September. 1646. company are now growne to a strange vnsufferable bouldnes (we hope without Comission) An Indian captiue liable to publike punishment fled from her Mr' at Harford is entertayned in your house, at Harford, though required by the Magestrate is vnder ye hands of your Agent there denyed, we heare she is either marryed, or abused by one of your men: Such a servant is parte of her Masters estate, a more considerable part then a beast, our children will not longe be secure if this be suffered: your Agent himselfe in height of disorder contempt of authority, resists the watch at Harford, drawes breakes his rapier vpon their weopens and by flight escapes, had he bene slaine in this proud affront, his bloud had beene vpon his owne head: Lastly to passe by other particulars, some of your horses beinge pownded for damage done in the English Corne, your Agent 4 more made an assault, and stroke him who legally sought justice, in an hostile way tooke away his teame and laden. *77 We haue also seene a Protest of yours. Dat Aug: 3. 1646 New stile, against our confederate of New-haven with their Answere Dat Aug: 12th. deliuered to lieftenant Baxtey yo' messenger: vpon our most serious consideration of the Contents togeither with their title heere held forth we conceiue their Answere fayre just, and hope it will cleare their proceedings, and giue you full satisfaction, yet to prevent inconveniences wh may grow by any part of the premises, we haue sent this bearer, by whome we desire such a returne as may testify your concurrence with vs to embrace pursue righteousnes peace. Vpon information that the Dutch Governor in a tre to the Governor of the Mattachusets chargeth Mr Whitinge, one of the Magistrates of Connecticut yt at the Manhattoes he should say, The English were fooles to suffer the Dutch to liue there, Mr Whitinge vpon other occasions beinge now at New haven ye Comissioners enquired of him what had passed *betwixt him the Dutch Governoure, or him others at the Manhattoes, therevpon in English wrote another letter to the Dutch Governoure as followeth. Sr. since your former dated the fifth of this present we haue spoken with Mr Whitinge concerninge words you chardge him with in yo' letter to the Governoure of the Mattachusets, he professeth he neither remembreth nor knoweth any such words spoken by him, we could wish that all such provokinge threatninge language might be forborne on both pt, as contrary to that peace neighbourely correspondency wch we desire sincerely to preserue betwixt the 2. Nations. Mr Whitinge complaines of a sentence lately September. passed against him in his absence at the Manatoes, when he had noe Agent 1646. there to pleade to his cause, or to giue in his evidence, that demandinge a just debt longe since due from some of yours, he receiued neither that helpe of Justice from yo' selfe, nor soe faire an answere as the cause required & he expected, we are assured you will both grante him a review in the form free passage for recoveringe debt as all the Colonies will readily doe to any of yours in our Court, yf in your answere to our former you will please to adde a word or two concerninge the Pmisses, it may settle a right vnderstandinge betwixt vs, we rest, Yours, (c September. 7th 1646. old style. Both these letters were sent by Lieftenant Godfrey a messenger to the Dutch Governoure the same day. The Comissioners consideringe the treacherous disposition of the Indians, how hard a thinge it is to continue any firme peace with them, how skilfull they growe in the vse of peec, powder shott insolent thereby, withall how plentifully those who liue aboute (neare the French and Dutch are (though at high prices) furnished with them, the Traders of both Nations preferringe profitt to their owne neighboures safety, thought it their duty to reviue strengthen what former prouision hath bene made, that such disorderly dangerous tradinge may not onely be straitened, but suppressed in all those Colonies according to their place trust, they doe therefore confirme the order made at Hartford in Septemb: 1644 hopinge that neither any generall Courte, nor magistrate within those Colonies, will vpon any occasion or for any respect giue license or vse any Coñivance contrary to the scope and true meaninge thereof, And whereas three of the Colonies haue already made orders to regulate tradinge with others in those *prouisions for war, the Comissioners for Mattachusets, Connecticut New hauen the Comissioners for Plimoth in pticular, where for want of such an order some traders haue lately taken too much liberty to carry sell considerable quantities of powder shott, or lead to at the Manatoes weh hath beene as fewell to the fire, a meanes to continue increase an indirect hurtfull trade the Dutch haue with the Indians, are intreated to preserue the orders already made, with due seriousnes to propounde to the seuerall generall Court that speedily some wholesome prouision may be made vnder a weighty penalty, that none within their pticular respectiue Jurisdictions sell or cause to be sould directly or indirectly any gun or guns of what name or sorte soever, any powder, shott, bullet lead swords or any other weopons or instruments proper vsed for war to any pson or persons out of these or any of these Jurisdictions without license vnder the hands of two magistrates of the Jurisdiction, or at *78 September. 1646. least vnder the hand of one Magistrate two Deputies intrusted for the publicke affaires, And that all every such license shall from time to time be kept in a booke or memoriall in writinge that all the pcells or particulars with the quantities soe licensed, the persons to whome, the grounds for wh, vpon occasion may be considered by the generall Courte or Comissioners for the Colonies. *79 Mr Hopkins Mr Heynes acquainted the Comissioners wth a murtherous plott designe Sequasson is charged with against themselues, Mr Whitinge, that his accuser formerly hired by Sequasson to murther an Indian petty Sachem, offers to witnes this to his face, that the wampan given with Sequassons seuerall false excuses flight makes the euidence probable, if not certaine, that Sequasson doth not yet come to cleare himselfe, though twice sent for by Mr Heynes; The Comissioners consideringe the premises thought fit once againe to send for him with safe Conduct vnder their hands, accordingly gaue instructions to Jonathan Gilbert, as followeth. You are with all convenient speede to repaire to Warranok or such other place where you vnderstand Sequasson abides, havinge obtayned oppurtunity to speake with him, you are to giue him to vnderstand that the Comission. ers for all the English Colonyes, (vz§) Mattachusets, Plimouth, Connecticute New haven who are betrusted with matters