Good fetch'd out of Evil.
1. OUR Great REDEEMER, has by his good porvidence entertained and encouraged his faithful people, with the redemption of many captives, from the hands of our French and Ind [...]an enemies. It is infinitely reasonable, that this good providence of Heaven should be glorified; and a collection, tho' an imperfect one, of certain memorables occurring to these children of the captivity, will afford some great revenues of glory to it; which may be accompanied with several things, where by the faithful also may be more than a little edified.
2. Our eastern Indians, had no sooner, with all possible assurances, renewed their league of peace with us, but being moved by the instigation of the French, they perfidiously and barbarously surprized, seven of our more naked and secure plantations; and coming at once into the scattered families they did, on August 10, 11. 1703. reward the hospitable civilities that were shown them, with the murder of above seventy English people, and the captivity of near an hundred. Upon this there ensued lesser depredations, and captivations, as the treacherous enemy found opportunity for them.
[Page 5]About half a year after these calamities thus begun on the eastern parts of the country, the western had a taste of the same cup given to them. On February 1703. 4. An army consisting, as it was judg'd, of about four hundred French and Indians, made a descent upon the little town of Deerfield, the most northernly settlement on Connecticut river, which had long been a watchful and an useful barrier for the rest of the plantations in the neighbourhood. They surprized the place, about an hour or two before break of day, and in a little time, not without loss to themselves, they butchered and captivated above one hundred and fifty of the people. Mr. John Williams, the worthy minister of that pious and holy flock, was carried into captivity, with five of his children; two of his children were slain; and his desirable consort, beginning to faint, at about a dozen miles of the doleful journey, they the [...]e, like themselves▪ cruelly murdered her, and left her for the funeral which her friends afterwards bestowed on her. Before they reach'd unto Mont-Real, a journey dispatch'd by the parcels now divided, in twenty days, more or less, near twenty more of the captives lost their lives; for the manner was, that if any found themselves not able to travel through the deep snow, now on the ground, the savages would strike their hatches into their heads, and there leave them weltring in their blood.
3. The condition of the captives, thus fallen into the hands of the enemy, has furnish'd us w [...]th divers matters, not unworthy to [...]e observed and remembred.
[Page 6]The French did buy many of the captives, from the Indians, among whom they met with many instances of humanity, more or less, according to the humour of those, in whose families they became servants or sojourners. Others of the captives were a long while detained with the Indians in their horrid and howling wigwams, and some are to this day miserably circumstanced among those dragons of the wilderness. Various methods have been used for the redemption of these captives; and at several times, there have been returned several of them; yea, several companies of them. The last, who came in number between forty and fifty with Mr. Sheldon, (a good man, and a true servant of the church in Deerfield, who twice took his tedious and dangerous j [...]urneys in the winter, from New-England unto Canada, on these occasions) came aboard at Quebec, May 30, and after nine weeks difficult passage, arrived at Boston, August 1, 1706.
4. At their coming away, that suffering and shining servant of God, Mr. John Williams, who is held still in his ca [...]ivity, and with-held by the French papists [...] opportunities to make his personal addres [...] to the rest of the captives, for their establishment in our holy religion, address'd them with a letter, which that so others may share with them in the benefit of it, shall now be pu [...] [...]d.
TO MY Much respected FRIENDS, that are on their voyage FROM Quebeck, for New-England, present with care, I pray. Per SAMUEL SCAMMON, Q. D. C.
