Document: Journal of New Netherland 1647. Written in the Years 1641, 1642, 1643, 1644, 1645, and 1646. Image 018

Some weeks after this Miantonimo, principal Sachem of Sloops Bay,(1) came here with one hundred men, passing through all the Indian villages(2) soliciting them to a general war against both the English and the Dutch,(3) whereupon some of the neighboring Indians attempted to set our powder on fire and to poison the Director or to enchant him by their devilry, as their ill will was afterwards made manifest as well in fact as by report. Those of Hackingsack, otherwise called Achter Col, had with their neighbors killed an Englishman, a servant of one David Pietersen, and a few days after shot dead in an equally treacherous manner a Dutchman, who sat roofing a house in the colony of Meyndert Meyndertz [Meijndert Meijndertz],(4) which was established there against the advice of the Director and will of the Indians, and which by the continual damage which their cattle committed caused no little dissatisfaction to the Indians, and contributed greatly to the war. The commonalty began then to be alarmed, and not without reason, having the Indians daily in their houses. The murderers were frequently demanded, either living or dead, even with a promise of reward; they always returned a scoffing answer laughing at us. Finally, the commonalty, very much displeased with the Director, upbraided him for conniving with the Indians, and [declared] that an attempt was making to sell Christian blood;(5) yea, that the will of the entire commonalty was surrendered to him, and in case he would not avenge blood

(1) I.e., of the Narragansetts.

(2) "Note C. The English Manifest, Page 2." This means that now rare pamphlet, A Declaration of Former Passages and Proceedings betwixt the English and the Narrowgansets (Cambridge, 1645), published by order of the Commissioners of the United Colonies. See its text, and the particular passage here referred To, in Records of Plymouth Colony, IX. 50.

(3) "Note D. Capt. Patricx letter dated 2 Jan'y, 1642." I have nowhere seen this letter.

(4) "Note E. The order in the Director's letter and in the deposition thereupon." See De Vries, p. 215, supra.

(5) "Note F. Resolve of the 12 delegates dated 21 Jan'y, 1642." See N.Y. Col. Doc., I. 414-415.