10 SASSAMON. [BOOK III. This daughter of Sassamon was called by the English name Betty, but her original name was AsSSOWETOUGH. To his son-in-law, Sassamon gave his land, by a kind of will, which he wrote himself, not long before his death; probably about the time he became tired of his new situation, which we suppose was also about the time that he discovered the design of Philip and his captains to bring about their war of extermination. Old Tuspaquin, as he called himself, and his son, not only confirmed Sassamon's will, but about the same time made a bequest themselves to his daughter, which, they say, was "with the consent of all the chieffe men of Assowamsett." This deed of gift from them was dated 23 Dec. 1673. It was of a neck of land at Assowamsett, called Nahteawamet. The names of some of the places which bounded this tract were Mashquomoh, a swamp, Sasonkususett, a pond, and another large pond called Chupipoggut. Tobias, Old Thomas, Pohonoho, and Kankunuki, were upon this deed as witnesses. FELIX Served the English in Philip's war, and was living in 1679, in which year Governor Winslow ordered, "that all such lands as were formerly John Sassamon's in our colonie, shall be settled on Felix his son-in-law,” and to remain his and his heirs "foreuer." Felix's wife survived him, and willed her land to a daughter, named Mercy. This was in 1696, and Isacke Wanno witnessed said will. There was at a later period an Indian preacher at Titicutf named Thomas Felix, perhaps a son of the former. But to return to the more immediate subject of our discourse. There was a Sassaman, or, as my manuscript has it, Sosomon, known to the English as early as 1637; but as we have no means of knowing how old John Sassamon was when he was murdered, it cannot be decided with probability, whether or not it were he. This Sosomon, as will be seen in the life of Sassacus, went with the English to fight the Pequots. Sassamon acted as interpreter, witness or scribe, as the case required, on many occasions. When Philip and Wootonekanuske his wife, sold, in 1664, Mattapoisett to William Brenton, Sassamon was a witness and interpreter. The same year he was Philip's agent "in settling the bounds of Acushenok, Coaksett, and places adjacent." Again, in 1665, he witnessed the receipt of £10 paid to Philip on account of settling the bounds the year before. There was a Rowland Sassamon, who I suppose was the brother of John. His name appears but once in all the manuscript records I have met with, and then only as a witness, with his brother, to Philip's deed of Mattapoisett, above mentioned.. The name Sassamon, like most Indian names, is variously spelt, but the way it here appears is nearest as it was understood in his last years, judging from the records. But it was not so originally. Woosansaman was among the first modes of writing it. This detail may appear dry to the general reader, but we must occasionally gratify our antiquarian friends. We now proceed in our narrative. While living among the Namaskets, Sassamon learned what was going forward among his countrymen, and, when he was convinced that their design was war, went immediately to Plimouth, and communicated his discovery to the governor. "Nevertheless, his information," says Dr. I. Mather,§ "(because it had an Indian original, and one can hardly believe them when they do speak the truth,) was not at first much regarded." It may be noticed here, that at this time if any Indian appeared friendly, all Indians were so declaimed against, that scarcely any one among the English could be found that would allow that an Indian could be faithful or honest in any affair. And although some others besides Sassamon had intimated, and that rather strongly, that a "rising of the Indians" was at hand, still, as Dr. Mather observes, because Indians said so, little or no attention The English sometimes added her surname, and hence, in the account of Mr. Bennet, (1 Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. iii. 1.) Betty Sasemore. The noted place now called Betty's Neck, in Middleborough, was named from her. In 1793, there were eight families of Indians there. + Cotulticut, Ketchiquut, Tehticut, Keketticut, Keticut, Teightaquid, Tetchquet, are spellings of this name in the various books and records I have consulted." Bockus's Middleborough, in 1 Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. iii. 150. CHAP. I.] SASSAMON.-CAUSES OF THE WAR WITH PHILIP. 11 was paid to their advice. Notwithstanding, Mr. Gookin, in his MS. history,*. says, that, previous to the war, none of the Christian Indians, had "been justly charged, either with unfaithfulness or treachery towards the English." "But, on the contrary, some of them had discovered the treachery, particularly Walcut the ruler, of Philip before he began any act of hostility." In another place the same author says, that, in April, 1675, Wauban "came to one of the magistrates on purpose, and informed him that he had ground to fear that sachem Philip, and other Indians his confederates, intended some mischief shortly." Again in May, about six weeks before the war, he came and said the same, adding that Philip's men were only waiting for the trees to get leaved out, that they might prosecute their design with more effect. To return to Sassamon: In the mean time, some circumstances happened that gave further grounds of suspicion, that war was meditated, and it was intended that messengers should be sent to Philip, to gain, if possible, the real state of the case. But before this was effected, much of the winter of 1674 had passed away, and the Rev. Sassamon still resided with the Namaskets, and others of his countrymen in that neighborhood. And notwithstanding he had enjoined the strictest secrecy upon his English friends at Plimouth, of what he had revealed, assuring them that if it came to Philip's knowledge, he should be immediately murdered by him, yet it by some means got to the chief's knowledge, and Sassamon was considered a traitor and an outlaw; and, by the laws of the Indians, he had forfeited his life, and was doomed to suffer death. The manner of effecting it was of no consequence with them, so long as it was brought about, and it is probable that Philip had ordered any of his subjects who might meet with him, to kill him. Early in the spring of 1675, Sassamon was missing, and, on search being made, his body was found in Assawomset Pond, in Middleborough. Those that killed him not caring to be known to the English, left his hat and gun upon the ice, that it might be supposed that he had drowned himself; but from several marks