Page:Good Newes from New England.djvu/57

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asked them how they durſt ſo leaue the ſhip and liue in ſuch ſecurity, who anſwered like men ſenſleſſe of their owne miſery, they feared not the Indians, but liued and ſuffered them to lodge with them, not having ſword, or gunne, or needing the ſame. To which the Captaine anſwered, if there were no cauſe hee was the gladder but vpon further inquirie, vnderſtanding that thoſe in whom Iohn Sanders had receiued moſt ſpecial confidence and left in his ſtead to governe the reſt were at the Plantation, thither hee went, and to be briefe, made knowne the Indians purpoſe and the end of his owne comming, as alſo (which formerly I omitted) that if afterward they durſt not there ſtay, it was the intendment of the Gouernours and people of Plimouth there to receiue them till they could be better prouided: but if they conceiued of any other courſe that might bee more likely for their good, that himſelfe ſhould further them therein to the vttermost of his power. Theſe men comparing other circumſtances with that they now heard, anſwered, they could expect no better, and it was Gods mercy that they were not killed before his comming, deſiring therefore that hee would neglect no opportunitie to proceede: Hereupon hee adviſed them to ſecrecy, yet withall to ſend ſpeciall command to one third of their Company that were fartheſt off to come home, and there enioyne them on paine of death to keepe the towne, himſelfe allowing them a pint of Indian corne to a man for a day (though that ſtore hee had was ſpared out of our ſeed.) The weather prouing very wet and ſtormy, it was the longer before hee could doe any thing.

In the meane time an Indian came to him and brought ſome furres, but rather to gather what hee could from the Captaines then comming then for trade; and though the Captaine carryed things as ſmoothly as poſſibly he could, yet at his returne hee reported hee ſaw by his eyes that hee was angry in his heart, and therefore beganne to ſuſpect themſelues diſcouered. This cauſed one Pecksuot who was a Pineſe, being a man of a notable ſpirit to come to