Colonies are obliged to protect the Long-Island Indians against Ninigret or others, and so no reason to engage them in their quarrels, the grounds whereof they cannot well understand, I therefore see not sufficient light to assent to this vote." 1

sion in the Confederacy.

Sept. 24.

The resentment of the western Colonies, now directed specially against the Nyantic chief, was again overruled by the calmer judgment of Massachusetts. On receiving information of the action of the Com- New dissenmissioners, the Magistrates of that Colony resolved that they "did not see sufficient grounds, either from any obligation of the English towards the Long-Islanders, or from the usage the messengers received from the Indians, or from any other motive presented unto their consideration, or from all of them; and therefore dared not to exercise their authority to levy force within their jurisdiction to undertake a present war against Ninigret." The flame, that had scarcely been kept under, now broke out afresh. The Commissioners of the three smaller Colonies united, not only in confirming their recent action against the Nyantics, but in renewing their vote for war against the Dutch; and they passed a Resolve, that "the Massachusetts had actually broken their covenant." Bradstreet recorded his protest against this Resolve," solemnly professing" that it was not "the mind" of his government "to oppose the determination of the Commissioners further than they conceived the same to oppose the mind of God." The Commissioners admitted "that any determination of theirs manifestly unjust was not binding;" but they insisted, that, their present determination not being of that character, the plea of Massachusetts was not to the present purpose.2

The General Court of Massachusetts now addressed themselves directly to the governments of the other ColRecords, &c., in Hazard, II. 288–293.

2 Ibid., 295–298.

Nov. 1.

onies with a proposal for "a committee, to be chosen by each jurisdiction, to treat and agree upon such Sept. 13. explanation or reconciliation of the Articles of Confederation as should be consistent with their true meaning." After six weeks, Connecticut and New Haven made a joint reply.2 "We grant," they said, "as the Commissioners themselves have done, that, if any of their determinations prove manifestly unjust, which they have not yet heard of, they ought to be laid aside. It is better to obey God than man; to obey God than General Courts or Commissioners." But they thought the instrument of confederation sufficiently clear; they saw "no cause to choose or send a committee, either for explication or alteration of any of the Articles;" and they renewed the charge of "breach of league and covenant." Plymouth took four months longer for consideration, and then sent an answer of the same import. Massachusetts made June 6. separate replies, and a joint answer was preJuly 15. pared by New Haven for the three dissatisfied Colonies.5

1654.

March 7.

The arrival from England of the expedition destined against the Dutch had now taken place; and probably the prospect, thus opened, of attaining the desired end in a way different from what had been insisted on, had a tendency to compose the quarrel. Connecticut had chosen her Federal Commissioners at the usual time; and, after some debate on the question whether the Confederacy should be still sustained, New Haven and Plymouth, at a later hour, followed the example, at the same time instructing their repre

May 18.

July 5. Aug. 1.

7

1 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 304.

2 N. H. Rec., II. 37-43; comp. Conn. Rec., I. 248, 249.

3 Plym. Rec., III. 43; Hazard, II. 305.

6

* Mass. Rec., IV. (i.) 196; N. H. Rec., II. 113, 114.

5 N. H. Rec., II. 115-117.

• Conn. Rec., I. 257.

* N. H. Rec., II. 111.

8 Plym. Rec., III. 62, 67.

sentatives to endeavor to obtain satisfaction for the injury which was imputed. When, at the opening of the next annual meeting of the Commissioners, - held at Hartford,

Explanation

of Massachu

Sept. 7.

they "fell upon a debate of the late differences betwixt Massachusetts and the other Colonies," the Commissioners of Massachusetts, in behalf of their government, retracted the distinction which had been made as to the function of the Commissioners in respect to offensive and to defensive wars, and acknowledged the authority of the Federal Council, as it had been maintained on the other side, only insisting on the reservation that it could not oblige to any act or proceeding of a criminal character. "We do hereby," they said, "profess it to be our judgments, and do believe it to be the judgment of our General Court, that the setts. Commissioners, or six of them, have power, according to the Articles, to determine the justice of all wars, &c.; that our General Court hath and doth recall that interpretation of the Articles which they sent to the Commissioners at Boston,. . . and do acknowledge themselves bound to execute the determinations of the Commissioners, according to the literal sense and true meaning of the Articles of Confederation, so far as the said determinations are in themselves just and according to God." The Commissioners for the other Colonies unanimously accepted the explanation, "provided the General Court of the Massachusetts, at their next meeting, should certify to the other three General Courts their consent thereunto, and profess to act accordingly." The General Court of Massachusetts did so certify;2 and the long quarrel seemed at an end.

