• His Excellency Richard Earl of Bellomont, Captain General & Governour in Chief of New-York, &c.
• Aldermen
  • Capt. Johannes Schuyler,
  • Hendrick van Ranslaer,
  • Jan Lansing,
  • Jan Vinnagen,
  • Hendrick Hanse,
  • Wessells ten Brock,
• Coll. Peter Schuyler,
• James Graham, Esq. Attorney General
• Coll. Abraham D' Pey [...]er,
• Walter Hungerford, Esq
• Major Derick Wessells, Mayor,
• Capt. John Janse Bleeker, Recorder,
• Assistants
  • Capt. Johannes Bleeker,
  • Johannes Themase,
• And several other Gentlemen.

The Interpreter [...] C [...]elise Viele, and the Interpretess H [...]lletie van Olanda were both sworn publickly.

After they had made five Acclamations of Joy for the five Nations, Sade­ganaktie, Sachem of Onnondage, stood up, and spoke in behalf of the five Na­tions, as followeth,

Brother CORLAER;

WE understand that your Voyage hither hath been long, tedious & dan­gerous, but now you are safely arriv'd , and have given us the great Satisfaction of seeing you here, We a [...]e therefore much overjoyed, during the late long and grievous War we have sustained great Losses, but now your bringing the joyful Tidings of Peace, we wipe the Tears off, Sorrow & Grief from our Eyes, & put on a joyful Countenance. Do give a Beaver Skin.

We also by the present joy of our minds quite remove our late Confusions, and compose our thoughts into such order as to be fit to enjoy our former Tranquility; and in this quiet of mind we purifie our selves from the stain [...] of Blood, that have been shed during the War, in all our habitations. And in this calmness of Spirit we renew our rejoycings, and heartily congratulate our great Brother, and his Ladies safe arrival over the great Sea, with the joyful Account of the long wished for Peace, but cannot but be concerned that so great a joy should be attended with an Indisposition in our great Brothers Body, which we perceive he has, that does in some measure [...]loud our gladness. We give nine Beaver Skins.

[Page 2]My Lords Answer to the Congratulatory Propositions of the Indians.

I thank you for your chearful Congratulations: My Voyage was, as yo [...] have observ'd, [...]edious and troublesome, and I am now much indisposed by th [...] Pains of the Gout, but shall Little Regard that, if I can be serviceable to [...] Brethren, and shall be always ready to hear any thing you have to offer [...] the behalf of your selves and your Country; and if you have now any thin [...] fu [...]ther to say, notwithstanding my present Indisposition I am willing to he [...] you.

Then the Sachems reply'd, they had nothing further to offer at presen [...] but would wait to know what their great Brother had to say to them, an [...] then they would make their answer.

I Am come to this place on purpose, to visit the Brethren, and am glad t [...] see you well, and heartily lament the loss of the Brethren that have bee [...] ki [...]led during the late War.

The King of England, my great master was Induced, among other thing [...] to undertake a War against the French, to Revenge the Injuries done the B [...]e [...]thren by that Nation, and hath been so Succesful, by the Power of his Arms as to Constrain the French to make an honourable Peace, of which happi [...]es [...] the Brethren will have a large share▪ A few days after my arrival to m [...] Government, I did send Coll. Peter Schuyler and Mr. Dellius to the French at Canada with the Articles of Peace concluded between my great Master, the King of England, &c. and the French King, and did thereupon require them of Canada to cease from all Acts of Hostility upon the Brethren demanding what Captives they had, and returning to them such of their Nation as were Captive in my Governments, and some were accordingly reciprocally Ex­changed.

If the Brethren have any Overtures to propose, that may tend to their Comfort and well being, I am ready to hear them. Then His Excellency gave five Bunches of white strung Wampum.

Albany the 21th of July, 1698.

[...]adeganakty, the Speaker, & one of the Sachems o [...] Onnondage, stood up, & in behalf of the five Nations, repeated what my Lord said unto them. And then addressed himself unto my Lord, and said, We are very much obliged at our great Brothers kind Salutation to the five Nations, and we will take a [...]it time when our great Brother is in better Health, to offer unto him, by my self the Speaker, what we have to say in the behalf of our five Nations.

