New England, when vice was crushed, as well by the civil, as sacred sword; especially oppression, and extortion in prices and wages, which is injustice done to the public. There was some exemplary punishment adjudged to some offenders in this kind, in the year 1639, for selling above 331. per cent.; but since that time the common practice of the country hath made double that advance no sin; an evil which, though every one feels the burthen of, yet none know how to ease themselves thereof. A remarkable instance was that year given in one E. P. who, for asking an excessive price for a pair of stocks which he was hired to frame, had the honor to sit an hour in them first himself, to warn others not to offend in the like kind.

CHAP. XXXIV.

John Oldham murdered by the Indians of Block Island; how discovered, and the war that followed thereupon with them, and the Pequods, their abettors.

CAPTAIN STONE was killed by the Pequods in the year 1634, which they excused with false pretence, earnestly soliciting the Massachusetts to make a peace with them.2 But in the year 1636 John Oldham's death was so manifest, that it could neither be concealed nor excused: the discovery whereof being remarkable, was as followeth. One J. Gallop, with one man more, and two boys, coming from Connecticut, and intending to put in at Long Island, as he came from thence, being at the mouth of the harbor, was forced, by a sudden change of the wind to bear up for Block Island, or Fisher's Island, where, as they were sailing along, they met with a pinnace, which they found to be John Oldham's, who had been sent to trade with the Pequods, (to make trial of the reality of their pretended friendship, after the murder of Captain Stone.) They hailed the vessel, but had no answer, although they saw the deck full of Indians, (fourteen in all,) and a little before that had seen a canoe go from the vessel full of Indians likewise, and goods.

IF. P.

1 Edward Palmer. Sav. Win. ii. 71.- -H.

See page 176.—н.

Whereupon they suspected they had killed John Oldham, who had only two boys and two Narrhaganset Indians in his vessel besides himself, and the rather, because they let slip and set up sail, (being two miles from shore, the wind and tide coming off the shore of the island, whereby they drave toward the main land of Narrhaganset.) (Therefore they went ahead of them, and having nothing but two pieces and two pistols, they bore up near the Indians, who stood on the deck of the vessel, ready armed with guns, swords, and pikes. But John Gallop, a man of stout courage, let fly among them, and so galled them, that they got all down under hatches; and then they stood off again, and returning with a good gale, they stemmed her upon the quarter, and almost overset her; which so affrightened the Indians, ||as|| six of them leaped overboard and were drowned. Yet they durst not board her, but stood off again, and fitted their anchor, so as, stemming her the second time, they bored her bow through with their anchor, and sticking fast to her, they made divers shot through the sides of her, and so raked her fore and aft, (being but inch board,) as they must needs kill or hurt some of the Indians; but seeing none of them come forth, they got loose from her, and then stood off again; then four or five more of the Indians leaped into the sea, and were likewise drowned. Whereupon, there being but four left in her, they boarded her; whereupon an Indian came up and yielded; him they bound, and put into the hold. Then another yielded; him they also bound. But J. Gallop, being well acquainted with their skill to unloose one another, if they lay near together, and having no place to keep them asunder, he flung him bound into the sea; then, looking about, they found John Oldham under an old sail, stark naked, having his head cleft to the brains, his hands and legs cut as if they had been cutting them off, yet warm; so they put him into the sea; but could not well tell how to come at the other two Indians, (who were in a little room underneath with their swords.) So they took the goods which were left, and the sails, and towed the boat away; but night coming on, and the wind rising, they were forced to turn her off, and the wind carried

that I

her to the Narrhaganset shore, where they left her; *but what became of those two, hid in the vessel, is not said.*

On the 26th of said July the two Indians which were with John Oldham, and one other Indian, came from Canonicus, (the chief sachem of the Narrhagansets,) with a letter from Mr. Williams, to signify what had befallen John Oldham, and how grievously they were offended; and that Miantonimo, (the second sachem of the Narrhagansets,) was gone with seventeen canoes and two hundred men to take revenge. But upon examination of the other Indian, who was brought prisoner to them, they found that all the sachems of the Narrhagansets, except Canonicus and Miantonimo, were contrivers of John Oldham's death; and the occasion was, because he went to make peace and trade with the Pequods last year. The prisoner said also that Oldham's two Indians were acquainted with it; but, because they were sent as messengers from Canonicus, they would not imprison them. But the Governor wrote back to Mr. Williams, to let the Narragansets know, they expected they should send home J. Oldham's two boys, and take revenge upon the islanders; and withal gave Mr. Williams caution to look to himself, if there should be occasion to make war with the Narrhagansets, (for Block Island was under them.) And the next day he wrote to Canonicus, by one of those Indians, that he had suspicion of him that was sent, and yet he had sent him back, because he was a messenger; but did expect, if he should send for the said two Indians, he should send them to him.

