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Peiter Schuyler Mayor, with ten more Gentlemen, then
Interpreted by Arnout &
The Names of the Sachims,
Speaker,
Brethren,
WEE are Sorry and extreamly French upShennechtady, we esteem this Evil, as if done to our selves being all in one Covenant-Chain; But what they have done is by way of stealth, by way of Robbery unawares; our BreNew-England will be sorry to hear of the sad Wampom, according to their custome, to wipe off the Tears.
2. Brethren, We lament and condole the Death of Brethren so basely Murther'd at Shennechtady ▪
we canVictory, for it is done by way of Deceit. He (meaning the Governour of Canada) comes to our CounHouse quite hither: but War is in his heart, as you find by woful experience; but what shall we say? it is the same as he did at
and the
Countrey. This is the third time that he has done so; he has broke open the Jewel of our House on both ends, the one end at Sinnondowanne, and the other here, But we hope to be Revenged. There is one hundred of our young men out still, who will pursue them to their Doors at Cannida; nay, the French shall not be able to cut a stick of Wood, we will lay so close Seige to them, We do now gather the Dead together in order to their Interment. A manner of speakWampom
3. We are come here from our Castles with Tears in our Eyes to Bemoan the Murther committed by the perfideous French at Shennechtady, our young Indians are gone out in PurShennechtady. [They give a Belt of Wampom, accor
4. Great is the Mischief that is befallen us, it is come from the Heavens upon us, we are taught by our Fore-fathers, when any sad Accident or Disaster doth befal any of the Covenant, to go with all convenient speed to Bemoan their Death; [They give a Belt of Wampom, which they call a Belt of Vigilance, that is, not to have too much thoughts on what is done that cannot be Remedied, but to be watchful for the future; and they give
to make the Brethren sharp-sighted.
5. We come to the house where we usually do Renew the Covenant, which House we find defiled with Blood, this is known
and all they that are in Office here in Albany, naming the Mayor whom they cal Peiter, Mr. Vessels, and Mr. Livingstone may use all means and Direct all Affairs to be Revenged of the Enemy that hath done us this Evil [They give a Belt of Wampom.
6 Brethren: Do not be Discouraged, this is but a beginning of the War, we are strong enough, the whole house have Chain and cannot be broke, it must not be broke; we are Bear, and a Bear doth not yield as long as there is a drop of Blood in its body we must all be Wampom.
7. Brethren, Be Content, Look up to the Heavens; from thence the Judgment is come now upon us, Be not Discouraged, the same hand that hath Chastized us can heal us; The Sun which now hath been Cloudy, and sent us this Disaster, will shine aBe Encouraged; [with many Repetitions. And they give a
☞8 We were Engaged in a Bloody War with the French, about three years ago, and were Encouraged to Proceed, and no sooner were we well Entred, and got several Prisoners, but a Cessation came, and
hindred us to proceed, and Demansuch Obstructions will Ruine us; if we might have had our wills, we would have prevented their Planning, Sowing and: Reaping, and brought them low and mean; Nevertheless let us be stedfast, and not take such measures again, let us go on brisk
9 We Recommend the Brethren to keep good Watch, and if any Enemies come, take care that Messengers be more speedily sent to us then lately was done, we would not advise the BreSennechtady, but to make a Fort there, the Enemy would be too glorious to see it quite Desolate, and the Town here is not well Fortified, the Stockadoes are so short, the Indians can jump over them like a Dog. [They give a
☞10 This mischief is done at Sennechtady, and it cannot be helped, but as soon as any Enemy comes, let nothing hinder your speedy sending to us the News by Posts, and Fyring great Guns, that all may be Alarm'd; and our Advise is that you get all the River Indians who are under your Subjection to come and live near unto you, to be ready on all occasions, and send word to New-England of all what's done here; undoubtedly they will awake and lend us their helping hand; let us not be Discouraged, The French are not so many as People talk off; if we but mind our buisiness, They can be subdued, with the assistance of our Neighbours of New-England, whose interest it is to drive on this War as much as ours, that it may be spee
We desire that the Brethren may Recommend the Smiths not to be too dear in Repairing our Arms, since Mony is so
Warring and not to Hunting ▪
we shall take care to warn the Sinnakes and the Nations living above us to be in Readiness; for we being one they hearken to us, and tell them of New-England that we shall take care that the upper Nations be Ready for our Security and Assistance, and Let them be Ready also with Ships and great Guns by Water, and we will Plague him by Land: We are Resolved not to go out a Hunting, but to mind the War, for the sooner the French be fallen upon the better, before they get Men and ProFrance, as their usual Custome is. [They give a Bear-skin.