Sinnonquirese, Sachem of the Mohaques Nation, rose up, and said,

Brother CORLAER;

WE your Brethren of the five Nations are all as one, and there are mat­ters of great Import, and which are now to be discoursed; never­theless without Interrup [...]ion I must acquaint our great Brother that there is la [...]ely amongst us t [...]e Mohaques Nation a great m [...]sunderstanding arisen con­cerning a Writing that hath been given by some of our Brethren about our Mohaques Land, a matter of such Consequence that whatever affects us will affect the whole five Nations, and therefore we desire that the said Writing may be abolished and burnt, and that we who are the right owners may be [Page 4] masters of our own Land, especially since we are in one Covenant Chain, and ought not to wrong one another; We therefore most Instantly renew our request that the said Paper or Writing which hath created such a mistake, may be burnt. Do give two Bevers.

Sadeganacktie, Sachim of Onnondage, rose up, and said, Brother Corlaer,

We have deliberately Consulted one with another what is to be offered to our great Brother, in the behalf of the Brethren of the five Nations, which I am appointed to speak.

Brother Corlaer, Coll. Peter Schuyler, Major Derik Wessels and Dom. Delli [...], Who are Lovers of our welfare, by your Command did acquaint us with the Peace concluded between our great King of England, and the French King, with which we are pleased, and do accept of the same. And then directing his discourse to the Clerk, said, Secretary Livingston, pray be careful, observe well, and write what we say.

Brother Corlaer, we cannot but observe to you a thing very strange, that after the conclusion of such a Peace, we are forced to tell you, that since the same was notifyed to us, we have lost Ninety four men; We, since we had the tiding of the Peace, have lain still & quiet, without giving the least Off­ence to our late Enemy, keeping the same firmly as we have always done the Covenant C [...]a [...]n▪ but on the contrary, the French Indians, our late Enemy, have Violated the said Peac [...], and have killed our People; and we acquaint you with this action, and b [...]g you to take it into your hearty Consideration, for ou [...] D [...]pendance is only upon you; yet we are dayly in great Terrour, and very une [...]sie▪ whilst we stay here our Wives and Children being daily Ex­posed to fresh assaults of the Do [...]aga [...]haes, and other French Indians.

Now great Brother, We will cease talking any more of that ungrateful Subject, & confine our selves to the antient beginning of the Covenant Chain.

In the times of old there came a Ship into this Country in which there was one [...], who brought in the same great Plenty of Goods, with whom we entered into a strict Allyance, and tyed his Ship with the bark of a Tree, which was often Renewed until at length we changed the bark of the Tree which kept our Allyance firm, and made it of a more substantial matter, by which it became a Covenant Chain, which is the Term we have ever since used, and in this Covenant Chain we and the Brethren have been continually Linked, and have fixed it so sure, that we have never since with-drawn our hands from it, and we the five Nations shall never depart from it, but keep the same Inviolable.

Brother Corlaer, All our Confidence is and we are well assured that our great Brother will take our whole House under his Protection, in which Con­fidence we have great joy, the like having been our Comfort in former times, and Coll. Peter Schuyler hath been always the Instrument that hath been im­ployed for the assuring to us this Comfort. We cannot [...]get that our Neigh­bours of Virginia, Maryland, New England, and all the rest of our great Kings Subjects upon this main Continent of America, have often desired, and have been accordingly Linked into this Covenant Chain, which remains no longer to be Iron, but is now become Silver, and now shines with a greater Lustre and brightness than ever; and now all of us sit under the shadow of that great Tree, which is full of Leaves, and whose Roots and Branches extend not only to the Places and Houses where we Reside, but also unto the utmost limit of our great Kings Dominion of this Continent of America, which Tree is [Page 5] now become a Tree of Welfare and Peace, and our living under it for the time to come will make us Enjoy more ease, and live with greater advantage then we have done for several years past, and we therefore in the hopes of this enjoyment, Renew our old Covenant Chain under this Tree of Welfare, whilst our great Brother has the care of this Government. Then turning to the rest of the Indians, he said,

Brethren, Let all of us here present, be Witnesses, and keep this Covenant Chain firm and bright.

