314

XX.

Mar.

JOHN HAMPDEN NEVER IN AMERICA.

CHAP. been there, and understanding in some measure the Dutch tongue, the Governor again laid this service 1623. upon myself, and fitted me with some cordials to administer to him; having one Master John Hamden,' a gentleman of London, who then wintered with us, and desired much to see the country, for my consort, and Hobbamock for our guide. So we set forward, and lodged the first night at Namasket, where we had friendly entertainment.

1st

day.

2d The next day, about one of the clock, we came to

day.

'It was conjectured by Belknap,
Am. Biog. ii. 229, and has since
been repeatedly asserted as a fact
by other writers, that this person
was the celebrated English patriot
of the same name.
But this is
highly improbable. Hampden, who
was born in 1594, and inarried in
1619, was a member of the parlia-
ment which assembled in January,
1621, and was dissolved by James
in 1622, under circumstances and
in a juncture of affairs which ren-
dered it certain that a new parlia-
ment must soon be called. It is
not at all likely that a person in
Hampden's circumstances, a man
of family, wealth and considera-
tion, would, merely for the sake of
gratifying his curiosity, have left
England at this critical period, on
a long voyage to another hemi-
sphere, and run the risk of not
being at home at the issuing of the
writs for a new parliament. For
the passage to America was at that
time precarious; the vessels were
few, and the voyago a long ono;
so that a person who undertook it
could not reasonably calculate upon
getting back in much less than a
year. Winslow's companion, who-
ever he was, must have come in
the Charity, which brought Wes-
ton's colony, unless we adopt the
improbable supposition that this
"gentleman of London" embarked
in one of the fishing vessels that

visited the Grand Bank, and took his chance of getting to Plymouth as he could. Now the Charity left London the last of April, 1622, and arrived at Plymouth the last of June. The visit to Massasoit took place in March, 1623, and after this no vessel sailed for England till the Anne, September 10, in which Winslow went home. Of course this "gentleman of London," must have been absent at least eighteen months, which it is altogether improbable that Hampden would have done, running the risk of not being at home to stand for the next parliament, to which he undoubtedly expected to be returned, as we know he actually was.

Besides, had this companion of Winslow been the great English patriot, the silence of the early Plymouth writers on the point is unaccountable. On publishing his "Good News from New England" immediately on his arrival in London, in 1624, one object of which was to recommend the now colony, how gladly would Winslow have appealed for the correctness of his statements to this member of parliament who had passed more than a year in their Plantation. How natural too would it have been for him to have mentioned the fact in his "Brief Narration," published in 1646, only three years after the death of the illustrious patriot. Bradford,

REPORTED DEATH OF MASSASOIT.

XX.

Mar.

315 a ferry' in Conbatant's country, where, upon discharge CHAP. of my picce, divers Indians came to us from a house not far off. There they told us that Massassowat 1623. was dead, and that day buried; and that the Dutch would be gone before we could get thither, having hove off their ship already. This news struck us blank, but especially Hobbamock, who desired we might return with all speed. I told him I would first think of it. Considering now, that he being dead, Conbatant was the most like to succeed him, and that we were not above three miles from Mattapuyst, his dwelling-place, although he were but a hollow

also, whose sympathies were all with the popular party in England, in writing an elaborate history of the Colony, would not have failed to record the long residence among them of one who, at the time he wrote, had become so distinguished as the leader of that party in the House of Commons. That his lost history contained no such passage we may be certain; for had it been there, it must have been quoted either by Prince or Morton, who make so free use of it, both of whom too mention this visit to Massasoit, and who would not have omitted a circumstance so honorable to the Colony.

Again. Winslow's companion was "a gentleman of London." Now although John Hampden happened to be born in London, when his father was in parliament in 1594, he was properly of Buckinghamshire. Winslow, who was himself of Worcestershire, if he knew who Hampden was, would not have called him "a gentleman of London;" and we cannot suppose that this English gentleman would have spent so many months in the Colony without making himself known to its two leading men, Winslow and Bradford.

Equally unfounded is the statement that has gained so wide a currency and become incorporated with the history of those times, and is repeated in Lord Nugent's Life of Hampden, that John Hampden, in company with Cromwell, Pym, and Hazelrig, had actually embarked for America on board a fleet in the Thames, in 1638, but were detained by an order from the Privy Council. Miss Aikin, in her Memoirs of Charles I., ch. xiii., was the first to detect and expose this error of the historians. For some of the views in this note I am indebted to the MS. suggestions of the learned editor of Governor Winthrop's History of New England.

Probably the same which is now called Slade's Ferry, in Swanzey. Belknap's Am. Biog. ii. 292.

Conbatant or Corbitant, was the sachem of Pocasset, and was subject to Massasoit. See Baylies' Plymouth, ii. 232.

A neck of land in the township of Swanzey, commonly pronounced Mattapoiset, now Gardner's neck, situated between the Shawomet and Toweset necks. Sce Belknap's Am. Biog. ii. 292, and Baylies' Plymouth, ii. 232, 234.

316

Mar.

HOBBAMOCK'S CHARACTER OF MASSASOIT.

CHAP. hearted friend toward us, I thought no time so fit as XX. this to enter into more friendly terms with him, and 1623. the rest of the sachims thereabout; hoping, through the blessing of God, it would be a means, in that unsettled state, to settle their affections towards us; and though it were somewhat dangerous, in respect of our personal safety, because myself and Hobbamock had been employed upon a service against him,' which he might now fitly revenge; yet esteeming it the best means, leaving the event to God in his mercy, I resolved to put it in practice, if Master IIamden and Hobbamock durst attempt it with me; whom I found willing to that or any other course might tend to the general good. So we went towards Mattapuyst.

