"Submiffion, we were willing to forget; "But you not at all minding the Covenant "then made, have every year fince, come into our Country, in a War-like manner, under pretence of Fighting with our Indians, our "Friends and Neighbours, which you ought "not to have done, our Agent having enclu"ded them likewife in the Peace. You not only destroyed and took many of them Prifoners, but you have alfo kill'd and "burnt our Chriftian People, deftroying our "Corn and Tobacco, more than you made ufe "of, killing our Horfes, Hogs and Cattle, "not to eat, but let them ly in the Woods "and ftink. This you did, when you were "not denyed anything you faid you want"ed.

"I muft alfo tell you that under the pre"tence of Friendship, you have come to our "Houses at the heads of our Rivers (where "they have been fortified) with a white Sheet "on a Pole, and have laid down your Guns "before the Fort, upon which our People "taking you to be Friends, have admitted your great Men into their Forts, and have "given them eat and Drink, what they "defired. After the great Men had refreshed themselves, and defiring to return, as they "were let out of the Fort Gates, the young "Men rushed into the Fort and plunder'd the

G 2

"House,

"House, taking away and destroying all the Corn, Tobacco, Bedding, and what else was in the House. When they went away, "they took several Sheep with them, and "kill'd several Cows big with Calf, and left "them behind them, cut to pieces and flung "about, as if it were in Defiance of the Peace, "and destroying of our Friendship.

"Thefe, and many more Injurys that you "have done us, have caufed me to raise "Forces, to fend to the heads of our Rivers "to defend our People from your Outrages, "till I came to New-York to Col.Thomas Dongan,

your Governor General, to defire him, as "we are all one Kings Subjects, to affift me "in Warring against you, to Revenge the "Chriftian Blood that you have shed, and to "make you give full Satisfaction for all the goods that you deftroyed. But by the "Mediation of your Governor, I am now come to Albany to fpeak with you, and to "know the reafon of your breaking the Covenant Chain, not only with us and our neigh"bour Indians but with Maryland, who are

great KingCharles's Subjects; for our Indians "have giv'n great King Charles their Land. "Therefore I, the Governor of Virginia, will

protect them, as your Governor under the "Great Duke of York and Albany; will hence"forth you, when the Chain of Friendship is "made between us all. "Now

"Now that I have let you know that I am "fenfible of all the Injurys that you have "done us, by the defire of your noble Go

vernor General, I am willing to make a new "Chain with you for Virginia, Maryland, and "our Indians, that may be more ftrong and "lafting, even to the World's end, fo that "we may all be Bretheren and Great King "Charles's Children.

"I propose to you, First, That you call "out of our Countrys of Virginia and Mary"land all your young Men or Soldiers that cc are now there.

"Secondly, That you do not hinder or moleft "our Friend Indians from Hunting at our "Mountains, it having been their Country "and none of yours. They never go into your Country to disturb any of you.

Thirdly, Tho' the Damages you have "done our Country be very great, and "would require a great deal of Satisfaction, "which you are bound to give, yet we af "fure you, that only by the Perfwafions of "your Governor, who is at a vaft deal of "Trouble and Charge for your Wellfare, "which you ever ought to acknowledge, "I have paffed it by and forgiven you, upon this Condition, that your People, "nor any living among you, never commit "any Incurfions on our Chriftians or Indians

"living

"living among us, or in Maryland.

"For the better Confirmation of the fame "and that the Peace now concluded, may "be lafting, I propofe to have two (m) "Hatchets buried as a final Determination "of all Wars and Jarrings between

"One on behalf of us and our Indians, and "the other for all your Nations united together, that ever did us any Injury, or "pretended to War against our Indian Friends or Maryland.

"And that nothing may be wanting for "Confirmation thereof, (if you defire it)

we are willing to fend fome of our Indian "Sachems with an Agent next Summer, "about this time, that they may Ratifie the "Covenant with you here in this prefixed "House, where you may fee and speak to'gether as Friends.

"That the Covenant now made between "us in this prefixed Houfe, in the presence "of your Governor, may be firmly kept "and perform'd on your parts, as it always "has on ours, and that you do not break

any one Link of the Covenant Chain for "the future, by your Peoples coming near our Plantations; When you march to the << 'South

(m) All Indians make use of the Hatchet or Ax as an emblem to express War.

"Southward, keep to the feet of the Moun"tains, and not come nigh the heads, of our "Rivers, there being no Bever Hunting "there; for we fhall not for the future (tho' you lay down your Arms as Friends) "ever truft you more, you have so often fo "deceiv'd us.

The next Day the Mohawks answered first by their Speaker, faying,

E muft, in the first place, fay

fomething to the other three Na"tions by way of Reproof for their not keep"ing the former Covenant, as they ought, "and therefore we defire you, great Sachem "of Virginia, and you Corlaer, and all Peo"ple here present, to hearken, for we will "conceal nothing of the Evil they have done.

(Then turning to the other three Nations) "You have heard Yesterday all that has been "faid; as for our parts, we are free of the blame "laid on us for the Mischief done in Virgi“nia and Maryland. You are Stupid, Bru"tish, and have no Understanding, thus to "break your Covenant. We have always "been obedient to Corlaer, and have fteadily "kept our Covenant with Virginia, Mary"land and Bofton; we must therefore Stamp "Understanding into you. Let the Cove

"nant