"There being noe agreement produced or proved,"--said Mr. Bradstreet, of Massachusetts, in 1653--"whereby the collenies are obliged to protect the Long Island Indians against Ninnegrett or others, and so noe Reason to engage them in theire quarrells the grounds whereof they cannot well vnderstand: I therefore see not sufficient light to this vote." It is obvious that even an "obligation," by agreement, to protect those Indians, might not imply a _right_ to do so as regarded other parties--but granting such a right as consequent upon sufficient provocation, it still remains to prove upon which party lay the blame of the first attack. Ninigret always asserted that he acted in self-defence, and no doubt such was his real opinion. The English only reprimanded him upon old scores, when he laid his grievances before them; and then sent an armed vessel and a body of troops to fight for his enemies. The Long Islanders told a different story; but this was at best but one Indian testimony against another; and how much _theirs_ in particular could be relied upon, appears from the fact, that within a year or two after this same affair, they themselves committed the most flagrant depredations upon the English. Trumbull says, that in 1657, "after all the trouble and expense which the English had been at for their defence, they became tumultuous, and did great damage to the inhabitants of Southampton." To conclude this discussion, we introduce some passages of a manuscript letter from Roger Williams to the government of one of the colonies, which has already been cited. It bears date of Oct. 5, 1654, and was written to prevent war. [FN] * * * * * [FN] Col. Rec. of R.I. "The Cause and Roote of all ye present mischief is ye Pride of 2 Barbarians, Ascassassotick, ye Long Island Sachim, and Nenekunat, of the Narigansett. The former is proud and foolish. The latter is proud and fierce. I have not seene him these many years, yet from their sober men I hear he pleads, "First, yt Ascassassotick, a very Inferior Sachim (bearing himself upon ye English) hath slain 3 or 4 of his people and since yt sent him challenges and darings to fight and mend himself. "2dly. He, Nenekunat, consulted by Solemn messengers with the chiefe of the English Governors, Major Endicott then Govr of ye Massachusetts, who sent him an Implicite consent to right himselfe. "3. After he had taken revenge, upon ye Long Islanders and brought away about 14 Captives, yet he restored them all again upon ye mediation and desire of ye English. "4. After this peace made, the Long Islanders pretending to visit Nenekunat at Block Island, slaughtered of his Narigansetts neere 30 persons at midnight, 2 of them of great note, especially Wepiteammock's sonn, to whom Nenekunat was uncle." Mr. Williams afterwards says;