Four days after J. Oldham's two boys were sent home by one of Miantonimo's men, with a letter from Mr. Williams, that Miantonimo had caused the sachem of Niantick to send to Block Island for them, and that he had near one hundred fathom of Peag, and much other goods of Oldham's, which should be reserved for them: and three of the seven, that were drowned, were sachems, and that one of the two, which were hired by the Niantick sachem, was dead also. So they wrote back to have the rest of those which were ||accessary ||' to be sent, and the

|| necessary ||

'This word is dubious; I have given it as it should be.—¤,

rest of the goods; and that he should tell Canonicus and Miantonimo that they held them innocent, but the six other sachems were guilty.

Lieutenant Gibbons and Mr. Higginson' were sent soon after, with Cutshammakin,||* the sachem of the Massachusetts, to Canonicus, to treat with him about the murder of J. Oldham. They returned3 with acceptance and good success of their business; observing in the sachem much state, great command of his men, and marvellous wisdom in his answers and in the carriage of the whole treaty, clearing himself and his neighbors of the murder, and offering revenge of it, yet upon very safe and wary conditions.

The Governor and Council having soon after assembled the rest of the magistrates, and the ministers, to advise with them about doing justice for Oldham's death, they all agreed that it should be done with all expedition : and accordingly, on the 25th of August following, eighty or ninety men were sent out under the command of Mr. Endicot, as is declared in the narrative of the war with the Pequods.

The Narrhagansets told them afterwards, that there were thirteen Pequods killed in the expedition, and forty wounded, and but one of the Block Islanders slain.

Miantonimo soon after sent a messenger to them, with a letter from Mr. Williams, to signify that they had taken one of the Indians, who had broken prison, and had him safe for them, when they should send for him, (as they had before sent to him for that end,) and that the other had stolen away, (not knowing, it seems, that he was their prisoner,) and that, according to their promise, they would not entertain any of that island, which should come to them but they conceived it was rather in love to him whom they concealed, for he had been his servant formerly. But when they sent for those two Indians, one was sent them, but the other was said to be dead before the messenger came. But the Pequods harbored

• Cushamaquin, Hutch. Kitchmakin, Blake. Cutshamoquin, Eliot.-ED. ||| Cushammakin ||

' Edward Gibbons and Rev. John Higginson.-H.

3 Aug. 13th.-H.

See Sav. Win. i. 192, 194-5.—н.

Aug. 8th.-H.
Aug. 26th.-

.-H..

those of Block Island, and therefore justly brought the revenge of the English upon them.

Amongst those soldiers, that were sent under Captain Endicot, were twenty that belonged to Saybrook Fort, and were appointed to stay there, to defend the place against the Pequods. After the said Captain and the rest were departed, those twenty lay windbound in the Pequod harbor; and in the meanwhile went all of them ashore, with sacks, to fetch some of the Pequods' corn. And having fetched each man one sack full to their boat, they returned for more, and having loaded themselves, the Indians set upon them. So they laid down their corn and gave fire upon the Indians, and the Indians shot their arrows against them. The place was open about the distance of a musket shot. The Indians kept the covert, save when they came forth, ten at a time, and discharged their arrows. The English put themselves in a single file, and some ten only, that had pieces that could reach them, shot; the others stood ready to keep them from breaking in. So they continued most part of the afternoon. The English, as they supposed, killed divers of them, and hurt others, and the Indians wounded but one of the English, who was armed, all the rest being without. For they shot their arrows compass wise, so as they could easily see and avoid them standing single; and one always gathered up their arrows. At the last, the Indians being weary of the sport, gave the English leave to retire to their boat. This was in October, 1636.

About two days after, five men of Saybrook went up the river about four miles, to fetch hay out of a meadow on the Pequod side. The grass was so high as some Pequods, hiding themselves in it, set upon the English before they were aware, and took one that had hay on his back. The rest fled to their boat: one of them had five arrows in him, yet recovered. He that was taken was a goodly young man, whose name was Butterfield, whereupon the meadow was ever after called Butterfield's Meadow.

"Icarus Icariis nomina dedit aquis."

About fourteen days after, six of the soldiers were sent out of the fort to keep an house, which they had set

1 Ovid, Eleg. Lib. 1. 1, 90.-H.