The long forbearance , and too much lenitie of the English toward the Virginian Salvages , had like to have beene the destruction of the whole Plantation . These Barbarians ( ever treacherous ) abuse the goodnesse of those that condescend to their rudenesse and imperfections . The English went , resolutely up to the dore of the Fort. What shall wee enter said Captaine Vnder-hill ? What come we for else ? answered one Hedge , a young Northampton-shire gentleman : who advancing before the rest , pluckt away some bushes and entred . A stout Pequet encounters him , shootes his arrow ( drawne to the head ) into his right arme , where it stuck . He slasht the Salvage betwixt the arme and shoulder , who pressing towards the dore , was killed by the English . Immediatly Master Hedge incountred another , who perceiving him upon him before he could deliver his arrow , gave backe : but he struck up his heeles and run him thorow ; after him hee killed two or three more . Then about halfe the English entred , fell on with courage , and slew manie . But being straitned for roome because of the Wigwams ( which are the Salvage huts or cabins ) they called for fire to burne them . An English man stept into a Wigwam and stooping for a fire-brand , an Indian was ready to knock out his braines . But he whipt out his sword and runne him into the belly , that his bowels followed . Then were the Wigwams set on fire , which so raged , that what therewith , what with the sword , in little more than an houre , betwixt three and foure hundred of them were killed , and of the English onely two , one of them by our owne Muskets , as is thought . For the Narragansets beset the Fort so close , that not one escaped . The whole worke ended , ere the Sun was an houre high , the Conquerors retraited downe toward the Pinnace , but in their march were infested by the rest of the Pequets : Who scouting up and downe , from the swamps and thickets let flie their arrowes amaine , which were answered by English bullets . The Indians that then assisted the English , waiting the fall of the Pequets , ( as the dogge watcheth the shot of the fouler to fetch the prey ) still fetched them their heades , as any were slaine . At last the Narragansets perceiving powder and shot to faile , and fearing to fall into the hands of their enemies , betooke themselves to flight upon the sudden , and were as suddenly encompassed by the Pequets : Feare defeateth great armies . If an apprehension of eminent danger once possesse them , it is in vaine to stay the runne awaies . No oratory can recall them , no command can order them againe . The onely sure way , is by all meanes that may be , promises , threats , perswasions , &c. to maintaine and keepe up courage , where yet it is . But these fearefull companions had one Anchor , whose cable was not broken . They sent speedily to the English , who came to their reskew : and after five Muskets discharged the Pequets fled . Thus freed from that feare , they vowed henceforth to cleave closer to the English , and never to forsake them in time of need . The reason why the Englsh wanted amunition was , because they had left that which they had for store with their drum at the place of their consultation : But found it in their returne . They now all went a ship-board and sayled to Seabrooke-Fort , where the English feasted the Narragansets three daies , and then sent them home in a pinnace .

Let mee now describe this military fortresse which naturall reason & experience hath taught them to erect , without mathematicall skill , or use of yron toole . They choose a piece of ground dry and of best advantage , forty or fifty foote square . ( But this was at least 2 acres of ground . ) here they pitch close together , as they can young trees and halfe trees , as thicke as a mans thigh , or the calfe of his legge . Ten or twelve foote high they are above the ground , and within rammed three foote deepe , with undermining , the earth being cast up for their better shelter against the enemies dischargements . Betwixt these pallisadoes are divers loope-holes , through which they let flie their winged messengers . The doore for the most part is entred side-waies , which they stop with boughes or bushes as need requireth . The space within is full of Wigwams , wherein their wives and children live with them . These huts or little houses are framed like our garden arbours , something more round , very strong and handsome , covered with close wrought mats , made by their women of flagges , rushes , and hempen threds , so defensive , that neither raine , though never so sad and long , nor yet the winde , though never so strong can enter . The top through a square hole giveth passage to the smoke , which in rainy weather , is covered with a pluver . This Fort was so crowded with these numerous dwellings , that the English wanted foote-roome to graple with their adversaries , and therefore set fire on all .

The Mohigens which sided with the English in this action behaved themselves stoutly . Which the other Pequets understanding , cut off all the Mohigens that remaine with them , ( lest they should turne to the English ) except seven : who flying to our Countrey-men related this newes , and that about an hundred Pequets were slaine or hurt , in the fight with the English at their returne from the Fort. Moreover that they had resolved to have sent an hundred choyce men out of their Fort as a party against the English , the very day after they were beaten out by them . But being now vanquished Sasacus the Pequetan Captaine , with the remainder of this massacre was fled the Countrey .

It is not good to give breathing to a beaten enemy , lest he returne armed if not with greater puissance , yet with greater despight and revenge . Too much security or neglect in this kinde hath oft times ruined the Conquerours . The 200 English therefore , resolved on before , were now sent forth to chase the Barbarians and utterly roote them out . Whereupon Cap. Vnderhill with his 20 men returned and gave this account of those exploits of the New-Englanders , which here we have communicated to the old English world . This last partie invaded the Pequetan Countrie , killed twenty three , saved the lives of two Sagamores for their use hereafter , as occasion shall serve , who have promised to doe great matters for the advancing of the English affaires . They pursued the remnant threescore miles beyond the Country ( till within 36. miles of the Dutch plantations on Hudsons river ) where they fought with them , killed fortie or fiftie besides those that they cut off in their retrait , and tooke prisoners 180 , that came out of a Swampe and yeilded themselves upon promise of good quarter . Some other small parties of them were since destroyed , and Captaine Patrick with 16. or 18. brought 80 Captives to the Bay of Boston . The newes of the flight of Sassacus their Sagamore , is also confirmed . He went with forty men to the Mowhacks , which are cruell bloodie Caniballs , and the most terrible to their neighbours of all these nations : but will scarce dare ever to carrie armes against the English , of whom they are sore afraid , not daring to encounter white men with their hot-mouth'd weapons , which spit nothing else but bullets and fire .