Oct. 18.

The probability of an immediate conflict with New Netherland was now passed. Time had disclosed no more proof of the alleged conspiracy; the border was tranquil; and the parent countries had made peace.

1 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 307.

2 Mass. Rec., IV. (i.) 202.

Sept. 12.

During the year, however, the proceedings of Ninigret, who was probably emboldened by intelligence of the dissension among the Colonies, had been more alarming. Some of his followers were even so rash as to make depredations upon the land of Mr. Winthrop at New London. The Commissioners, proceeding to business, unanimously resolved to send a messenger to require him to make up the arrears of tribute due for some Pequots who had been placed under his government, and to give security for its punctual payment in future, and" for his peaceable carriage" and "faithful observance of his covenants." He was at the same time to be invited to make known the causes of complaint which he was understood to have against Uncas, that the Commissioners might take order for his effectual protection against that chief. His personal presence was not required; but, if he preferred to visit the Commissioners, he was "not to bring with him above twenty or thirty men,” to which retinue Uncas was required to allow unmolested passage through his country.

Expedition

Ninigret refused either to come or send to Hartford, or to give any satisfaction; and, though in Massachusetts his conduct was regarded as indicating rather ill-temper and vexation than any dangerous design, yet, as such designs might easily follow, and the example of defiance against the was dangerous, the Massachusetts CommissionNyantics. ers could no longer take the responsibility of obstructing active measures. They united with the rest in a vote to send twenty horsemen and forty foot-soldiers into his country, with a demand tantamount to that which he had recently rejected. If he should comply with it, no further measures were to be taken. Should he refuse, he was forthwith to be brought to terms by an invading force consisting of forty horsemen and a hundred and forty-three foot-soldiers from Massachusetts, forty-five

1 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 308-310; comp. 131.

Sept. 25.

foot-soldiers from Connecticut, forty-one from Plymouth, and thirty-one from New Haven. A commission and instructions were prepared for the Commander-in-chief. The appointment of that officer was left to Massachusetts; but the Commissioners expressed their hope that it might fall to Major-General Gibbons, Major Denison, or Captain Atherton."

1

Oct. 3.

Oct. 9.

Oct. 13.

It seems that Gibbons and Denison declined the trust, and that Atherton was absent. At all events, it was assigned to Simon Willard, of Concord, one of the Assistants of Massachusetts, and Sergeant-Major of the militia of Middlesex County. He mustered his Massachusetts force at Dedham, and led it by Providence, and along the western shore of Narragansett Bay, to Ninigret's customary residence, in what is now the town of Westerly. Ninigret had withdrawn up into the country, into a great swamp;" and Willard deferred the pursuit till the troops from Connecticut and New Haven should come up. Three or four days passed before they arrived. The delay was highly unfavorable to the success of the expedition. The place of Ninigret's retreat was fifteen miles from Willard's camp. Captain Seely, of New Haven, and Captain Davis, of the Massachusetts cavalry, were despatched to confer with him. He professed to be in great alarm; but the only distinct engagement which he could be prevailed upon to make, was to surrender the Pequot captives, whose hire, or tribute, he had neglected to pay. The season and the weather were unsuitable for further operations. Possibly Willard had instructions from his immediate superiors not to put too much at hazard for what in Massachusetts had scarcely been regarded as an urgent cause. He attempted no more, and brought back

2

1 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 318,319. 2 Just as Willard was beginning his march from Massachusetts, the Magistrates received a long letter from Wil

Oct. 18.

liams, in which he pleaded with them earnestly against using severe measures with Ninigret. The letter is in Knowles, p. 272.