Brother Corlaer, Let now your Protection extend unto all us, your Brethren, and be watchful that when we rest secure in the Confidence of this Peace, that no more hu [...]t or mischief may befall us, and let Coll. Peter Schuyl [...]r, M [...]jor Derick Wessels Dominie Dellius, Evert Banker, John Janse Bleeker, and Se­cretary Rob. Livingston, be mindful to inform our great Brother, when any such hurt or mischief befall us, that he may do us his Brethren Right therein. Yet nevertheless if the French of Canada should do any future hurt or mischief to the Brethren, we are resolved to keep the Covenant Chain clean, but do Expect that our great B [...]her will take care to see Justice [...]one us for such hurts and injuries, as we shall thereby sustain.

And in Testimony of the Integrity of all our Intentions, we do hereby Vomit up all the G [...]ul and Bitterness [...] in our minds for or by reason of any Hurts, Mischiefs or Bloo [...]heds that have been done us, and do afterwards wash, cleanse and Pu [...]ifie our selves from all the filth that hath a [...]tended us therein

We also observe unto you that the Goods and Merchandize we have occasion for are now so very dear, that it [...]ay be a m [...]an in time of Peace to tempt our young men to go to Canada to proc [...]e them cheaper there, where our youth may be debauch'd; so that it would be much better that your Goods were sold cheaper here then at Canada, which would Invite ou [...] [...]ou [...]g m [...]n that the French have already seduced to Canada, to return hi [...]her, and [...]ive amongst their Relations, where they may have every thing at a better [...]dvan­tage than they can have there, provided the Brethren [...]e [...]l their Goods cheap

We also tell you, that we come a great way from our Hous [...]s [...]o this place, and it is a great grievance that when we break our Hatchet or our G [...]n, we must pay an unreasonable price for the mend [...]ng of them and they not contented with that make us stay a long time before they can be mended, which does us a great deal of Prejudice, and therefore we desire that those Abuses may be remedied.

Now Brother Corlaer, Before I leave off I must return a matter of great weight, which will require your se [...]ious Consideration, and that is, that you would require the Governor of Canada to surrender up unto us all the Prisoners they have taken from us during the late War: We must also acquaint you, that a greater evil could not have attended all of us in the five Nations, as well as the Brethren, than the suffering the French to re-settle Cadaraquie, which will always be as a Thorn in our sides, and keep us in such a continual Alarm and Watchfulness, that we shall never be able to hunt freely, whilst such a Power and Fo [...]tress is so near, not only to annoy, but in a capacity to destroy us.

WE are heartily glad to see you, and Congratulate your safe arrival to this place, it is a year ago since we heard of your coming, and we esteem it a great happiness to us, your Children, that you are now arrived. Do give two Beaver Skins.

Father, We have not seen the Sun these nine years past, having been in­volv'd in a bloody War, but now the Sun of Peace is r [...]sen again in our Horizon, by our seeing of our Father Corlaer come, who b [...]ings us the j [...]yful News of Peace, your coming has made our hearts light, and [...]o rejoyce. Do give two Beavers.

Father, We have lost a great many men wi [...]hin these nine years past▪ not by sickness, but by the War, when we pursued vigorously against the French of Canada; we have been a strong People, but pray Father behold what a small number we are reduced to by the War, however we that are left are glad to see you come sa [...]e hither. Do give three Beavers.

