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
aboute his armehole, and another shott in y^e head, so as, fainting,
they were in great danger to have been taken by y^e Indeans. But
Sargante Rigges, & Jeffery, and 2. or 3. more, rescued them, and slew
diverse of y^e Indeans with their swords. After they were drawne out,
the Indeans desired parley, & were offered (by Thomas Stanton, our
interpretour) that, if they would come out, and yeeld them selves,
they should have their lives, all that had not their hands in y^e
English blood. Wherupon y^e sachem of y^e place came forth, and an old
man or 2. & their wives and children, and after that some other women
& children, and so they spake 2. howers, till it was night. Then
Thomas Stanton was sente into them againe, to call them forth; but
they said they would selle their lives their, and so shott at him so
thicke as, if he had not cried out, and been presently rescued, they
had slaine him. Then our men cutt of a place of y^e swampe with their
swords, and cooped the Indeans into so narrow a compass, as they could
easier kill them throw y^e thickets. So they continued all y^e night,
standing aboute 12. foote one from an other, and y^e Indeans, coming
close up to our men, shot their arrows so thicke, as they pierced
their hatte brimes, & their sleeves, & stockins, & other parts of
their cloaths, yet so miraculously did the Lord preserve them as not
one of them was wounded, save those 3. who rashly went into y^e
swampe. When it was nere day, it grue very darke, so as those of them
which were left dropt away betweene our men, though they stood but 12.
or 14. foote assunder; but were presenly discovered, & some killed in
y^e pursute. Upon searching of y^e swampe, y^e next morning, they
found 9. slaine, & some they pulled up, whom y^e Indeans had buried in
y^e mire, so as they doe thinke that, of all this company, not 20. did
escape, for they after found some who dyed in their flight of their
wounds received. The prisoners were devided, some to those of y^e
river, and the rest to us. Of these we send y^e male children to
Bermuda,[DY] by M^r. William Peirce, & y^e women & maid children are
disposed aboute in the townes. Ther have been now slaine & taken, in
all, aboute 700. The rest are dispersed, and the Indeans in all
quarters so terrified as all their friends are affraid to receive
them. 2. of y^e sachems of Long Iland came to M^r. Stoughton and
tendered them selves to be tributaries under our protection. And 2. of
y^e Neepnett sachems have been with me to seeke our frendship. Amonge
the prisoners we have y^e wife & children of Mononotto, a womon of a
very modest countenance and behaviour. It was by her mediation that
the[DZ] 2. English [226] maids were spared from death, and were kindly
used by her; so that I have taken charge of her. One of her first
requests was, that the English would not abuse her body, and that her
children might not be taken from her.
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