The Governour said, that tho' he had this account from one of those who were then present, he could not help thinking our People had given some Provocation, & wished it might not appear so when the Indians should give their Relation of this Matter.

That some of the Inhabitants seemed so incensed, that they seemed determined to Kill any Indian they could find, & that great Pains were taken on this head to make them cautious of doing any rash act which might be attended with fatal Consequences.

The Governour proceeded & said, that after having used several Methods to quiet the Country & so induce the People to return to their Habitations, & having ordered some Powder & Lead to be distributed in Case of any attack. He was preparing to return home, when he received the melancholy news by an Express from Samuel Nutt, Esqr., that an Indian Man & two Women were cruelly murthered at Cucussea by John & Walter Winters, without any Provocation given, and two Indian Girls much wounded, upon which a Hue & Cry was immediately issued against the Murtherers, & He returned back next day to Mahanatawny to make Enquiry into this matter, where he learned that the said Winters, & one Morgan Herbert, an Accomplice in the said Murther were apprehended, who being brought thither & examined, the said Winters confessed the Murther, as did likewise Herbert, his being present when they perpetrated the same, as appears from their several Examinations now laid before the Board, and that they had nothing else to say in their Justification, then that, from the Reports in the Countrey of the Indians having Killed some white men, they thought they might lawfully Kill any Indian whom they could find. They were then ordered to Prison and a sure Guard, and orders were issued for apprehending John Roberts, mentioned in their Examination as an Accomplice in the said Crime; And then the Coroner was dispatched to take an Inquisition of the dead Bodies, & to bury them wrapt in Linen, & was further directed that in case any of their Relatives should be there He should present them with four Strowds to cover the dead Bodies & give two Strowds to their Indian Girls, & to Employ some Person to cure their Wounds, & further to assure their Friends that the Offenders should not goe unpunished.

That a Message was likewise dispatched to the Indians at Mauawkyhickon to acquaint them with this unhappy Accident, & the Concern we were under on that Account, after which being apprehensive that this Piece of Barbarity might stirr up the Indians to revenge it on our Inhabitants in these Parts, it was thought proper that some Persons should be empowred by Commission to gather the Inhabitants together, & putt them in a Posture of Defence in case of any such Attempt, & for that Effect John Pawlin, Marcus Huling, & Mordecai Lincoln, were Commissionated, and that after giving several other Directions & Instructions for securing the Peace of the Country, His Honour with his Company returned.

The Governour then desired the Board to consider whether it might not be proper to send a Message forthwith to Allummapees, Opekasset & Manawkyhickon, to acquaint them with what was

hapned, & the Care taken by this Government in apprehending the Criminals, & to desire that they with their People may be at Conestogoe at the Ensuing Treaty. The Board having express'd their Satisfaction with the Governrs. prudent Conduct in this whole Affair agreed hereto, & 'TIS ORDERED, that a Message to the Purpose aforesaid be drawn up, & sent by Nicolas Scull, John Scull, and Anthony Zadousky, with two Strowds to each of the aforenamed Chiefs.

Mr. Logan informed the Board, that pursuant to their order of the 10th Currt., A Message was sent to Conestogoe to Convene the Indians to the Ensuing Treaty, & that the Messenger being now returned, has brought a Letter from Mr. Blunston, signifying that several Indians were mett there, & expected the Governour in nine or ten days.

The Governour then acquainted the Board, that Writts having issued for Summoning the Assembly of the Province to meet yesterday, he was informed by two of their Number that they were now a House, & that therefore he intended to acquaint them with what has pass'd, how necessary it is that some Provision should be made for defraying the Charges of the Treaty, and for this Purpose he had drawn up a Speech, which was read & approved, and the House of Representatives being sent for attended, to whom the Governr. spoke in these words:

Mr. Speaker & Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

"Tho' I have resolved never to interfere with the Proceedings of "the House of Representatives, in which concerns their Privileges, "of which you are most certainly the Judges, yet the last breaking up of the house has given me no small Uneasiness. I shall, not"withstanding, on your present coming together again by my Sum"mons, recommend it to you all to fall on the most pacifick measures "that may be thought of making up this Breach, with a due Regard "to the Rights and Privileges of the House, which I hope you will "all be equally careful to Support & Maintain.