Father, It is long since we and the Christians were united into such a Chain of Friendship that we did live peaceably under the Tree of welfare, planted at Skachkok, but that peaceable living was interrupted about nine years ago, by a War that broke out by the French, but n [...]w that War being ended, we intend to return again, and live under the Branches of that pleasant Tree of Peace, that abounds so much with Leaves, as that the Scorching heat of the Sun [Page 9] cannot pierce it; and we not only enjoy this Peace alone, but the s [...]e fire that heats and warms the Mohaques, and the other Nations of Indians▪ [...]nd makes them constant and firm in their Affections, hath the same effect upon us, so that we are no more divided, but are one People, one Aff [...]ct [...]on, and one In­terest. Do give three Beavers.

Father, In the first settlement we always esteemed the Governour o [...] this Province to be our Father, but now we perceive we have a M [...]ther also▪ which extreamly rejoyceth our hearts, because the care of the Ch [...]ld [...]en must be strong under that mutual Bond, and therefore the Covenant Chain, which hath always been successively preserved in all the changes of Governmen [...], must now be stronger than ever, our Parents, the Christians being great, our Brethren of the five Nations being strong, and we the least and youngest, yet being of the same Family, and in the same Chain, do cleanse and scower our part of it, and make it shine with the same lustre and brightness as the rest, renewing that Covenant of dutiful Obedience to our Father▪ Do give three Beavers.

Father, When we formerly lived at Skachkook we enjoyed plenty of every thing▪ but the heat of the late War driving us from thence, we were constrain­ed to settle here near Albany, where we found every thing scarce, so that since that time we have endured very great hardships. Do give two Beavers.

Father, You may now perceive, how that through the Violence of the War you [...] Children are reduced unto a very small Number, and therefore that they may recruit and become more Powerful, they are resolved to Re-plant them­selves at their own Seat of Skachkook, where we beg your Fatherly Protection, and that our peaceable Settlement there may not be distu [...]b'd by the savage and brutal Inroad of our Enemies, but that the Paths leading thereunto ma [...] be kept clean and clear from the Rovings of any Persons that may disturb us in the enjoyment of that Tranquility which will be the only means to invite other Nations of Indians to come and co-habit with us▪ increase the Number of your Children, and thereby enable us the more manfully to execute our Fathers Commands. Do give two Beavers.

Father Corlaer ▪ Now I am very sorry that I must acquaint you with an evil practice that hath continued a long time among the Brethren, and if not pre­vented will endanger all that peaceab [...]e settlement we have resolved on, which is, that when our young Indians come from hunting, so soon as the Christians hear of it, they take their Horses and come to our Settlements, and there seize upon what we have got in our Canows, under pretence of being in their Debt, and not contented to take the Furze obtained in hunting but also our Guns, & thereby render us unable to hunt again, by which means we become extreamly poor, and so must always run in debt for new [...]uns and other Necessaries to go hunt again, whereas if we had the liberty to bring our things to Market, as other Indians do, we should not only be able to pay our D [...]bts, but also have surplusage to supply our selves with other things needful. Do give 2 Beavers.

WE come now to speak of a matter which we mentioned upon our first arrival here, it is a concern of the D [...]vil, a Brother of ours of the Mo­haques Nation having been killed by one of your Peop [...]e, but we understand when the Fact was committed the Murderer was drunk; we [...]ust also tell you of the like wicked Fact committed by another of your People in our own house in the Sinnekes Country, he was a Person whom we kindly received and enter­tained in our [...]astle, yet he was so possessed with the Devil, that he killed one of our Sachems. [...]ow, Great Brother, that you may pe [...]ceive the great esteem we have for the [...]ovenant Chain, we are willing to forgive both those cruel & ungrateful Deeds, and desire that the memory of them ma [...] be buried in a Pit of Oblivion, in which Pit we will have a swift stream to run under the bottom of it▪ to carry a way the Memory and the Thoughts of Revenge o [...] said Deeds, and that there may be never any thought or me [...]ory had of th [...]m in time to come, we put all our hands to the roling of a grea [...] stone to cover the top of the said Pit that it may not be in the power of any of our Nations to look into it again. And that you may be well assured of th [...] sincer [...]ty of this matter, we pray ou [...] great [...]rother, tha [...] he would loose the Bands of the two Prisoners, and set them free, and at the same time give them pardon for their said Offences, which we shall take and accep [...] as a pledge of the Love of our great [...]rot [...]er, to streng [...]hen the Covenant Chain [...]nd we are the more earnest in this our prayer, because all the Relations of the Persons murdered, who have been the greatest Sufferers, have killed their Revenge, which will never come into me again. Did give seven Beavers and a Belt of Wampum.