In the way, Hobbamock, manifesting a troubled spirit, brake forth into these speeches: Neen womasu sagimus, neen womasu sagimus, &c. "My loving sachim, my loving sachim! Many have I known, but never any like thee." And turning him to me, said, whilst I lived, I should never see his like amongst the Indians; saying, he was no liar, he was not bloody and cruel, like other Indians; in anger and passion he was soon reclaimed; casy to be reconciled towards such as had offended him; ruled by reason in such measure as he would not scorn the advice of mean men; and that he governed his men better with few strokes, than others did with many; truly loving where he loved; yea, he feared we had not a faithful friend left among the Indians; showing, how he ofttimes restrained their malice, &c., continuing a long speech, with such signs of lamentation and unfeigned sorrow, as it would have made the hardest heart relent.

1 See page 220.

WINSLOW AT GARDNER'S NECK, IN SWANZEY.

2

317

XX.

Mar.

At length we came to Mattapuyst, and went to the CHAP. sachimo comaco,' for so they call the sachim's place, though they call an ordinary house witeo; but Con- 1623. batant, the sachim, was not at home, but at Puckanokick, which was some five or six miles off. The squasachim, for so they call the sachim's wife, gave us friendly entertainment. Here we inquired again concerning Massassowat; they thought him dead, but knew no certainty. Whereupon I hired one to go with all expedition to Puckanokick, that we might know the certainty thereof, and withal to acquaint Conbatant with our there being. About half an hour before sunsetting the messenger returned, and told us that he was not yet dead, though there was no hope we should find him living. Upon this we were much revived, and set forward with all speed, though it was late within night ere we got thither. About two of the clock that afternoon, the Dutchmen departed; so that in that respect our journey was frustrate.

When we came thither, we found the house so full of men, as we could scarce get in, though they used their best diligence to make way for us. There were they in the midst of their charms for him, making such a hellish noise, as it distempered us that were well, and therefore unlike to ease him that was sick.3 About

"Sachimmaacommock, a prince's house, which, according to their condition, is far different from the other house, both in capacity or receipt, and also the fineness and quality of their mats." Roger Williams's Key, ch. xxii.

Welu, or wigwam. See Gallatin's Indian Vocabularies, in Am. Antiq. Soc. Coll. ii. 322.

There are among them certain men and women, whom they call powows. These are partly wiz

ards and witches, holding familiari-
ty with Satan, that evil one; and
partly are physicians, and make
use, at least in show, of herbs and
roots for curing the sick and dis-
eased. These are sent for by the
sick and wounded; and by their
diabolical spells, mutterings, ex-
orcisms, they seem to do wonders.
They use extraordinary strange mo-
tions of their bodies, insomuch that
they will sweat until they foam;
and thus continue for some hours

318

Mar.

WINSLOW'S RECEPTION BY MASSASOIT.

CHAP. him were six or eight women, who chafed his arms, XX. legs, and thighs, to keep heat in him. When they 1623. had made an end of their charming, one told him that his friends, the English, were come to see him. Having understanding left, but his sight was wholly gone, he asked, Who was come? They told him Winsnow, for they cannot pronounce the letter 1, but ordinarily n in the place thereof. He desired to speak with me. When I came to him, and they told him of it, he put forth his hand to me, which I took. Then he said twice, though very inwardly, Keen Winsnow? which is to say, "Art thou Winslow?" I answered, Ahhe, that is, Yes. Then he doubled these words; Matta neen wonckanet namen, Winsnow! that is to say, "O Winslow, I shall never see thee again."

Then I called Hobbamock, and desired him to tell Massassowat, that the Governor, hearing of his sick

together, stroking and hovering
over the sick." Gookin, in Mass.
Hist. Coll. i. 154.

their conjuration is thus. The par-
ties that are sick are brought before
them; the powow sitting down,
the rest of the Indians give atten
tive audience to his imprecations
and invocations, and after the violent
expression of many a hideous bel-
lowing and groaning, he makes a
stop, and then all the auditors with
one voice utter a short canto.
Which done, the powow still pro-
ceeds in his invocations, some-
times roaring like a bear, other
times groaning like a dying horse,
foaming at the mouth like a chafed
boar, smiting on his naked breast
and thighs with such violence as if
he were mad. Thus will he con-
tinue sometimes half a day."
Wood's New England's Prospect,
part ii. ch. 12.
See also Hutchin-
son's Mass. i. 474.

"Powaws, priests. These do begin and order their service and invocation of their gods, and all the people follow, and join interchangeably in a laborious bodily service, unto sweating, especially of the priest, who spends himself in strange antic gestures and actions, even unto fainting. In sickness the priest comes close to the sick person, and performs many strange actions about him, and threatens and conjures out the sickness. The poor people commonly die under their hands; for, alas, they administer nothing, but howl and roar and hollow over them, and begin the song to the rest of the people, who all join like a choir in prayer to their gods for them." Roger Wood says, ch. 18, "They proWilliams, in Mass. Hist. Coll. iii. nounce and r in our English 227, 237. tongue, with much difficulty, call"The manner of their action in ing a lobster a nubstan."

Yet