"But you will find it absolutely necessary from some late unhappy occurrences in this Province, that all needless disputes which might "retard your Consultations, should now be laid aside.

"On Friday last the 10th instant, in the morning, I received an "Account from the Iron Works at Mahanatawny, that some strange "Indians very well armed, had fallen in amongst his Majesty's Sub"jects in that neighbourhood, & had been guilty of such Violences "that some of our people believed it incumbent on them to know "who they were & what was their business. They endeavoured to "treat with those Indians in the civilest manner, upon which they were attack'd, and hostilities immediately passed between them, to "the wounding of divers of our people, & not without some Execution, as 'tis believed, on the others.

"On the first account I immediately prepared to visit these parts "and with divers Gentlemen, who Kindly accompany'd me, some of "whom have herein proved very Serviceable to the Publick, I sett "out in a few hours & found the Country under very great Terror

"& Surprize, but this was gradually dissipated, & the People hear"ing of no more Enemies (those first being gone off) began to be "appeased, when we were again alarmed by a fatal accident, in the "Murther of three harmless Indians, a young man & two women, "of our own friendly Natives, who were most inhumanely knock'd on the head by three or four of our own people, & this without any manner of Provocation from the Sufferers that I could possi"bly learn, of all which you may have a more particular narrative "if desired.

"On this last information, I immediately caused a Hue & Cry to "be issued for apprehending the murtherers, three of whom were "taken, & are now in Chester goal, but another no less deep in the guilt, when I left the place, was not found.

Hearing of some others of our Indians, who were not far from "that neighbourhood, I call'd them in to acquaint them with this unhappy accident. Care is also taken to give the deceased a de"cent Burial; but as the murthered persons were all related, as I am informed, to some of our Indian Chiefs, we cannot expect but "that so barbarous a fact must be resented. I have taken all the "L measures in my power, that on the best advice could be thought 66 proper to prevent the worst impressions on them, or remove them, "if made, & as I am enabled, shall proceed in whatever shall be "thought rationally practicable for that End, I have already desired (( as many of those Indians, as I could find messengers to reach, that they would meet me, next Week at Conestogoe, where I have ap"pointed as general a Treaty as can be compass'd in that time, for "you will agree, I believe, that in these Cases Delays ought by all 66 means to be avoided.

"But there is further absolute Necessity that messages with (6 some small presents should be forthwith dispatched to Divers "other Parts of the Countrey, especially up the River Delaware, "who ought by all means to be seasonably informed of the real "Truth of these matters, to prevent all misunderstanding from these "Quarters.

"I am also further to acquaint you, Gentlemen, that last night "I received advice from Conestogoe by the Return of an Express "I had sent from hence thither on Friday last, that some of the "Chief of the Five Nations are to be here with us at Philadelphia (6 on a friendly visit, of which good uses may be made, seeing all our Indians of these parts have an Entire Dependence on those "Nations.

"That these proceedings, Gentlemen, most necessarily occasion an "Expence you cannot be insensible, but when the unhappy Conse"quences of any misunderstanding with these people, & the dire "Effects of such Quarrells are considered, you will undoubtedly allow "it to be the highest prudence to prevent, by an early & sensible Application of a proper remedy, the Calamities that others of His "Majestys Subjects have been distress'd with in some of their Ame"rican Colonies, I therefore must seriously recommend it to you, "Gentlemen, that without any Delay on any Pretence whatsoever,

"you would in behalf of the Country, by whom you are entrusted, "assist me with your Advice, and make such Provision as may en"able me effectually to put in practice those necessary measures I "have already mentioned for establishing the publick peace, and you may assure yourselves I shall decline no toil or fatigue on my part, "that may contribute to so good an End.

After which the House withdrew, & the Council adjourned.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, May 16th, 1728.

PRESENT:

The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governr.

James Logan,

Isaac Norris,
Samuel Preston,

William Fishbourn,
Clement Plumsted.

Esq'rs.

A Draught of a Proclamation for securing the Peace of the Province was laid before the Board, which being read was approved of, & the same being signed by the Governour, was ordered to be Sealed, Printed, and forthwith Published, & is as followes.