IN as much as I may neither be permitted to return with you, nor be permitted to come to see you before you return; these come to acquaint you, that I am truly desirous of your Prosperity, for soul and body. I would bless God who is opening a door of return for you: and if God be your front-guard, and rereward, it shall yet go well with you; a mercy, I would humbly be imploring for you. I hope you will continue to pray for us that are left behind, that God would preserve and recover us, and give us grace to glorify his holy name, tho' he continue, ye [...] i [...]crease our trials,, if we may be witnesses fo [...] God, and serve him, tho' under fiery trials, we shall be no losers. The Lord help us by his grace (for of our selve [...] we are insufficient to do any thing) to keep the faith, and suffer according to his will he has foretold us, that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of heaven. If God will bless; no matter [Page 8] what men say of us. As for you, I would offer a few words of Counsel to you in your voyage. What is it that it most upon your heart in your return? Is it that you may with all freed [...]m glorify God, in bringing forth much fruit, wherby he may be glorifyed, whilst you are again planted in the court-yards of our God? How sorrowful is it, if your greatest design be to see your friends so long separated from you: to gain estates, and recover your outward losses; and to be free again to go and come as you lift! When you return, consult, Luk. 8.39. and see from thence, that it well becomes them who have had eminent mercies, to be shewing to others what great things God has done for them. Hereby you will be advancing the glory and ho [...]our of God the highest, last, and most noble end man was made for. Hereby you will comply with the revealed will of God: for he says, call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Hereby you will also stir up others to glorify God on your behalf. Hereby also you may gain good counsels, directions, and the prayers of many in order to your [...]mproving such mercies, so as God may have glory, and your souls a continue profiting, yea hereby you may be instrumental in putting others upon trusting God, and making him their refuge in an evil day. Let God have the glory of preserving you; and don't ascribe it to your own wisdom, or goodness; don't think to go sharets or partners with God in his glory: He has done it for the honour of his name, Read Psal. 86.13.14. and learn from thence, that a truly gracicious [Page 9] soul delivered out of afflictions, will be very careful to fu [...]fil his promises, and pay his vows made to God in the day of his distress. For otherwise you will unavoidably fall into the number of them spoken of, Psal. 78—34, 35, 36, 37. W [...]thout this, you will fail of a comfortable evidence, that your deliverance is in special mer [...]y. It's certain, That he who glo [...]ifies God, is one that orders his conversation aright. Be careful to perform your promises as to the matter, manner, time, and end of obedience: Be thorough in your obedience. The performing your promises will turn to your own special and peculiar gain and profit. Surely, God has a worse prison, than any of you have yet been in, for them that will not honestly pay their debts of obedience to him. Eccles. 5.4. Consider how angry God was with Hezekiah, for not rendring to the Lord according to the mercy bestowed upon him, 2 Chron. 32.25, God manifested his displeasure in very signal works of judgment upon Israel in the wilderness for their unthankfulness to God for his great mercy in bringing them from Egypt; yea, destroyed many of them in the wilderness. You will have many temptations from within, and from without, to be neglecting your duties of obed [...]ence. You have the world, as it were to begin again. Well, consider the greatest concernment is to make sure of an incorruptible inheritance, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. We are here at longest, but only sojourners. If you turn again to folly, God will be very ang [...]y, Jer. 2.20 &c. Surely a provoking God to anger is not the way [Page 10] to thrive for soul or body. Yea, neglect of duty, will give great ground to fear that the furnace has not been sanctified to your purging and purifying. Peace and friendship with God, is the best peace and friendship. Sincere souls have it much upon their hearts how they shall walk answerable to the expectations of God from them for the mercies they receive at his hands, Psal. 116, 12. They are careful that their thoughts, desires, delights, choice, refusals, words and actions be such as may be for God's glory and honor. They are therefore very watchful against every thing that would draw away their hearts from God, or prevent and hinder their living holily. Yea, all that have gained spiritual benefit by afflictions, are much in bewailing their unsuitable behaviour under afflictions. Oh, it's a matter of shame to think how much they pored upon their afflictions, and how lit [...]le on their sins that procured all their afflictions; that they were so impatient under afflictions; so much concerned to get afflictions removed; and so little concerned to carry graciously under them, to profit by them, to get them sanctified to them: Yea, that they have been so very unbelieving, and full of carking cares under them, and so backward to a committing all to God's disposal; that they have been so full of guile and deceit, and unbroken in spirit in all their acknowledgments and confessions of sin; so little of a gracious prayerfulness; Yea, that there is so much opposition in their will to the will of God in disposing and governing the affairs of the world according to the council of his own will; Yea, that they [Page 11] have in so great a degree been forgetful of God, whilst they have been inordinately afraid of man. They bewail that they were so very unthankful for what mercies they had continued to them and that they did no more improve them for God and his glory; whilst others bewail that they have been so long under afflictions; do you bewail that you carried no better under them. If God in special mercy be leading you forth; I am sure he is leading you out in penitential weeping and supplications. If you come forth as gold well refined; cleansed from all your filthiness, and saved from all your idols: What a mercy do you enjoy! The best freedom, is freedom by Jesus Christ from spiritual evils. Sirs, the expectations of god, and man too, will be great from you. Oh! let it be made evident that you were brought into captivity for your good. Oh! improve gospel priviledges with all fidelity. Don't be grudge God time for religious services. Don't content yourselves in being hearers; but be you doers of the word. Let your thankfulness be expressed in a continued, universal, holy conversation. Watch against all appearances of evil; and all leading causes to a forgetting God, or ill requiting of him for all his kindness to you.
