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Page 56
But the indulgent Heavens, who are alone able to compute what measure
of punishments are adequate or fit for the sins of transgressions of a
Nation, has in its great mercy thought fit to put a stop, at least, if
not a total period and conclusion to these Virginian troubles, by the
death of this Nat. Bacon, the great Molestor of the quiet of that
miserable Nation; so that now we who are here in England, and have any
Relations or Correspondence with any of the Inhabitants of that
Continent, may by the arrival of the next Ships from that Coast expect
to hear that they are freed from all their dangers, quitted of all
their fears, and in great hopes and expectations to live quietly under
their own Vines, and enjoy the benefit of their commendable labours.
I know it is by some reported that this Mr. Bacon was a very hard
drinker, and that he dyed by inbibing, or taking in two much Brandy.
But I am informed by those who are Persons of undoubted Reputation,
and had the happiness to see the same Letter which gave his Majesty an
account of his death, that there was no such thing therein mentioned:
he was certainly a Person indued with great natural parts, which
notwithstanding his juvenile extravagances he had adorned with many
elaborate acquisitions, and by the help of learning and study knew how
to manage them to a Miracle, it being the general vogue of all that
knew him, that he usually spoke as much sense in as few words, and
delivered that sense as opportunely as any they ever kept company
withal: Wherefore as I am my self a Lover of Ingenuity, though an
abhorrer of disturbance or Rebellion, I think fit since Providence was
pleased to let him dye a Natural death in his Bed, not to asperse him
with saying he kill'd himself with drinking.
[1] This account was written a year after the events described by
an author whose name is unknown. Internal evidence points to his
intimate personal knowledge of what took place. Writing after the
failure of the rebellion; moreover, after Bacon himself was dead,
and the strong popular movement led by him had consequently much
disintegrated, the writer's view is naturally somewhat out of
sympathy with Bacon. Printed in Hart's "American History Told by
Contemporaries."
John Easton Cooke, in his "History of Virginia," declares that
Bacon was "the soul of the rebellion" and his rising "not a
hair-brained project, but the result of deliberate calculation." As
a representative of the Virginia people Bacon "protested strongly
against public grievances, compelling redress." He anticipated that
the country would profit from his uprising, "and his anticipation
was justified." The result as against Berkeley, "compelled the
dissolution of the Royal Assembly, which had remained unchanged
since 1680, and resulted in 'Bacon's assembly,' which began by
raising the public revenue, extending suffrage to freemen, and was
so defiant that Berkeley dissolved it."
KING PHILIP'S WAR
(1676)
BY WILLIAM HUBBARD[1]
The Occasion of Philips so sudden taking up Arms the last Year, was
this: There was one John Sausaman, a very cunning and plausible
Indian, well skilled in the English Language, and bred up in the
Profession of Christian Religion, employed as a Schoolmaster at
Natick, the Indian Town, who upon some Misdemeanor fled from his Place
to Philip, by whom he was entertained in the Room and Office of
Secretary, and his chief Councellor, whom he trusted with all his
Affairs and secret Counsels: But afterwards, whether upon the Sting of
his own Conscience, or by the frequent Sollicitations of Mr. Eliot,
that had known him from a Child, and instructed him in the Principles
of our Religion, who was often laying before him the heinous Sin of
his Apostacy, and returning back to his old Vomit; he was at last
prevailed with to forsake Philip, and return back to the Christian
Indians at Natick where he was baptised, manifested publick Repentance
for all his former Offences, [15] and made a serious profession of the
Christian Religion; and did apply himself to preach to the Indians,
wherein he was better gifted than any other of the Indian Nation; so
as he was observed to conform more to the English Manners than any
other Indian.
Yet having Occasion to go up with some others of his Country men to
Namasket, whether for the Advantage of Fishing or some such Occasion,
it matters not; being there not far from Phillips Country, he had
Occasion to be much in the Company of Philips Indians, and of Philip
himself: by which Means he discerned by several Circumstances that the
Indians were plotting anew against us; the which out of Faithfulness
to the English the said Sausaman informed the Governour of; adding
also, that if it were known that he revealed it, he knew they would
presently kill him. There appearing so many concurrent Testimonies
from others, making it the more probable, that there was certain Truth
in the Information; some Inquiry was made into the Business, by
examining Philip himself, several of his Indians, who although they
could do nothing, yet could not free themselves from just Suspicion;
Philip therefore soon after contrived the said Sausamans Death, which
was strangely discovered; notwithstanding it was so cunningly
effected, for they that murdered him, met him upon the Ice on a great
Pond, and presently after they had knocked him down, put him under the
Ice, yet leaving his Gun and his Hat upon the Ice, that it might be
thought he fell in accidentally through the Ice and was drowned: but
being missed by his Friend, who finding his Hat and his Gun, they were
thereby led to the Place, where his Body was found under the Ice: when
they took it up to bury him, some of his Friends, specially one David,
observed some Bruises about his Head, which made them suspect he was
first knocked down, before he was put into the Water: however, they
buried him near about the Place where he was found, without making any
further Inquiry at present: nevertheless David his Friend, reported
these Things to some English at Taunton (a Town not far from
Namasket), occasioned the Governour to inquire further into the
Business, wisely considering, that as Sausaman had told him, If it
were known that he had revealed any of their Plots, they would murder
him for his Pains.
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