Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to MassachusettsBradford, William
History
Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to Massachusetts
Bradford, William
Massachusetts -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
This year (in y^e foreparte of y^e same) they sente forth a barke to
trad at y^e Dutch-Plantation; and they mette ther with on Captaine
Stone, that had lived in Christophers, one of y^e West-Ende Ilands, and
now had been some time in Virginia, and came from thence into these
parts. He kept company with y^e Dutch Gove^r, and, I know not in what
drunken fitt, he gott leave of y^e Gov^r to ceaise on their barke, when
they were ready to come away, and had done their markett, haveing y^e
valew of 500^li. worth of goods abord her; having no occasion at all, or
any collour of ground for such a thing, but having made y^e Gov^r
drunck, so as he could scarce speake a right word; and when he urged him
hear aboute, he answered him, _Als 't u beleeft_.[DM] So he gat abord,
(the cheefe of their men & marchant being ashore,) and with some of his
owne men, made y^e rest of theirs waigh anchor, sett sayle, & carry her
away towards Virginia. But diverse of y^e Dutch sea-men, which had bene
often at Plimoth, and kindly entertayned ther, said one to another,
Shall we suffer our freinds to be thus abused, and have their goods
carried away, before our faces, whilst our Gov^r is drunke? They vowed
they would never suffer it; and so gott a vessell or 2. and pursued him,
& brought him in againe, and delivered them their barke & goods againe.
After wards Stone came into y^e Massachusets, and they sent & commensed
suite against him for this facte; but by mediation of freinds it was
taken up, and y^e suite lett fall. And in y^e company of some other
gentle-men Stone came afterwards to Plimoth, and had freindly & civill
entertainmente amongst them, with y^e rest; but revenge boyled within
his brest, (though concelled,) for some conceived he had a purpose (at
one time) to have staped the Gov^r, and put his hand to his dagger for
that end, but by Gods providence and y^e vigilance of some was
prevented. He afterward returned to Virginia, in a pinass, with one
Captaine Norton & some others; and, I know not for what occasion, they
would needs goe up Coonigtecutt River; and how they carried themselves I
know not, but y^e Indeans knoct him in y^e head, as he lay in his
cabine, and had thrown y^e covering over his face (whether out of fear
or desperation is uncertaine); this was his end. They likewise killed
all y^e rest, but Captaine Norton defended him selfe a long time against
them all in y^e cooke-roome, till by accidente the gunpowder tooke fire,
which (for readynes) he had sett in an open thing before him, which did
so burne, & scald him, & blind his eyes, as he could make no longer
resistance, but was slaine also by them, though they much comended his
vallour. And having killed y^e men, they made a pray of what they had,
and chafered away some of their things to y^e Dutch that lived their.
But it was not longe before a quarell fell betweene the Dutch & them,
and they would have cutt of their bark; but they slue y^e cheef sachem
w^th y^e shott of a murderer.[DN]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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