Dont think after your return; that, having desired publickly in the congregations of Go [...]'s people to have thanks returned to God on your behalf; you have done your duty. This is the way to be like them that Sang his praises, but soon forgot his wondrous works. Thanksliving is the best thansgiving. Oh! that all your souls may flourish [Page 12] in exemplary holiness and piety, when you are again setled in God's sanctuaries [...]e [...] God's sabbaths be duely at all times, sa [...]ct [...]fied. If any of you are yet in an uncoverted state; let not your outward freedom put away the sense of of the deplorableness and dangerousness of an unconverted state: and of the depths of misery they are in, that ere captives to sin and satan, and condemned already by a holy God, for not believing on the name of the son of God. Oh! make all haste to get into a converted state. Christ seems to be saying to you go and sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you. Improve all helps for a thorough, and well wrought conversion to God. I [...]cline your ears to hear, and hearken diligently to the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ. If God has sanctfied to any of you your outward captivity, to a purging away your sins, and to a making you partakers of his holiness: Say with the psalmist, that it is good for you, that you have been affl [...]cted: yea, that in faithfulness he has caused you to be afflicted. And at your return, be you found among them that sit under christ's shadow with great delight: and let his fruit be sweet to your taste. Draw nigh to him in all his holy institutions, that your souls may be filled with the fulness of him who filleth all in all. Let your souls follow hard after the Lord, and the desire of your souls be to the remembrance of his name. As to them of you who were through christ reconciled to God, before your captivity; let it be evident that you have been purged to bring forth more fruit; Joh. 15 2. If you lose your [...]ross▪ I know you will [ye [...]] bless God, tho' he [Page 13] his exercised you with many affl [...]ctions, and temptations, and heat the Furnace to a high deg [...]ee. For it is, if need be, that we are in heaviness thro' manifold temptations. The unfruitful three i [...] unpruned, and reserved for the fire: when the choicest fruit bearing tree is pruned in a great degree. Our heavenly father knows best what is best for us; and in what way to lead us through a vale of tears, to his glory. The experience of saints in all ages, proves that a long time of outward prosperity has been more hurtful to the children of God, as to tht concerns of their souls; than manifold trying afflictions for a long time. God has always a father's love to his own; yea, even then, when he has his rod in his ha [...]d, or be chastning with it: for he always aims at our profit. The rod and reproof give wisdom. Well, see to it after your return, that you be more lively, more exemplary, more self denying, more tender, more holy in all your conversation than before. Be entirely devoted to the gloryfying of God. If any of you labour under spiritual darkness, and be buffeted with temptations; spread your case continually, without ceasing, before a prayer hearing God; Be advising with the word of God for light and direction; Be acting and exercising the faith of dependence on God, when you ha'nt a faith of assurance Isa. 50, 10. Use all helps ap [...]inted by God for your establishment. Oh! grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savour Jesus Christ. Oh! endeavour to stir up all you converse with▪ throughly to amend their ways and doings; whilst in all holiness of conversation you have your [Page 14] walk among them. Tell others, how great a priviledge they enjoy, that have the scriptures, and so many days in God's courts. And at your return, beware lest you forget your own judgment, whilst in captivity, of the preciousness of such a choice mercy. Oh! be found daily, and with all fervour of soul in your closets, pouring out your souls before God▪ And pray for us, that are so dull and slow of heart to do our duty; and are therefore kept under the rod. Oh! for the effectual pouring out of the spirit f [...]om on high upon you that go, and upon us that stay here: Without, which neither you nor we shall behave ourselves as becomes the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have great encouragemens to be praying for the spirit: for our glorious redeemer, whilst here, told us how acceptable it would be, to be importunately crying to God for it; and how ready and willing he was to give the spirit to them that ask.