Brother Corlaer ▪ We are now going to speak o [...] that un [...]ort [...]nate thing, the Re-settlement of Cadarachquie by the French; you seem to c [...]arge i [...] upon us, as if it had been done by our neglect, and as if it had been in our power to pre­vent it, but it was not so; for in the beginning of the War we [...]o [...]ced the French to forsake it, and afterwards acquainted our Brother, the late Governour Coll. B [...]nj. Fletcher, whom we called Cayenquirago, of how great an advantage it would be to the Brethren and us, that the said [...]o [...]t of Cadarachquie were demo­lished & made uncapable to receive any of the French Forces again, who seem­ed to joyn with us in our Reason, and did promise to supply us with men to assist us in that Design, but we found, to our sad Exp [...]rience, the said Prom [...]se delay'd; we thereupon in a year or two afterwards, acq [...]ain [...]ed our said Bro­ther Coll. Fletcher, that we had notice the French intended to Re-settle t [...]e said Fort, and therefore required of him that he would give us the Assi [...]tance of men he formerly promised us, that we might then go and demolish the same, to prevent the French designs of Re-settlement which our Brother Coll. Fletcher did again promise to perform; whereupon we retu [...]n'd home unto our Coun­try, and made great preparation for that design, having gathered ou [...] Young men fit for the War together, provided one hundred Canows to carry our Army [Page 11] over the Lake, and gave our Brother Coll. Fletcher, named b [...] us Cajenquirag [...], notice [...]he [...]eof, that he might send us the men he promised but after we [...]ad staid for them until the Winter set in, which rendered our design impo [...]sible, there did not come up one [...]; so that the failure of that design is not to be im­p [...]ted to u [...], who have been always ready to execute what we have undertaken to do for the Brethren, but is wholly chargeable upon B [...]etheren who have so often fail'd of their Promises in that matter.

And we further offer to [...] great Brothers Consideration, h [...]w faith [...]u [...] we have been, during the late War, to the Covenant Chain; for we hav [...] had con­tinually at our own charge our Scouts and Spies abroad in [...] [...]oun­try, from whom we no sooner received any Intelligence of the D [...]sign [...] of the French, either upon the B [...]e [...]hren or us, but we sent the sam [...] im [...]edia [...]ly [...]o o [...]r Brother Coll. Fletcher, the late Governour who had always timely Not [...]ce enough to recruit us with sufficient strength to repell any Design the Enemy might have against the Brethren and us; but instead thereof the Enemy came c [...]mmonly in the body of our Country, burnt our Castles, and did us all the m [...]schief they could before the Brethren sent us any succour or relief; and du­ring the whole War, all the succor and relief that ever we had was from Coll. Pet [...]r Schuyler, who marched into our Country with a few men, fought the French, and forced them to fly, but our Brother Coll. Fletcher and the forces he bro [...]gh [...] wi [...] him never c [...]me to Albany in all the Invasions until the Enemy wa [...] [...]. Our Brother Ca [...]enquirago, Coll. Fletcher, did often promise us, that upon t [...]e least notice of the motion of the Enemy he would come in Person himself at the head of five hundred men, but we once only desired three hun­d [...]ed men, but could never procure the help of one man for him, bu [...] in man­ner aforesaid.