"BY THE HONOURABLE PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., "Lieutenant Governour of the Province of Pensylvania & Counties "of Newcastle, Kent & Sussex, upon Delaware.

"A PROCLAMATION.

"WHEREAS, by the especial Favour of Divine Providence & its Blessings on the Endeavours of our late Honourable Proprietor, "and the first Adventurers with him, in the Settlement of this Co"lony, the Inhabitants thereof have hitherto enjoy'd a continued "Course of Peace & Tranquility, secured from all Hostilities, either "by Invasion or Insurrection: To which nothing under the Divine "hand has more effectually contributed, than the prudent Care that was "then taken by the Proprietor, to Enter into a firm Alliance & Sin"" cere Friendship with all the Indian Natives, at that time a numer"ous People. AND WHEREAS, by the several Treaties then made, "it was specially provided & agreed, that the said Natives should be "considered in all Dealings, & Converse with them as our Friends & "Brethren without Distinction; And by the like Care in the Go"vernment, the Same Treaties have from time to time been continued "&confirmed, & by the sober & prudent Conduct of the ancient "Settlers & their Successors, the first Established Friendship has "been hitherto without any Interruption Supported & maintained, "to the great Benefit, as well as Honour & Reputation of this Go"vernment & its European Inhabitants, as also of the said Natives, "who have not to this time been guilty of any Failure or Breach on "their Parts of the said Treaties. BUT WHEREAS, by Reason of some rude Insults from a few strange Indians, who had ranged "" amongst our Inhabitants some Actions tending to Hostilities en"sued; Whereupon the People assembled themselves in Companies, "under an Apprehension that those Robbers might be followed by

"much greater Numbers. And since these Motions, a most barbarous Murther has been committed by some furious Men on the "Bodies of three harmless & quiet Natives, our Friends; for which "the Malefactors have been happily seized and are in safe Custody, "in order to be tried & suffer condign Punishment. NOW for Pre"vention of all further other Breaches of the Established Friendship "between us & the said Natives, I do, by Virtue of the Powers & "Authorities to me derived from the Kings sacred Majesty, & the "Honble the Proprietors & Governours in Chief of this Province & "adjacent Counties, hereby strictly Charge & Command all and "Singular His Majestys Subjects, the Europeans of whatsoever Na"tion they be, who reside in the said Province or Counties, that on no Pretence they abuse any Indian Native of the Nations around "us, vizt: the Delawares, Conestogoes, Ganawese, Shawanese, Mingoes or those of the Five Nations, or any other coming and demean"ing themselves peaceably amongst us, but that on all occasions "they treat all the said Indians with the same civil Regard that they "would an English Subject; And that by all means they avoid that "unbecoming Practice of expressing or Shewing their weak unhand"some fears, by which they greatly expose themselves to Remarks "that are dishonourable. But because, on the late Alarms, Appre"hensions have been raised of Insults from foreign Indians: To the "End, that the Inhabitants may not in any such Case (should it un"fortunately happen) be unprovided. I do hereby Direct & Require "all His Majestys Liege Subjects within the said Province & Coun"ties, that they be at all times duly furnish'd with suitable Arms "& Ammunition for their Defence, to be used in case of real Ne"cessity by the order & Direction of proper Officers, who shall be "duly appointed for that Purpose. And that they fail not to ap66 pear with them in proper Time & Place, if there should be Oc"casion to use them, in Defence of themselves, their Families & "Country.

"Given in Council at Philadelphia, under my hand & the Great "Seal of the said Province, the Sixteenth day of May, in the first "year of the Reign of our Sovereign LORD GEORGE the Second by "the Grace of God, over Great Britain, France & Ireland, King, "Defender of the ffaith, &c., Annoq Dom., 1728.

"GOD SAVE THE KING.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, May 17th, 1728.

PRESENT:

The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Govr.

James Logan,

William Fishbourn,

Isaac Norris,

Samuel Preston.

The Board enter'd upon the Consideration of the Presents proper to be made to the Indians at the ensuing Treaty, & 'TIS ORDERED, that the following Goods be provided by the Provincial Treasu