Mordecai! And although there hath been much blood shed here in these parts among us, God and we know it came not by us. But if all must drink of this cup that is threatened, then shortly the king of Sheshack shall drink last, and tremble and fall when our pain will be past. O that I were in the countries again, that in their but twelve years truce, repaired cities and towns, made strong forts, and prepared all things needful against a time of war like Solomon. I think the soil hath almost infected me, but what they or our enemies will do hereafter Í know not. I hope I shall not live so long to hear or see it, for I am old and out of date, else I might be in fear to see and hear that I think ere long will come upon us.

Thus for our tragical story, now to the comedy. When we were all at supper in the great hall, they (the Pequits) gave us alarm to draw us out three times before we could finish our short supper, for we had but little to eat, but you know that I would not go out; the reasons you know.

2ndly. You Robert Chapman, you know that when you and John Bagley were beating samp at the Garden Pales, the sentinels called you to run in, for there was a number of Pequits creeping to you to catch you; I hearing it went up to the Redoubt and put two cross-bar shot into the two guns that lay above, and levelled them at the trees in the middle of the limbs and boughs, and gave order to John Frend and his man to stand with hand-spikes to turn them this or that way, as they should hear the Indians shout, for they should know my shout from theirs for it should be very short. Then I called six men, and the dogs, and went out, running to the place, and keeping all abreast, in sight, close together. And when I saw my time I said, Stand! and called all to me saying, Look on me; and when I hold up my hand, then shout as loud as you can, and

when I hold down my hand, then leave; and so they did. Then the Indians began a long shout, and then went off the two great guns and tore the limbs of the trees about their ears, so that divers of them were hurt, as may yet appear, for you told me when I was up at Harford this present year, '60, in the month of September, that there is one of them lyeth above Harford, that is fain to creep on all four, and we shouted once or twice more; but they would not answer us again, so we returned home laughing. Another pretty prank we had with three great doors of ten feet long and four feet broad, being bored full of holes and driven full of long nails, as sharp as awl blades, sharpened by Thomas Hurlbut. - These we placed in certain places where they should come, fearing lest they should come in the night and fire our redoubt or battery, and all the place, for we had seen their footing, where they had been in the night, when they shot at our sentinels, but could not hit them for the boards; and in a dry time and a dark night they came as they did before, and found the way a little too sharp for them; and as they skipped from one they trod upon another, and left the nails and doors dyed with their blood, which you know we saw the next morning, laughing at it. And this I write that young men may learn, if they should meet with such trials as we met with there, and have not opportunity to cut off their enemies; yet they may, with such pretty pranks, preserve themselves. from danger, for policy is needful in wars as well as strength.

RELATION OF THE PLOTT · INDIAN.

[The following "Relation" is without date or signature. The indorsement is in the handwriting of Gov. Winthrop of Massachusetts. The manuscript itself is in another handwriting. It was presented to the Historical Society, by W. T. Williams, Esq. of Lebanon, Connecticut, July, 1832. It was written in August, and probably in the year 1642. Wequash, who is mentioned on the next page as being dead, died in July, 1642, and the unfortunate and injured Miantunnomoh was killed by Uncas in September, 1643. In addition to this, it may be stated, that at the General Court held in Boston in September, 1642, "the letters and other intelligence" received from Connecticut, in relation to the supposed design of Miantunnomoh, "to draw the Indians into a confederation against the English, were laid before the Court; that he was summoned to answer to the charge, that he attended, and, after a long investigation, was honorably discharged. He demanded the names of his accusers, but the General Court professed that they did not know them, and it will be seen that their names are not mentioned in the " Relation," and that one of the accusers, in Connecticut, placed Mr. Ludlow under an injunction of secrecy. The date of this paper, then, may be fairly assigned to August, 1642. Probably it was in the possession of Gov. Winthrop at the sitting of the Court in September, 1642. (Vide Savage's Winthrop, vol. ii. pp. 74, 80-83, 130 et seq.) Publishing Committee.]