When you return, doubtless you will find many temptations, as well as helps; you had need therefore be daily upon your watch. Don't forget the way God has led you in, to humble and prove you; that you might know what was in your hearts. Spiritual idolatry, which is covetousness, is highly displeasing to God. Having seen the vanity and trans [...]toriness of earthly comforts; let your conversation for the future, be more in heaven. You will daily need to be in the exercise of faith for a conquest over the world. Let us look after those things that are unseen, that are eternal. Whilst others cry, give, give as to the world; let our cry be for grace and spiritual blessings. The [Page 15] light of God's countenance on the soul, will give more joy; than the time wherein corn, wine and oyl have been much increased. Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust does corrupt, and where thieves break through and steel; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust do corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
I have written more largely here, because I know your temptations (having the world to begin again) will arise much from thoughts what to eat, and what to drink, and wherewith to be cloathed; having lost your earthly comforts. And our great danger often lies in our cravings of, and seeking after lawful comforts. Inordinacy of desire after lawful things, will put a stop to a lively exercise of grace. Being forewarned, labour to be forearmed. I hope God will supply all your wants for soul and body too. By the grace of God, my fellow sufferers shall always be upon my heart, when I am before God. I wish you a healthy, a safe, a speedy passage to your desired port; if it be the will of God. But above all I wish you a gracious, truly penitent, Christ priz [...]ng, and soul enriching, sanctifying voyage to a better port; when it is the pleasure of God to call you to come home to your father's house; even that house not made with hands, e [...]ernal in the heavens. There is an incorruptible inheritance; there is perfect holiness▪ there is a perfect uninterrupted enjoyment of [Page 16] God; a seeing of him in a glorious manner. Oh! let Christ Jesus, who is the best friend be secured and pr [...]zed by us, for he is a never dying friend. As f [...]r many other friends, and dear relations, who were ready to serve us under our trials; we shall never m [...]re see them, or meet with them in this world▪ But comfortable grounds of hope of meeting with them in a better world, should bear up our hearts under our separations from them; and we should be careful to follow them in every thing wherein they followed christ, let us all approve our selve [...] in all sincer [...]ty of heart acd life, the willing subjects of our exalted and glorious Lord. H [...]s se [...]vice is perfect Freedom. Well! I commit you all to his keeping care, and conduct; intreating you w [...]uld take in good part these few gene [...]al truths, and wo [...]ds of counsel, that, with a heart full of affection to you, I have hastily drawn up, and sent as the only way I have, at present, to have any converse with you. If they may be of any service▪ let God have the glory. And I intreat your united prayers to God for us left behind, whilst you are together; and afterwards, the continuance of your prayers; that we may be left to do nothing d [...]shono [...]able to God, scandalous to religion, or prejudicial to our own souls; that we may not give occasion to the adversary to reproach or speak evil of the right ways of God.
[Page 17]5. The French use all the means imaginable, to seduce their captives under the idolatries and superstitions of the church of Rome. Their clergy especially, are indefatigable in their endeavours to captivate the minds of these poor people, unto the Romish religion. It is an admirable effect of the divine power and grace, that the exqu [...]site methods of the seducers, have been encountred by so many of our poor people, with such a christian constancy. The successes of the French converters, have been upon very few, but some feeble and easy children▪ and little to be boasted of.
Two or three things have had a notable tendency to the establishment of our confessors, under the assaults of the Canadians.
1st. The people of New-England, have mostly been well acquainted with the scriptures, and able to stop the mouths of their tempters, with an,— it is written, upon all occasions.
2d. Behold, O Protestants, the sensible influence which the Lord's day has upon all religion! Our people had been brought up to a strict observation of the Lord's day. And, even before they had made any further progress, in weighing the cause of p [...]pery, the very fi [...]st insuperable scand [...] which it gave them, was, To see after what a le [...]d a [...]d vile manner the Lord's day was pr [...]fa [...]d among the Romanists. Our little boys and girls themselves, would still assi [...]n this, as their first reason to the priests, wby they could not come over to them; and the priests could never give them an answer to [...]t, but what insinuated, that the ten commandments were now out of date; an insinuation, [Page 18] which our better instructed babes, would by no means think to be allowed of.
