar. I'll range the woods to find the enemy,

Where they in their close ambushments may lie; And unto you at Saybrook will repair, 'And so attend your further orders there.

'Consented to, they land immediately, And marching down, soon met the enemy: 'And showers of arrows on them he bestows, Swifter than ever flew from Parthian bows.

At length the Pequots left the field and fled, 'There leaving many of their fellows dead.

The news of this our forces greatly cheers,
'And turned to confidence our jealous fears.
Coming to Saybrook, Uncass on them waits,
Whose good success our men congratulates.

Here captain Underhill with our army join'd,
And being favoured with a lucky wind,
'All haste on board, and soon forsake the shore,
With the rough winds, both sails and tackle roar.