And since we are upon this matter, our great Brother must not be angry with us if we fu [...]ther expostulate with him, and tell him plainly and truly, that at the time of the last Invasion of the French into the Onno [...]dages Country, we gave our Bro [...]her Coll. Fletcher, the late Governour, no [...]ice that the French were preparing a great Army to invade us, & required assistance to strengthen us to [...]sist the Enemy, but it seems our Inte [...]ligence was little regarded; then when the Enemy had marched with their Canows half way to our Country, with [...] the Number of 1500 men, we sent an Express unto our Brother Coll. Fletcher, acquainting him how far the Enemy was advanced towards the Invasion o [...] our Country, and beg'd a speedy Recruit, but without effect; & as the Enemy approached nearer and nearer to our Country, we continued sending four Expresses more unto our said Brother Coll. Fletcher, acquain [...]i [...]g him with the said motion of the Enemy, begging of him speedy assistance, but could not obt [...]in the help of one man; so since we could no [...] depend on any a [...]sistance from the Brethren, and not having sufficient strength of our selves to resist so great a force of the Enemy, we shifted for our selves, desert­ing our Castles, & suffered them to be exposed to the fury of the Enemy, who after they [...]ad burnt our Castles and destroy'd our Indian Cor [...], and done us all the mischief they could, then they return'd home with their great Army; after which retreat our Brother Coll. Fletcher arrived at Albany for our assi [...]tance with the great Number of 30 men instead of 500 he promised us.

We cannot imagine what our great Brother [...] when he charge [...]h the late loss of our People upon the neglect of our [...], o [...]r great [...]r [...]th [...]r sent an Express into our Castles, and gave us notice, that the great K [...]ng of [Page 12] England had concluded a Peace with the French King, and required us to for­bear all acts of Hostility against the late Enemy which accordingly we obeyed, never imagining that the Indian Subjects of our great King should be obliged by those Articles of Peace to bury their Hatcher, and cease from doing the Enemy an [...] more harm, when at the same time the Indian Subjects of the French King should be permitted to hurt us: We always thought that the Hrticles of Peace made between our great King and the French King had included all the Subjects of each of their Dominions; and if this Construction be true, we had no need to be so watchful in time of Peace as in War, and therefore the late Mis­chief done us is not to be attributed to our neglect or unwatchfulness, but un­to the Treachery and Unfaithfulness of the French, who have not so justly observed the Articles of Peace as we have done.

Brother Corlaer, You have also charg'd us, That we should have no Treaty nor Negotiation with the French upon any matter whatsoever, nor suffer any French Priest to come & abide in any of ou [...] Castles, but when any such come to bring them hither, this is very good; but for the prevention thereof, it would be very convenient that our great [...] should write to the Gover­nour of Canada, prohibiting him to send any such Persons amongst us. And in answer to the Interchange of the Prisoners on both sides, we do desire, that if our great Brother have any Treaty on that matter with the French, that he give us notice thereof, that we may send some of our Sachems to be there present You seem to press earnestly that we should have no Treaty with the French, and if that we should, you will assign it to be a breach of the Cove­nant Chain. Brother Corlaer, It is far from our thoughts to do any thing to break the Covenant Chain; we came to renew it, which we have done with greater earnestness than ever, and have planted the T [...]ee of Wellfare, which can never be rooted up; therefore be no [...] apprehensive that we will ever break the Covenant Chain, or that we will ever treat with the French, or do any thing that may give the Brethren the least mis [...]trust of our [...]ntegrity; for our hearts are so clean and so free from any stain or corruption, that we can never be tainted with any such evil. Did give [...]8 Beavers, 6 Laps, 9 [...]tters.

We now give you the Names of our Prisoners that are detain'd in Canada, viz The Oneyde Prisoners are 12 Men and 36 Women

Onnondage Prisoners, Orondesathton, Skachnawedgie, Assinhare, Annadais, Sagogeeson, (these five are lately taken by the French Indians) Igongha, Sojonwase, a Boy, Aronjaron, Tosidendon, and 3 Women, viz. Wadatsone, Diolha [...]as [...]re and her Niece Tietgohoge.

Cajouges Prisoners, viz. Tieuchsaachton, a Woman and her Son, Canaeasticaet, another Woman, and her Child, Canellerei, another Woman.

Sinnekes Prisoners are five, viz. Sajadassee, Adskeiraks, Castenjeenent, Cadsirochka, Caniengera, his Cousen.