Your coming here according to the Custome of your Ancestors, to Condole the death of your Brethren MurShennechtady is very acceptable, whereby your Inclination towards us is Demonstrated; we must acknowledg that they did not keep so good Watch as they ought, considering what a false and deceitful Enemy they had to deal withal, but that which made them so secure, was, the great Trust which they Reposed in the forty Maquass who came here, and Tendered their Service to go and be the OutMaquass, who promised to have four Posts ready, two to go to their own Country, and two to come hither if aFrench could come here without being Discovered; and then would all fall into our hands: We are likewise mindful, how that the five Nations last Fall, when the Gentlemen of New-England were here did Declare how they would Encompass the French of Canada, that they could not break out this Winter, without being Discovered and Fallen upon: We did likewise propose by our Messengers, Arnout, and Robert Sanders at the General Meeting of Onnondage to have Three or Four Hundred Men sent hither to be ready on all occasions, but see none.
Now Brethren, this Evil is done and cannot be called back again, and the only means to prevent the like for the future, is to keep good Watch, and to have good courage to oppose and resist the Enemy. We are no wayes Discomfited for this misFrench in a short time; we have already sent LetNew-England, Virginia and MaryLand, the Subjects of the great King of England, and acquainted them of the Evil done here by the French, and how requisite it is, that Ships be fitted out with all convenient speed, to go to Quebeck, and to press the business the more, we do now send persons to New-York and New-England, a purpose to lay open the Case before them. And to perswade them to Rig out VesFrance, but to take Quebeck it self: as also to send more Men hither, that we may then send Men along with you to annoy the Enemy in their Country In the mean time we recommend the Brethren to send for
two hundred Men from the upper Nations, to joyn with you, French in continual Alarm, and do them what O
and Sinnekes must go down the Ri
and meet one another about Mont Royal
Shennechtady were
The Brethren see that we are in War with France,
French as you Christians came here: They strove to lull us as all asleep, by their Messengers Onnondage, speaking of Peace, and then they were upon the way, hither to commit this Murther.
☞ The Brethren need not fear for a Cessation to hinder us to pursue the Enemy, for as we told you before, the KING that ordered that, was a Papist, and a great Friend of the French; But our present Great KING will pursue the War to the outmost: Therefore we must all prepare for War. It will therefore be very requisite that the Brethren for their better Security come and Plant this Summer at Shinnechtady upon the Land that canShackkook Indians, 'tis concluded on some dayes ago, to propose to the Shackkook Indians the Planting on Marte Gerritse Island hard by the Town, and the River Indians that live below shall also come to
We must Insist and Recommend you to perswade them of Oneyde to send the Priest hither, for you have seen how dangerous
Oneyde than an hundred men.
We think it Convenient that one or two of the Sachims stay here, and that a Sachim of each Nation be here to assist in the management of the Affairs of the War. There was given them six Belts of Wampom, some Duffils, Tobacco, and some Bags with Provision.
After the Proposition was answered, they gave a Shout according to their Custome, which signified Amen, that they would continue the War to the utmost.
After the said Answer was made, The Maquas Sachems said after they had Repeated our Answer. We are glad to see that you are not Discouraged, A mistake can be made by the best and wisest of men, and we must see now to Pursue the War with all Vigour, we have an hundred men out in Pursuit of the Enemy still, who are good SkoSachims of the Upper Nations to Consult with us, who will come to Condole the Death of our Brethren Murthered at Shennechtady: You need not fear our being ReaNew-England, for we nor you cannot live long in this Condition; we must order it so, that the French be in a continual Fear and Alarm, and that is the way to be in Peace here.
Concerning the Shakkook Indians in our Opinion they lye well where they are, as a good Watch, They are our Children, we will take care that they do their Duty, but as for the Indians that live be
This is a
1. That about the middle of January, they went from Mont-Royal, being about Three Hundred Men, French and InFrench, among which onely nineteen Souldiers taken out of divers Companies, the Rest all Boss-lopers, them that frequent the Woods, and Inhabitants, and an hundred and forty Praying Indians and others, with positive Orders to Murder and Destroy all People they met withal at Shennechtady, except such as begg'd for quarters, as also to burn the Place, and take with them those that they could carry aCanada, some French and Indians that were sick and Timorous, ReturnShennechtady, by the Indians called Ochques.
