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vernors Confent, come to meet you in this "House, which is appointed for our Treaties, "to hear you speak, and to give you an An"fwer. But before we give an Answer, we "make the appointed House clean by giving this (k) Fathom of Wampum.

"We juft now faid, that your long Journey "must have not been without much Fatigue, "efpecially to you who are an Old Man. Iam "old likewife, and therefore I give you this "Fathom of Wampum to mitigate your pain.

"In the Beginning of your Speech you tell "us of the League or Covenant made with "Coll. Courfey. We remember it very well, "that it was made in our Governors Prefence. "We have kept it hitherto, and are refolv'd "to keep it Inviolably. We are glad to fee

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you here, to renew this Covenant. You do "better than the People of the East, (New

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England) who made a Covenant at the fame "time; for we have seen none of them fince, "to renew and keep up the Remembrance of "it.' Then they gave a Fathom of Wampum.

"We have faid what we have to fay, as to "the Covenant made with Coll. Courfey. You "defire

(k) A Fathom of Wampum is a fingle ftring of Wampum of that length, it is of lefs value than the Belts, and therefore given in Matters of fmaller Confequence; and by cleaning the Houfe, they mean putting away Hypocrefy

and Deceit.

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"defire us likewife to continue our good Neighbourhood. This we not only pro"mife to do, but likewife to keep the (1) "Chain, which cannot be broken, clean and "bright, and therefore we defire you to do "the fame.' Then gave a Belt of Wampum twelve deep.

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"We are glad that by the Interpofition "and Perfwafion of our Governor, the "Mischeif which our Neighbours did in your Country is paffed over, and now wholly forgiven. Let it be buried in Oblivion; "for if any mischief fhould befal them "(seeing we make but one body with them,) "we must have partaken with them. We approve of your Law, to lay down our "Arms as a token of Friendship, and we "fhall do fo for the future.' Then gave a Belt fourteen deep.

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"We were told before we heard your Propofitions, that one of the Agents from Virginia was Dead. We lament and bewail "his Death, but admire that nothing was "laid down, according to our Custom, when "the Death of fuch a Perfon was fignified to We give you this Belt of Black "Wampum (thirteen deep) to wipe away The your Tears.

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us.

(1) The Indians always exprefs a League by a Chain by which two or more things are kept faft together.

The Onnondagas did not come till November, on the 5th of which Month the Virginia Agent fpoke to them in the fame words he had done to the Oneydoes. None of their Anfwers appear upon the Regifters, except the Mohawks, which we have given. It is certain that the Onnondagas and Oneydoes did not observe the Peace with Virginia, but molefted them with the reiterated Incurfions of their Parties. It is obfervable however, that these two Nations and the Cayugas only, had received French Priefts among them, and that none of the reft who were not under the Influence of those Priefts, ever molefted the English; for which reafon Coll. Dongan, tho' a Papift, complained of the ill Offices the Priefts did to the English Intereft, and forbid the Five Nations to entertain any of them, tho' the English and French Crowns, while he was Governor of NewYork, in King James's Reign, feem'd to be more than ever in ftrict Friendship."

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The French could have no hopes of perfwading the Indians to hurt any of the Inhabitants of New-York, but they were in hopes, that by the Indian Parties doing frequently Mischief in Virginia, the Government of NewYork would be forced to joyn in resenting the Injury, and thereby that Union between the Government of New-York and the Five Nations would be broke, which always ob

ftructed

structed and often defeated the Designs of the French, to fubject all North-America to the Crown of France. For this reason the Governors of New-York have always, with the greatest Caution, avoided a Breach with thefe Nations, on account of the little Differences they had with the Neighbouring Colonys."

These new Incurfions of these two Nations were fo troublesome to the People of Virginia, that their Governor, the Lord Howard of Effingham, thought it necessary for their Security, to undertake a Voyage to NewYork.

The Sachems of the Five Nations being call'd to Albany, his Lordship met there eight Mohawk, three Oneydoe, three Onnondaga and three Cayuga Sachems, and on the Thirtieth of July, 1684. being accompanied with two of the Council of Virginia, he spoke to them as follows, in the presence of Col. Thomas Dongan, Governor of NewYork, two of the Council of New-York, and the Magiftrates of Albany. The Sennekas living far off were not then arriv'd.

G

Propofitions

Propofitions made by the Right Honourable Francis Lord Howard of Effingham, Governor General of His Majesty's Dominion of Virginia, To the Mohawks, Oneydoes, Onnondagas and Cayugas.

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"IT is now about feven years ago fince you (unprovok'd) came into Virginia, a Country belonging to the Great King of England, and committed feveral Murders "and Robberys, carrying away our Christian "Women and Children Prisoners into your "Caftles. All which Injurys we defigned "to have Revenged on you; but at the de"fire of Sir Edmond Androfs, then Governor "General of this Country, we desisted from "deftroying you, and fent our Agents Col. "William Kendall and Col. Southley Littleton, to "Confirm and make fure the Peace that Col. "Courfey of Maryland included us in, when "firft he Treated with you. We find, that "as you quickly forgot what you promised "Col. Courfey, fo you have willfully broke "the Covenant Chain, which you promised "our Agent, Col. Kendall, fhould be moft "ftrong and bright, if we of Virginia, would "bury in the Pit of Oblivion, the Injurys "you had then done us, which upon your "Governor Androfs's Interceffion, and your "Sub

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