3d. Besides what was done by some letters from hence, our people took opportunities to fortify one another; and when they were hindred from doing it, by meeting and praying together, (which was forbidden to them) or by discourse with one another, they did it by writing. Some of their composu [...]es a [...]e fallen into our hands; two of which we will here insert and publish. If the reader take notice of their plainess, let him consider, That they were plain folks for whose benefit they were at first intended, (and such they are also, whose edification is designed in our now exposing of them:) and why should not the style, as well as the garb, of captivity, appear without any spruce ornaments upon it?
Some instructions, written by Mr. John Williams, for his little son, when the child was in danger of taking in the Popish poisons.
Thus has our prophet, like Elisha of old, contr [...]cted himself into the little dimensions of his child that he might [...] into him a lively resolution to serve a glorious [...]hrist and suffer for him.
The singular circumstance of the little Au [...]horess, will make atonement for it, if we now add a poem, written by a capt [...]ve damsel, about sixteen or seventeen years of age; who being [Page 23] afraid that her younger sister at a d' [...]ence from her w [...]ld be led away by the p [...]p [...]sh de [...]usions, address'd her in th [...]se [...]
ASTONISHING deliverances have been sent from Heaven, to many of our Captives. They have been many a time upon the point of destruction; but, these poor ones have cryed unto [Page 26] the Lord, and he has remarkably delivered the [...] ▪
'Tis a wonderful restraint from God upon the Bruitish savages, that no English woman was eve [...] known to have any violence offered unto her chastity, by any of them.
'Tis wonderful, that no more of the captives have been murdered by them, neither when they were drunk, nor when the Caprichio's, and the cruelties, of their diabolical natures were to be gratified.
'Tis wonderful, that when many of the captives have been just going to be sacrificed, some strange interposition of the divine Providence has put a stop to the execution, and prevented their being made a sacrifice. The stories are numberless. Take a few of them.
ACRUE of Indians had been three days without any manner of sustenance. They took an English child, and hung it before the fire to rost it for their supper; but that these canibals might satiate their—I want a name for it,—as well as their hunger, they would roast it alive. The child began to swell. A canoe arrived at that instant, with a dog in it. The lesser devils of the crue, proposed their taking the dog instead of the child; They did so; and the child is yet living! Her name is, Hannah Parsons.
A Man had valiantly kill'd an indian or two, before the savages took him. He was next morning to undergo an horrible death, whereof the manner and the torture, was to be assigned by the widow Squa of the dead indian. The French priests told him, they had laboured to divert the [Page 27] tygers from their bloody intention, but could not prevail with them; he must prepare for the terrible execution. His crys to God were hard, and heard; When the sentence of the squa was demanded, qui [...]e contrary to every one's expectation, and the revengful inclination so usual and well known among these creatures; she only said,—his death won't fetch my husband to life; Do nothing to him! So nothing was done to him.
A Woman was carried aside, by her monster of a master; he fastened a rope about her neck; It was in vain for her to contend; the hatchet must presently have dispatched her, if the halter had failed; she had no remedy but to cry unto God; her master throws up the end of the rope over the limb of the tree; he ascends to hale her and to tye her up; and then a fine exploit for the wretch! a memorable name! however the limb happily breaks; down he falls! full of madness, he goes to repeat his brave action: An Indian commander just in the nick of time comes in upon him; reproaches him very bitterly; takes her away from h [...]m; and sends her away to Canada.
BUT we ought not to pass over the marvellous display of the power of God, in supporting and preserving the poor captives, when they travelled through the horrid wilderness, oftentimes much more than a score of miles in a day, and thro' very deep snows, and with vast loads on their backs; and grievously pinched with hunger, having scarce one bit of any refreshment, for whole days together. Poor, weak, sick women have done so!
[Page 28]One cannot well imagine any other than supernatural and angelical assistances, in some of the instances.