2 After Enquiry of the Particulars of the Murder, they ConFrench had Murdered the Minister of the said Village called Pieter Tossemaker, first shooting him thorow the Leggs, and then hew'd him with their Swords most barba
3 Being enquired concerning the Prisoners, they carried along with them, said, they were well Treated by the way, and withCanada, some of our Prisoners
French, but that we need not doubt of their good Entertainment at Canada, since they will be Delivered to the Jesuits to be instructed in their Religion.
4 That they had eat about twenty or thirty of the Horses they carriCanada.
5 That nevertheless Provisions begun Mont Royal.
6 That the ten Prisoners, whereof these now Examined were three, were taken by our Indians about two of the Clock in the Afternoon, being at the same fire that the body of the Army went from in the Morning, attending some sick persons who could not March so fast as the Rest. 7. That the manner of keeping their Scouts out a nights both in Coming and going was thirty men who Marched conShennechtady, the number of the said Scouts was Doubled.
8 That by the Tract they Trapann'd some Maquase Squaws near Shennechtady, whom they Compelled to give an account of the CondiShennechtady, the Officers had a Consultation about falling upon Albany; one Monsieur de Tallie who had been formerly here did Press hard to Attaque it, but because their Orders was Expresly for Shennechtady the Design on Albany was put by.
9 That they had lost but one only French man at Shennechtady, and one sore wounded;
The said Prisoners being Examined about the Affairs of Canada do say,
I. That last Summer eight or nine Ships arrived at Quebek, whereof two were Men of War, who brought store of Ammunition and ProviFrontinak came for Governour, and Monsieur Call
Governour of Mont Royal, and the Indian PrisoDe
late Governour went away with said Ships.
II. That they expect for certain that Twelve Men of War will come this Summer with Two thousand Men, and two Years ProvisiCanada.
3 The Governour Fronter upon his Voyage to Canada met with a
French Ship London with BCanada, and sent her Loading with great store of Pork and Meal come from France up to Mont Royal.
IV That Provisions were not dearer at Canada now than French Crown, adding that the DaCanada was inconsiderable.
V. Governour Frontenak came to Mont Royal about the middle of September, which Place he hath fortified with a Ditch ten foot deep, and twelve foot wide, round about the Town, except at the River side, where he hath built of Stone right out where the Guard is kept.
VI. That he had brought twelve small Morter-peices and some small Canon from France with him, which Morter-peices a man can easily carry, one of the said Prisoners having try'd it himself.
VII. The Governour Frontenak had caus'd to be made one hunBa
that is flat bottom'd Boats; fit to carry eight or nine men, with Provisions and Amunition; as also one hundred Bark Cannoes at Mont Royal: the first were all made, and the latter the greatest part ready: and that it was much disFrench of light Ladders to storm the Fort at Albany; all which together with the Morter-pieces, are making ready to come early in the Spring with fifteen hundred men to Ataque Albany by the French call'd Fort D'Orange.
VIII. That Governour Frontenak went in the Moneth of November to Quebeck, and was design'd to return to Mont Royal in the Winter, or at longest early in the Spring, to accomplish their Design upon Albany.
IX. That for that purpose Monsieur d Lute was to go as soon as possible in the Spring, with fifty Souldiers to Ottowawa, to bring down the Indians to Mont Royal.
X. For the present, there are six Companies of Souldiers at Mont Royal of fifty men each, besides six or seven hundred Burgers and Inhabitants.
Indians.
XII. That said Souldiers are divided in the following Towns and Forts, Viz.
Quebek, Mont Royal, Chambly,
XIII. They say that it was divulged at Mont Royal, that four hundred men were gone from Quebek under command of
and Monsieur Courtiman
being all Bosse-lopers InhabiKinnebek River, to take a certain English Fort, and that another Company, but not so numerous under the Conduct of Mons. Artel were gone towards the Province of New York to do mischief there.
XIV. That the French King was pleased to give Cadarachqui to Governour Frontenak as a Gift, who was very much displea
A true Copy, Examined by
Memorandum, The French Murther'd Sixty Men, Women and Children at Shenand carried twenty seven Men & Boys Prisoners to Canada.
Boston Printed by S. Green. Sold by Benjamin Harris at the London Coffee-House. 1690.