1661.

This year Mr. Thomas Prince was elected governor of the jurisdiction of New Plimouth. Mr. William Collier, Mr. John Alden, Capt. Thomas Willet, Major Josias Winslow, Capt. Thomas Southworth, Capt. William Bradford, and Mr. Thomas Hinkley, were chosen assistants to him in government.

1662.

This year Mr. Thomas Prince was elected governor of the jurisdiction of New Plimouth. Mr. William Collier, Mr. John Alden, Capt. Thomas Willet, Major Josias Winslow, Capt. Thomas Southworth, Capt. William Bradford, and Mr. Thomas Hinkley, were chosen assistants to him in government.

This year, upon occasion of some suspicion of some plot intended by the Indians against the English, Philip the sachem of Pocanaket, otherwise called Metacom, made his appearance at the court held at Plimouth, August 6, did earnestly desire the continuance of that amity and friendship that hath formerly been between the governor of Plimouth and his deceased father and brother; and to that end the said Philip doth for himself and his successors desire, that they might for ever remain subject to the king of England, his heirs and successors; and doth faithfully promise and engage, that he and his, will truly and exactly observe and keep inviolable, such conditions as formerly have been by his predecessors made; and particularly that he will not at any time, needlessly or unjustly, provoke or raise war with any of the natives; nor at any time give, sell, or anyway dispose of any lands (to him or them appertaining) to any strangers, or to any without our privity or appointment, but will in all things endeavour to carry peaceably and inoffensively towards the English.

And the said court did also express their willingness to continue with him and his, the abovesaid friendship, and do on their part promise, that they will afford them such friendly assistance, by advice and otherwise, as they justly may; and we will require our English at all times to carry friendly towards them. In witness whereof, the said Philip the sachem hath set to his hand, as also his uncle, and witnessed unto by sundry other of his chief men.

Witness, John Sausamen, The mark [special mark] of Francis the sachem of Nauset.

The mark [special mark] of Philip, alias Metacom.²

Sassamon, the witness, was called Philip’s secretary—that is, wrote his letters, having been educated among the English in Massachusetts. He continued with him till the year before the war, when he left him, and, as it is said, made known Philip’s designs against the English; in consequence of which (the historians relate), Philip caused him to be seized and slain. He was found concealed under the ice in Assowamsett pond. The murderers were apprehended and tried, “de meditate linguœ,” as foreigners were tried at the common law, one half of the jurymen being Indians; and they were found guilty and executed. As one of the culprits was a counsellor of Philip, his punishment exasperated him to hasten on the contemplated war with the English. A sore war it proved to them and to his own people; to him and his people, indeed, total overthrow.

This year, on the 26th of January, at the shutting in of the evening, there was a very great earthquake, in New England, and the same night another, although something less than the former.

And again on the 28th of the same month there was another about nine of the clock in the morning.³

As to the author’s theory on these phenomena, we shall not undertake to give judgment upon it. Shakspeare has probably given the philosophy of his times upon them:—