The Indians came upon the house of one Adams [...]t Wells, and captivated the man and his wife and assassinated the child [...]en; whereof one, who had an hatchet struck into his skull, and was left for dead, was very strangely recovered The woman had [...]ain in about eight days. They dragg'd her out, and tied her to a post, until [...]he house was r [...]f [...]d. They then loosed her, and bid her walk. She could not stir. By the help of a stick she got half a step forward. She look'd up to God. On the sudden a new strength entred into her. She travelled that very day, twenty miles a foot. She was up to the neck in water six times that very day in passing of rivers. At night she fell over head and ears into a slough in a swamp, and was hardly got out a live. She got not the least cough nor cold by all of this; she is come home alive unto us.
Many more such instances might be mentioned, we will supersede them all, with a relation of what b [...]fel Mrs. B [...]adley of Haverhill. Ab una disce omnes.
THIS virtuous woman, had been formerly for two years together, a captive in the hands of the barba [...]ous indians; a subject of wondrous afflictions, of wondrous deliverances. Her husband at length found her out, and fetch'd her home, and their fam [...]ly went on happily for six years together after it. But, the clouds return after the ra [...]n.
On Feb. 6, 1703, 4. She with her sister and a maid or two, and some children (a man being also in the room) were talking about the Indians, and [Page 29] behold one of the fierce tawnies look'd in, with a gun ready to fire upon them. The Englishman pull'd him in, and got him down, and Mrs. B [...]adly took the opportunity to pour a good quantity of scalding sope (which was then boiling over the fire) upon him, whereby he was ki [...]l'd immediately. Another of the tawnies followed at the heels of h [...]s brother; who stabbed the Englishman to the heart. Unto him she dispensed also a quantity of her sope, which not killing him, she with the other women and children ran into the chamber. The house was fired by the indians, and M [...]s. B [...]adly with her companions found it nececessary to retire behind the house. One of the women fell into the hands of the indians; and they that remained were Mrs. Bradly and her sister; each of them having a child of M [...]s Bradlies with her. The sister was discerned by the indians, who commanded her to come out unto them, and threatened that they would else cut her to pieces. Mrs. Bradly very generously bid her sit still, and wait for a better time to escape; and offered her, that inasmuch as the Indians knew of but one there, she would be that one, and go out in her stead. She did so; and the [...]eby her obliged sister and the child with her were preserved; but Mrs. Bradly was no sooner come to the savages, but they employed a head-breaker on the child that she brought unto them.
She was now entered into a second captivity; but she had the great incumbrance of being big with child, and w [...]thin six weeks of her time! After about an h [...]u [...]s rest, wherein they made her put on snow shoes, which to manage requires more than [Page 30] ordinary agility, she travelled with her tawny guardians all that night, and the next day until 10 o'clock; associated with one woman more who had been brought to bed but just one week before. Here they refreshed themselves a little, and then travelled on till night; when they had no refreshment given them, nor had they any till after their having travelled all the forenoon of the day ensuing, and then too, whatever she took, she did through sickness throw it up again.
She underwent incred [...]ble hardship and famine; a Mooses hide, as tough as you may suppose it, was the best and the most of her diet. In one and twenty days they came to their head quarters, where they staid a fortnight. But then her snow shoes were taken from her; and yet she must go every step above the knee in snow, with such weariness, that her faint soul often pray'd, that the Lord would put an end unto her weary life! until they came to another place, where they stay'd for three weeks together.
Here in the night, she found herself [...]ll, and having the help of only one woman, who got a little hemlock to lay about her, and with a few sticks made a shift to blow up a little fire, she was in half an hour delivered of the infant, that she had hitherto gone withal. There she lay, till the next night, with none but the snow under her, and the heaven over her; in a misty and a rainy season. She sent then unto a French Priest, that he would speak unto her squa mistress, who then, without condescend [...]ng [...] upon her, allow'd her a little birch rind [...] her head from the injuries of the weather, [Page 31] and a little bit of dried moose, which being boiled she drank the broth, and gave it unto the child.
In a fortnight, she was called upon, to travel again with her child in her arms; ever now and then, a whole day together, without the least morsel of any food, and when she had any, she fed only on ground nuts, wild onions and lilly roots. By the last of May, they arrived at Cowesick, where they planted their corn; wherein she was put unto a hard task, so that the child extremely suffered. The savages would sometimes also please themselves with casting hot embers into the mouth of the child, which would render the mouth so sore, that it could not suck for a long while together. So, that starv'd and died.
