Moxes & Indians to MA Governor
Item
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Title
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Moxes & Indians to MA Governor
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Recipient
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John Leverett (MA Governor)
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Date
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1 July 1677
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Description
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Moxes and several Wabanaki sachems negotiate with Massachusetts Governor John Leverett. The sachems describe how his people (the Kennebec Indians) have treated English prisoners well and have driven away the Androscoggin Indians, who are determined to continue war with New England. Desperate for provisions, the sachems add “we are willing to trade with you as we have done for many years [and] we pray you send us such things as we name powder cloth tobacko [tobacco] liker corn bread and send the captives you toke at Pemaquid.” The Wabanaki sachems return 20 captives to the English as a gesture of their sincerity. These negotiations underscore the growing political factionalism within the Wabanaki Confederacy.
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Transcription
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[177] Having English friends I have sent Mrs Hamons to tell you that we have been careful of our prisners this is 3 times we have sent to you & have all ways mised of you govenour of boston we would find your [mind] you find us all way for peace you allways broke the peace I would entreat you to send us a Answer of this [letter] by Mr. garner or Mr. Oliver If they be not at home send Mr wesell but send non of them that have been here already we think that them men that you sent before were minded to [shoot] us Mrs Hamons and the rest of the prisners can tell that we have drove Away all the damrallscogon engins from us for they will fight and we are not willing of their company we are willing to trade with you as we have done for many years we pray you send us such things as we name powder cloth tobacko liker corn bread and send the captives you toke at Pemaquid
governor of boston we do understand that Squando is minded to cheat you he is mind to get as many prisners as he can and so bring them to you & so make you believe that it is Kenebeck men that have don all this spoul
govenour of boston we have bin cheted so often & drove off from time to time about powder that this time we would willingly se it furst & you shall have your prisners we can fight as well as others but we are willing to live pesabel we will not fight without they fight with us first
here is 20 men women and children that is prisners most of them was bought we have not don as the [178] damrcllscogingengons did they kiled all their prisners at the spring we would have you com with your vessel I to Abonnegog Mr Garner can tell that last somer that we did Agree and it was Squando Angons that did all the hurt William Woum Wood hen nwedloked his H mark
, .. . gov of boston this is to let you understand, how we have been abused, we love yo but when we are dronk you will take away our cot & throw us out of dore if the wolf kill any of your catell you take away our gons for it & arrows and if you see a engon dog you will shoot him if we should do so to you cut down your houses kill your dogs take away your things we nmst pay a 100 skins if we brek a tobarko pip they will prisson us becaus there was war at naragans you com here when we were quiet & took away our gons & mad prisners of our chief sagamore & that winter for want of our gons there was severall starved we count it kild with us whenever we are bound and thrown in the siler this doings is not like to mans hart it is more like woraon hart now we hear that you say you will not leave war as long as on engon is in the country we are owners of the country & it is wide and full of engons & we can drive you out but our desire is to be quiet as for exsampl a hors was kiled by som yung boys & we are were to pay 40 skin
[179] governor of boston this is to let you to understand how major walldin served us we cared 4 prisners abord we would fain know whither you did give such order to kill us for bringing your prisners is that your fashing to com & mke pese & then kill us we are afraid you will do so agen Major Waldin do ly we were not minded to kill no body Major Waldin did wrong to give cloth & powder but he gave us drink & when we were drunk killed us if it had not a bin for this fait you had your prisners long ago [Sentence unintelligible.] Major Waldin have bin the cause of killing all that have bin kiled this sommer you may see how honest we have bin we have kiled non of your English prisners if you had any of ours prisners you wold a knocked them on the hed do you think all this is nothing deogenes madoasquarbet
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Century
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17th Century
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Decade material covers
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1670s
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Subject
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William Woum Wood
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Winakeermit
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Moxes (Kennebec Sachem)
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Essomonosko Deogenes (Kennebec Sachem)
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Pebemoworet
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Tasset
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John
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Shyrot
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Mr. Thomas
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John Leverett (Governor of MA)
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Androsoggin Indians
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Kennebec Indians
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Wabanaki Indians
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Type
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Letter
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War
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King Philip's War
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Point of Departure
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Boston, MA
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Point of Arrival
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Boston, MA