A true relation of a Conspiracy of Maantanemo the greate Sachem of the Naragancetts, Soheage or Sequin the Sachem of Matebeseck, & Sasawin or Sequassen the Sachem of Sicaogg, for destruction of the english & generally throughout New England as it hath beene discovered by a Sachem living neere Mr. Ludlowe as also of another Indian of Longe Island to Mr. Eaton of New Haven and of another Indian in the river of Conectecott as followetht-(viz1.)

About the 20th of this instant August beinge the last day of the weeke towards the eveninge there came the saide Sachem that lives neere Mr. Ludlowe unto the saide Mr. Ludlowe in the field where he was with his hay makers & desired that hee might with Adam his Indian have some privatt talke, upon which the saide Mr. Ludlowe with Adam and the

saide Sachem went by themselves under a bush out of sight where the saide Sachem saide hee was gladd to finde the said Mr. Ludlowe in the fields for hee durst not come to his howse for feare of beinge suspected. And nowe he did intend to reveale a plott that was intended by the aforesaide Sachems, but hee desired a promise that his name might be concealed for if he were knowen it would cost him his life and he should be served as wequash was for beinge soe faithfull to the english, promise was made of concealinge and he related after this manner

That Maantonemo had lately beene at Longe Island & had procured all the Sachems thereof to be in a Combination of cuttinge off the english & gave to each of them 25 fathom of Wampom, 20 of white & 5 of blacke and all the Sachems hadd accepted thereof & promised assistants & soe hadd all the Sachems upon the maine from the Dutche to the Bay & all the Indian Sachems from the Eastward, And that the chiefe sticklers in the business were the Sachems above mentioned. There were divers objections made at first by the Indians against the possibility of the plott, As that the English were too stronge for them, the answere was by Maantonemo It is true if they did not all joine they should be too weake but if all joine then they should be stronge enough. Then it was saide But these Massachusetts & that waye are full of people & they shall not be able to grapple with them, As for that sayes Maantonemo lett me alone with them if you can deale with the others, uppon this they consented, And therefore nowe the next thinge to be dealt in was howe they might compasse Uncas, for they feared he would not be gayned, & then to gayne the Mohawkes was to be attempted which beinge done all the Indians were as one man. Then it was demanded what was the reason why Maantonemo should plodd against the english beinge soe greate correspond

ency, Answere was made the reason was because the Narragancetts were guilty of Mr. Oldam's death and they were afraide that the english did beare it in minde & would take a tyme to be revenged, As also about 2 winters since there was some meale cast away uppon an Iland by the Naragancett and the Indians takeing away some of it there was an Englishman alone that reproved them for it & he was presently stabbed by a Naragancett Indian & left for deade, & the english findinge him deade thought he had runn himself against some piked thinge or other & soe came by his death, but he was killed as aforesaide & they were afraide this would be knowen alsoe. And therefore Maantonemo thought it best to begin first to prevent the english as alsoe the saide Maantonemo declared they sawe the english did gett possession of all the best place in the countrey & did drive the Indians awaye & were likely to take awaye the countrey from them, These & such like reasons were the motive causes of the intended conspiracy & the saide Sachem tould the saide Mr. Ludlowe divers reasons howe he should knowe it to be true & wished withall that the english in generall would beleive it to be true & make good provision against it, Then the saide Mr. Ludlowe asked how this designe should be executed, The saide Sachem replied it should be the next winter after this manner every Indian Plantation that was next adjoininge to the english should undertake to doe execution & if there were more english then Indians they should have some forraine Indians assigned to helpe them it should be generally att one tyme after this manner there should come unto the chiefe howses of the english as many Indians by waye of tradeinge as were able to master the saide howse & soe should kill all in the howse & depart & when the chiefe were killed they thought the rest would be soe distracted that they would be easily vanquished, After