Their they staid until they weed their corn; but then some of our friend indians coming on them, kill'd seven of them; whereat, away they fled for Canada, and never saw their corn-field any more. But they made a forty-days ramble of it, before they reach'd thither; in which, if at any time, her heart began to faint, her mistress would be ready to strike the mortal hatchet into her head.
The French being thought more civil to the English than to the Indians, her mistress thereat provoked, resolved, that she would never sell her to the French. Accordingly she kept her a twelve-month with her, in her squal [...]d wigwam: Where, in the following winter, she fell sick of a feaver: but in the very he [...]ghth and heat of her paroxysms, her mistress would compel her sometimes to spend a winter night, which is there a very bitter one, abroad in all the bitter frost and snow of the climate. [Page 32] She recovered; but four Indians died of the fever, and at length her mistress also. Another Squa then pretended an heirship unto her: with whom she lived and saw many more strange deliverances. They had the small pox in the family; but she never had it. She was made to pass the river on the [...]ce when every step she took she might have struct through it if she pleased. Many more such preservations might come into her story.
At last, there came to the sight of her, a priest from Quebec, who had known her in her former captivity at Naridgowock. He was very civil to her, and made the Indians to sell her unto a French family, for fourscore livres, where, tho' she wrought hard, she lived more comfortably and contentedly.
She poured out her continual supplications to heaven; sometimes two or three of her own sex, would by stealth come to join with her in supplicating to the glorious LORD She had her mind often irradiated with strong persuasions and assurances, that she should yet see the goodness of God in this land of the living. Her tender and loving husband, accompanied Mr. Sh [...]ldon in his last expedition. He found her out, and fetch'd her home a second time; she arrived with those of the last return from the captivity; and affectionately calls upon her friends, O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt h [...]s name together!
BECAUSE of its having some affinity with the foregoing relations, and that we may at once discharge our selves of what we can relate concerning our captives, we will conclude with a copy af a letter sent unto one of the ministers in Boston.
THE occasion of my now writing to you is, because I lye under a vow and promise, to the great and almighty God, to declare and make known his wonderful goodness and mercy to me, and likewise to have his name blessed and praised in your congregation on my behalf. I shall briefly inform you. "Being taken a prisoner some time last January, by the French; in going to Port Royal we met with very tempestuous weather and were fast in an harbour near Cape Sables. And there two Frenchm [...]n had orders from their Capt. to take me with them, and go to Port Royal by land. They took with them but lit [...]le b [...]ead; & we travelled one week in the woods, in a m [...]serable condition. I had myself no shoes nor stockings, but a piece of skin wrapt about my feet; and the snow being very deep, we could not tra [...]; being weak for want of provision, and [...] the woods, not knowing which way to [...]
"One of the Frenchmen loaded his [...] presented it at me, telling me, That it was imp [...]sible to find Port-Royal, and I must die and they must eat me. Then I begged liberty to pray unto God, before he killed me; and he granted it me. As I was at prayer, it struck into my mind, That I had formerly heard yourself declare in your pulpit, what great and wonderful things had been done by prayer; particularly, that it had stopped the mouths of lions, and that it had quenched the violence of the fire. So I earnestly begged of God [Page 34] that he would manifest [...] great power to me, by turning the hearts of [...] that were about to take away my life."
The words were be sooner out of my mouth but the Frenchman, seeming to have tears in his eye [...] b [...]d me rise up; he would try one day longer. And he b [...]d me go get wood for a fire. It presently grew dark; and then I made an escape from them, and hid myself in the woods, until the next day that they were gone. And then I found the [...]ay out of the woods, un [...]o the water side, and there I not clams. These Frenchmen found the way [...] Port Royal, and there told what they had [...]. The governor put them in prison, and sent out two men, and charged them not to re [...]urn [...] they had found me, dead or alive In [...]our days after these Frenchmen left me, they f [...]u [...]d me alive, and brought me provision, and a pair of shoes and carried me to Port Royal.
[...] and many other favou [...]s have I received [...] God in the t [...]me of my imprison [...] [...] [...]ssed and forever praised be h [...]s holy name [...]. I pray sir, [...]ive me directions, what I shall do, for the great and good God.