The terrour of victorie changeth even the affection of the allies of the vanquished , and the securing of our owne estates makes us neglect , yea forsake , or turne against our confederates , and side with their enemies and ours , when wee despaire of better remedie . These cruell , but wily Mowhacks , in contemplation of the English , and to procure their friendship , entertaine the fugitive Pequets and their Captaine , by cutting off all their heads and hands , which they sent to the English , as a testimony of their love and service .

A day of thanksgiving was solemnly celebrated for this happie successe , the Pequetans now seeming nothing but a name , for not lesse than 700. are slaine or taken prisoners . Of the English are not slaine in all above 16. One occurrent I may not forget . The endeavours of private men are ever memorable in these beginnings : the meanest of the vulgar is not incapable of vertue , and consequently neither of honour . Some actions of Plebeians have elsewhere beene taken for great atchievements . A pretty sturdy youth of new Ipswich , going forth , somewhat rashly , to pursue the Salvages , shot off his Musket after them till all his powder and shot were spent ; which they perceiving , re-assaulted him , thinking with their hatchets to have knocked him in the head . But he so bestirred himselfe with the stock of his piece , and after with the barrell , when that was broken , that hee brought two of their heads to the armie . His owne desert and the incouragement of others will not suffer him to bee namelesse . Hee is called Francis Waine-wright , and came over servant with one Alexander Knight that kept an Inne in Chelmsford .

I have done with this tragick scene , whose catastrophe ended in a triumph . And now give mee leave to speake something of the present state of things there . The transcribing of all Colonies is chargeable , fittest for Princes or states to undertake . Their first beginnings are full of casuality and danger , and obnoxious to many miseries . They must bee well grounded , well followed , and mannaged with great stocks of money , by men of resolution , that will not bee daunted by ordinarie accidents . The Bermuda's and Virginia are come to perfection from meane , or rather base beginnings , and almost by as weake meanes , beyond all expectation , and reason . But a few private men by uniting their stocks and desires have now raised new-England to that height , that never any plantation of Spaniards , Dutch , or any other arrived at in so small a time . Gaine is the load-stone of adventures : Fish and Furres , with Beaver wooll , were specious baites . But whiles men are all for their private profit , the publique good is neglected and languisheth . Woefull experience had too evidently instructed New Englands Colones in the precedents of Guiana , the Charibe Ilands , Virginia , and Novonia , or New-found-land , ( now againe to bee planted by Sir David Kirke , though part of the old planters there yet remaine . ) Wee are never wiser , than when wee are thus taught . The new Englanders therefore advanced the weale publique all they could , and so the private is taken care for .

Corne and Cattell are wonderfully encreased with them , and thereof they have enough , yea sometime to spare to new commers , besides spare roomes , or good houses to entertaine them in . Where they may make Christmas fires all winter , if they please for nothing . I speake not of the naturals of the Countrey , fish , fowle , &c. which are more than plentifull . They that arrived there this yeere out of divers parts of Old England say that they never saw such a field of 400 acres of all sorts of English graine as they saw at Winter-towne there . Yet that ground is not comparable to other parts of New England , as Salem , Ipswich , Newberry , &c. In a word , they have built faire Townes of the lands owne materials , and faire Ships too , some where of are here to be seene on the Thames . They have overcome cold and hunger , are dispearsed securely in their Plantations sixty miles along the coast , and within the Land also along some small Creekes and Rivers , and are assured of their peace by killing the Barbarians , better than our English Virginians were by being killed by them . For having once terrified them , by severe execution of just revenge , they shall never heare of more harme from them , except ( perhaps ) the killing of a man or two at his worke , upon advantage , which their Centinels , and Corps du guards may easily prevent . Nay , they shall have those bruites their servants , their slaves , either willingly or of necessity , and docible enough , if not obsequious . The numbers of the English amount to above thirty thousand , which ( though none did augment them out of England ) shall every day bee , doubtlesse , encreased , by a facultie that God hath given the Brittish Ilanders to beget and bring forth more children , than any other nation of the world : I could justifie what I say from the mouthes of the Hollanders and adjoyning Provinces , where they confesse ( though good breeders of themselves ) that never woman bore two children , nor yet had so many by one man , till the English and Scotch frequented their warres and married with them . I could give a good reason hereof from nature , as a Philosopher ( with modestie bee it spoken ) but there is no neede . The aire of new England , and the Diet equall , if not excelling that of old England : besides their honour of marriage , and carefull preventing and punishing of furtive congression giveth them and us no small hope of their future puissance , and multitude of subjects . Herein , saith the Wiseman , consisteth the strength of a King , and likewise of a nation , or Kingdome .