of peace war in behalfe of all the Colonies, beinge now mett at New haven haue bene enformed yt he the said Sequasson, some others are accused by a čtaine Indian sometimes residinge with him, of a plot conspiracy entered into by them for the killinge of Mr. Hopkins, Mr Heynes (M2 Whitinge of Hartford, that the sd Indian was hyred by them for the effectinge thereof, havinge recd part of his pay for the same in 3 girdles of wampan weh he hath brought to the English, with promises of a far greater quantity when the designe was accomplished: you are further to acquainte the said Sequasson, that the Comissioners aforesd beinge very desirous to vnderstand the truth or falshood of the premises, doe by you tender to him an open willinge eare vpon notice hereof, if he forthwith repaire to them at the place of meetinge at New haven readily to heare imptially to consider what alleadge evidence in his owne defence in the presence before the face of his accuser, who tenders himselfe ready to make good his accusation. A You are for his further encouragement herein to giue the said Sequasson to know, that the Comissioners did promise that he should receiue noe disturbation or molestation in his repaire to them from any of the English or any others by their knowledge or consent, the like free liberty passage he shall haue September. in his returne backe whatsoever the discouery of the case shalbe. But if not- 1646. withstandinge the aforesd encouragement he refuse psonally to appe before the Comissioners for the clearinge of himselfe, you may let him know, that the withdraweinge of himselfe will much increase the suspition of his guilt to all the English, induce them to proceede in answereable courses towards him: Yf there be any other Indians at Warranok or thereabouts, whome you know to be accused of the aforesaid plott togeither with Sequasson, you are to require them to repaire hither alsoe in the name of the Comisioners to cleare them selues, if they desire to stand right in the eies of the English havinge caused them all fully to vnderstand those instructions, you are to take their answere in writing to returne it to us with all convenient speede. Jonathan Gilbert vnderstandinge where Sequasson was, went to haue spoken with him, (but as he *conceiueth) the Indians prevented him, { gaue notice to Sequason who therevpon fled could not be mett with: But a few dayes after Nepinsoyt Naimataigue two Sagamores with other Indians came to New haven, informed the Comissioners that they were freinds to Sequason, had bene with him at the Mattachusett intimated he had presented the Governoure with Wampam, but the Governoure would not accept the present, onely would give it house roome wished them to attend the Comissioners at this meetinge, if Sequason cleared himselfe then he would tell them more aboutes the present, they alsoe professed respect to the English said they had brought down Sequason to cleare himselfe, that one of them held him by one arme, the other by the other, yet when he was neare New haven, almost at the towne fence, he brake from them made an escape, they added alsoe that he was ashamed to come because he had brought no present. The Comissioners tould them they intended Sequason no hurt, but desired to bring him his accusor face to face, that he should haue a iust hearinge in their presence: But as they were assured ye Governor of the Mattachuset would returne his present, if he did not cleare himselfe, soe the Comissioners would neither accept any present if tendered, nor should the want of it preiudice his cause. The Comissioners were by some other Indians informed, that Sequason was wthin a mile of New haven it was considered he would gladly make his peace some other way then by a due examination tryall. The two Sagamores said he was afrayd { durst not come, though he confessed it was iust he should come cleare himselfe if innocent, all wth being considered the Comissioners conceiued, that Sequason whither guilty or afrayd of the English, would be plottinge against them, and soe *80 1646. proue dangerous, wherefore they thought fitt ordered, that all iust € prudent meanes should be vsed (his life preserued) to bringe him to tryall that the matter might some way be ishewed. September. 81 In the meane time they thought fitt to examine Wotchibrok a Potatuke Indian Sequasons accusor, who waited to giue euidence against him, he beinge warned by Thomas Stanton the Interpretor to speake nothing but truth, affirmed that beinge this last springe in a wigwam with Sequason at Warranot ready to depart, Sequason perswaded him to stay three daies, thence he drew him to the Falls aboue Mr Pincheons, when they had bene there fowre dayes, Wontibrou would haue bene gone to A to see some freinds, Sequason tould him it was dangerous to trauell that way he would be killed, walked along with him to a springe, there tould him that if ever he would doe him the said Sequason a kindenes now was the time, he was almost ruyned, the English at Harford the cause of it, he should therefore go to Hartford kill Mr Hopkins, Mr Heynes or Mr Whitinge he would giue him a greate rewarde, therevpon pluckt out of his bagg, three girdles of wampan gaue them to him with a peice of a girdle to play and promised him much more. Watchibrok tould him it was dangerous to kill an English Sachem, they would finde out the murtherer and pursue him to death, what wōld then wampam doe him good. Sequason said he had store of wampan, when the thinge was done, they would fly togeither to the Mowhaukes, But in the way when they came to the Wampog Indians, he should giue it out that Vnkus had hired him for so much wampam that would sett the English against Vnkas, then he the said Sequason should rise againe, he further tould this examint Naimetaigue one of the forementioned Sagomores that came on the behalfe of Soquason his father knew approued the said murther. Wotchibrough further saith that having taken the aforesd wampam he remembred that himselfe had taken formerly Busshege brought him to the English who for a murtherous attempt at Stanford, was put to death at New hauen, that if he should kill any English by such meanes, he should goe in feare of death all the dayes of his life, that for bringinge in Busshege he had a gratuity from the English, for discovery of the plot he should finde favor he thought the favoure of the English with security would be better to him than Sequasons wampam with feare danger, he therefore came first to Tuncksus the next day to Hartford ( discouered Sequasons practise, he saith further that Sequason hearinge of the discovery spake to Rominot an Indian, he sent 64 by another Indian to this examinant, desiringe him to conceale hide as much as he could of the plot not to lay |