ELIOT'S LETTER.

The Reverend Mr. JOHN ELLIOT (teacher unto the Praying Indians) his Letter to the author of this Narrative upon his perusal of it.

Sir: I have perused this narrative of the Christian Indians, both their sufferings and doings; though (as you intimate) more might have been said, yet here is enough to give wise men a taste of what hath passed. Leave the rest unto the day of judgment, when all the contrivances and actings of men shall be opened before the seeing eye of a glorious Judge. I do not see that any man, or orders of men, can find just cause of excepting against (human frailties excepted) any thing that you have written. As natural fathers, so foster fathers, are well pleased to hear well of their children. I doubt not but the Right Honorable Corporation will well accept this great service and duty, to give them so clear an account of their foster children, a service which I confess I am not able to perform. The Lord bless your good and faithful labour in it. I

do heartily and thankfully adjoin my attestation to the substance of all you have here written, and so rest

Your worships' to serve you,

JOHN ELLIOT.

HISTORY

OF THE

CHRISTIAN INDIANS.

A TRUE AND IMPARTIAL NARRATIVE OF THE DOINGS AND SUFFERINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN OR PRAYING INDIANS, IN NEW ENGLAND, IN THE TIME OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND BARBAROUS HEATHEN, WHICH BEGAN THE 20TH OF JUNE, 1675.

FORASMUCH as sundry persons have taken pains to write and publish historical narratives of the war, between the English and Indians in New England, but very little hath been hitherto declared (that I have seen) concerning the Christian Indians, who, in reality, may be judged to have no small share in the effects and consequences of this war; I thought it might have a tendency to God's glory, and to give satisfaction to such worthy and good persons as have been benefactors and well-willers to that pious work of Gospelizing the poor Indians in New England, to give them right information how these Christian natives have demeaned themselves in this hour of tribulation. therefore (through divine assistance) I shall endeavour to give a particular and real account of this affair. Before I come to declare matter of fact, I shall premise some things necessary to be understood for the better clearing of our ensuing discourse.

And

The Christian Indians in New England have their dwellings in sundry Jurisdictions of the English Colonies, and that at a considerable distance from each other; more particularly,

1st. Upon the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, in which two Islands there inhabit many hundreds of them, that visibly profess the Gospel.* These Indians have felt very little

* For interesting particulars respecting the Christian Indians on these

of this war comparatively; for the English that dwell upon those Islands have held a good correspondency with those Indians all the time of the war, as they did before the war began. The only sufferings of these Christian Indians was of their coming up in the summer, during the war, to work for the English in the Massachusetts Colony, whither many scores of them did usually repair to work, whereby they and their families were accommodated with necessary clothing, which is scarce and dear upon those Islands. Besides, several of those Indians belonging to the Islands, being at work at some of the English towns when the war began in the summer, 1675, were not permitted to stay in the Colonies, but were forced to pack away to their own habitations to their great loss, because the English were so jealous, and filled with animosity against all Indians without exception. Hereby they tasted but little of the effects of the war, and therefore they will not so properly fall under our consideration.

2dly. Another considerable number of Christian Indians live within the Jurisdiction of New Plymouth, called the Cape Indians; these also (through God's favor) have enjoyed much peace and quiet by their English neighbours, and several of them have served the English in the war, especially in the heat of the war, and did acquit themselves courageously and faithfully. Indeed, at the beginning of the war, the English of that colony were suspicious of them, and slow to improve any of them in the war, though divers of those Christian Indians manifested themselves ready and willing to engage with the English against their enemies; and this is so much the more remarkable that those Indians proved so faithful to the English interest, considering the war first began in the Colony of Plymouth, by the rashness and folly of Philip, Chief Sachem of the Indians in those parts, unto whom, or to some of his people doubtless, these praying Indians were allied by affinity or consanguinity. Therefore good reason it is, to attribute it to the grace and favor of God, and to the efficacy of religion upon their hearts, that they carried it so well in this war; the greatest sufferings these underwent was, being impeded by the war to come and work in harvest among the English, whereby they had a good helper to

Islands, see the Rev. Matthew Mayhew's Brief Narrative, &c. 12mo. Boston, 1694; and Experience Mayhew's Indian Converts, 8vo. London, 1727. In 1694, Mr. M. Mayhew reckoned there were "about three thousand "Christian Indians on Martha's Vineyard and the Islands adjacent.

get apparel. These also do not fall so properly under consideration in this narrative.

3dly. There were a few other praying Indians, about 40 persons, that began to embrace the Christian religion, who lived near to New Norwich, in Connecticut Colony, who were taught by that worthy and reverend minister, Mr. James Fitch, pastor at Norwich, who had taken much pains to declare the Gospel to the Indians in those parts. But the chief Sachem, Uncas, and his eldest son, Oineko,* not being encouragers of the Christian religion, (though otherwise they and their people have joined with the English in the war, and proved faithful, especially against their ancient and implacable enemies, the Narragansetts,) I say, this Sachem and people being generally averse to entertain Christian religion, or countenance any such as did among his people incline to it, hence it came to pass, that those few in those parts that prayed to God are not distinguishable from the rest, and so nothing of remark is spoken of any of them, and hence will not be subjects of this discourse.

4thly. The fourth and not the least company of Christian Indians, are those that inhabit the Jurisdiction or Colony of Massachusetts, who were taught and instructed in the Christian faith. by that indefatigable servant of God and minister of Christ, Mr. John Eliot, (who hath also labored among all the praying Indians in New England, more or less, for about 30 years,) but more especially among those of Massachusetts Colony. And of these Indians, it is, I shall principally speak, who have felt more of the effects of this war than all the rest of the Christian Indians, as may appear in that which ensues.

For the better understanding of the following discourse, we are to know that all these praying Indians dwelt upon the south side of Merrimack river, and inhabited seven villages, viz. Wamesit, Nashobah,‡ Okkokonimesit, alias Marlborough, Hassannamesit, Makunkokoag,|| Natick, and Punkapog, Talias Pakomit.

*Oneko, as commonly written.

Formerly Chelmsford, now chiefly included in the city of Lowell. Near Nagog Pond in the present limits of Littleton. See Shattuck's History of Concord.

§ Grafton. In 1764, there were about 8 families remaining of the

Hassanamesits.

|| Hopkinton.

Stoughton. When not otherwise mentioned, these towns will be understood to be in the present limits of Massachusetts.