upon his body, and the fact that his neck was broken, it was evident he had been murdered. Several persons were suspected, and, upon the information of one called Patuckson, Tobias § one of Philip's counsellors, his son, and Mattashinnamy, were apprehended, tried by a jury, consisting of half Indians,|| and in June, 1675, were all executed at Plimouth; "one of them before his execution confessing the murder," but the other two denied all knowledge of the act, to their last breath. The truth of their guilt may reasonably be called in question, if the circumstance of the bleeding of the dead body at the approach of the murderer, had any influence upon the jury. And we are fearful it was the case, for, if the most learned were misled by such, hallucinations in those days, we are not to suppose that the more ignorant were free from them. Dr. Increase Mather wrote within two years of the affair, and he has this passage: When Tobias (the suspected murderer) came near the dead body, it fell a bleeding on fresh, as if it had been newly slain; albeit, it was buried a considerable time before that."¶ Nothing of this part of the story is upon record among the manuscripts, as we can find, but still we do not question the authenticity of Dr. Mather, who, we believe, is the first that printed an account of it. Nor do the records of Plimouth notice Sassamon until some time after his death. The first record is in these words: "The court seeing cause to require the per *Not yet published, but is now, (April, 1836,) printing with notes by the author of this work, under the direction of the American Antiquarian Society. It will form a lasting monument of one of the best men of those days. The author was, as Mr. Eliot expresses himself, a pillar in our Indian work." He, died in 1687, aged 75. Some would like to know, Perhaps, on what authority Mr. Grahame (Hist. N. Amer. i. 402.) states that Sassamon's body was found in a field. Gookin's MS. Hist. of Christian Indians. This author says, "Sassamand was the first Christian martyr," and th at "it is evident he suffered death upon the account of his Christian profession, and fidelity to the English." His Indian nam Mather's Rel e was Poggapanossoo. ation, 74. Judge Davis retains the same account, (Morton's Memorial, Mather' shall presently show to be erroneous. 289.) which we s Relation, 75. 12 SASSAMON. [Book III. sonal appearance of an Indian called Tobias before the court, to make further answer to such interrogatories as shall be required of him, in reference to the sudden and violent death of an Indian called John Sassamon, late deceased." This was in March, 1674, O. S. It appears that Tobias was present, although it is not so stated, from the fact that Tuspaquin and his son William entered into bonds of £100 for the appearance of Tobias at the next court in June following. A mortgage of land was taken as security for the £100. June having arrived, three instead of one are arraigned as the murderers of Sassamon. There was no intimation of any one but Tobias being guilty at the previous court. Now, Wampapaquan, the son of Tobias, and Mattashunannamo* are arraigned with him, and the bill of indictment runs as follows: "For that being accused that they did with joynt consent vpon the 29 of January ann° 1674, [or 1675, N. S.] att a place called Assowamsett Pond, wilfully and of sett purpose, and of mallice fore thought, and by force and armes, murder John Sassamon, an other Indian, by laying violent hands on him, and striking him, or twisting his necke vntill hee was dead; and to hyde and conceale this theire said murder, att the tyme and place aforesaid, did cast his dead body through a hole of the iyce into the said pond." To this they pleaded not guilty," and put themselves on trial, say the records. The jury, however, were not long in finding them guilty, which they express in these words: "Wee of the jury one and all, both English and Indians doe joyntly and with one consent agree upon a verdict.” Upon this they were immediately remanded to prison, “and from thence [taken] to the place of execution and there to be hanged by the head † vntill theire bodies are dead." Accordingly, Tobias and Mattashunannamo were executed on the 8 June, 1675. "But the said Wampapaquan, on some considerations was reprieued until a month be expired." He was, however, shot within the month. It is an error that the jury that found them guilty was composed of half Indians; there were bat four, while there were twelve Englishmen. We will again hear the record : "Itt was judged very expedient by the court, that, together with this English jury aboue named, some of the most indifferentest, grauest and sage Indians should be admitted to be with the said jury, and to healp to consult and aduice with, of, and concerning the premises: there names are as followeth, viz. one called by an English name Hope, and Maskippague, Wannoo, George Wampye and Acanootus; these fully concurred with the jury in theire verdict." The names of the jurymen were William Sabine, William Crocker, Edward Sturgis, William Brookes, Nath. Winslow, John Wadsworth, Andrew Ringe, Robert Vixon, John Done, Jona. Bangs, Jon". Shaw and Benj". Higgins. That nothing which can throw light upon this important affair be passed over, we will here add, from a hitherto exceeding scarce tract, the following particulars, although some parts of them are evidently erroneous: "About five or six years since, there was brought up, amongst others, at the college at Cambridge, (Mass.) an Indian, named Sosomon; who, after some time he had spent in preaching the gospel to Uncas, a sagamore Christian in his territories, was, by the authority of New Plimouth, sent to preach in like manner to King Philip, and his Indians. But King Philip, (heathen-like,) instead of receiving the gospel, would immediately have killed this Sosomon, but by the persuasion of some about him, did not do it, but sent him by the hands of three men to prison; who, as he was going to prison, exhorted and taught them in the Christian religion. They, not liking his discourse, immediately murthered him after a most barbarous manner. They, returning to King Philip, acquainted him with what they had done. About two or three months after this murther, being discovered to the authority of *The same called Mattashinnamy. His name in the records is spelt four ways. This old phraseology reminds us of the French mode of expression, couper le cou, that is, to cut off the neck instead of the head; but the French say, il sera pendu par son cou, and so do modern hangmen, alias jurists, of our times. |