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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

Richard Davenport to John Winthrop1
Davenport, Richard Wintrhop, John

1637-08-23

To the Right Worthyly Honored Gouernor of Massachusets these present
Possesion House2 this 4th day of the week: Mo: 6th ca. August 23, 1637 Honored Sir,

My most humble and due respect to your worship, Mr. Deputy, my colonell, with all the rest of our noble worthyes. Sir, the mesenger staying for vs I must make hast. How God hath dealt with vs, I doubt not but your worship, having full intelligence by them from Block Iland; now since their departure, there came some Mohegens to the house, and brought the hands of a great Sachem, as they said greater then Sasacus, hee beeing Momonotuk Samm, a mighty fellow for curradge, and one that I know by some experience his desperatenes in the swamp: for as I gather by the description of him, and also the Indians report that slew him, that hee sayd hee kild one in the swamp, shooting him in the belley; and another he killd with arrows, which was my selfe, but, blessed be God, wee all liue. 2 days after this, the same Indians kild another, who was then runn away from Sasacus: hee sayd hee thought that Sasacus was kild; for that Monowhoak had beset 491the wigwam where they weere, and soe fell vpon them, and this man lying at the doore rann away: but what creditt to giue to it wee knew not. 2 days since I went vp to the head of this river with 20 men to cut corne or gather beans, and comming thither I found a great company of Mohegens, who were returned to their countrey, about 500 of men, women and children. They were som what fearefull at first, but after spoke with vs and loueingly intertained vs. They tell for certaine that Sasacus is killd, as the former suspected, and 40 men with him, and som women. 6 men are escaped, whereof Momoonotuk is one. I perseaue the Indians would bee glad to make women3 of all the Pecotts now, except the sachems and capt. and murtherers: but them they would kill. They seeme to feare the Naregansick men, but hope the English will not suffer them to be wronged. Capt. Stoughton is gone a weeke since to Conetecutt Plantations, and I heare that the sachems of Long Iland doe now wayt for him, with their tribute, at the riuer mouth: I suppose, vnder fauour, this place will not proue good for a plantation, so farr as I can judge, haueing seene the greatest part of the countrey, but I must extoll Qenepiake and Marriadge Poynt; but this I know you heare of. I see not what busines heere will bee for many men long. I know not Capt. Stoughtons mind, till his returne, about marching by the Nipnets home. My capt. and my selfe are for it.

torn of our souldiers haue noe mind to worke, and how they would fight I know not, they murmure much for butter and cheese, etc: but I hope God will giue so much wisdome to indeauor their passifieing: I confesse some spirits heere will trouble a patient man.

My capt. humbly saluts you with the counsell; for my selfe, deare Sir, I blesse God I too am wholly recouered of my hurts, onely some strength I want. My capt. desireth some goose shott by the first.

I hope we shall take order that the Indians shall gather the corne that is heere to halfes. Thus with my prayers for your worship and kind respect to Mr. Willson, I humbly cease euer at your worships command

Richard Dauenport

The Naregansik com not : onely one which I tooke when the company was at Blok Iland going downe the R on vs and making .

Endorsed: Received 6. 25. 1637.

1.

Connecticut State Library; 5 Collections , I. 248–250; 5 Collections , IX. 1–3. At the time this volume was in preparation, the original manuscript of this letter (the latter portion of which is in a mutilated condition) was, due to the exigencies of wartime, not accessible. The two versions of the letter previously printed in the Collections vary in some details, although both are obviously taken from the same manuscript. The text as given here is taken from 5 Collections , 1, except for the endorsement, which is found only in the version printed in 5 Collections , IX.

2.

“Possession House” was the house built by Stoughton on or near what was later the site of Fort Trumbull in New London.

3.

In the margin: “slaves.”