His excell said : Brethren, It is an inexpressible satisfaction to me that I see you here. I do heartily condole the losse our brethren the Onondages and Oneydes have susteined by the late eruption of the French army from Canida. Upon the first certaine intelligence I had, I came up in person with [what] I could hastily gather for your assistance. And I am now here and present you the Onondages and Oneydes these two belts of Wampum as a confirmacôn of my sincerity and these kettles to repair your losse in that kinde. Brethren Two months agoe I received at New Yorke the first intelligence that the French had made an insult upon your country. I forthwith came up as I said before to yor reliefe and assistance. I had an account before I did reach Albany from some of your people that the French army were retreated and marched back towards Canida. I then sent expresses desiring you all to meet me at this place. Some time after I received yor answer that you would meet me about this time at Albany; and I am now come up a second time this summer in order to renew the Covenant Chain and to consult with the brethren what is most proper and may be most conducing to the common good and safety of the whole House. I do acquaint you from my most illustrious Master the King of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland, that he will always extend his gracious protecôn to you and as a seal of it his Majesty has commanded me to deliver you these presents to keep bright the Covenant Chain from all rust and to strengthen it in behalfe of all his Majesty's Subjects, not only of this Province, but those also of New England, Connecticut, the Jerseys, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. A list of the Presents sent from the King's Most Excellent Majesty and given to the Indians (vizt) For provision to the Indians and repairing their arms Cash for Messengers, Indian Scouts for intelligence of the Enemyes motion pd by £169 5 41 130 19 7 100 00 0 260 00 0 In all £660 4 11/ At a Meeting of the Sachems of the Five Nations at Albany the first of October 1696. Present His Excell. Coll. Benjamin Fletcher, &c. Coll. Nicholas Bayard William Pinhorne Esqr Major Peter Schuyler Matth Clarkson, Esqr Sec3. The Mayr Aldermen of Albany &c Sanonguirese a Sachim of the Mohaques was Speaker Brother Cayenquiragoe We returne you thanks for what you have said the day before yesterday in condoling of our losse, and for the kettles which you gave us to boyle our victuals in the room of those that are lost by the enemy as also for the two Belts of Wampum given us as a token of your sincerity, by which our hearts are mightily rejoiced and lifted up in this our poor condition. Brother Cayenquiragoe We are exceedingly rejoiced that the great King over the Seas has sent to us in this our low condition, by which our hearts are lifted up, we were ready to sink in a miserable perishing Condition and this makes us revive again. He laid down six Beaver Skins. Brother Cayenquiragoe We come to desire you to acquaint the Great King that the enemy has brought us to a very low condition and have destroyed five of our Castles; one is now left, and if that be destroyed we know not what to do; we know not what shall become of us next; pray let the Great King know this. Brother Cayenquiragoe We desire that since the Great King of England &c. has Canoes of Seaventy gunns a piece and many forces, you may acquaint him that it is a great pity we should be so plagued with soe small an enemy as the French and Indians of Canida. We are not able of ourselves to destroy them. We are become a small people and much lessened by the warr. If the people of Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, the Jerseys, Connecticut and New-England who have all put their hand to the Covenant Chain will joyn with the inhabitants of this place we are ready to go and root out the French and all our enemyes out of Canida. He then laid down a bundle of six Beaver skins, and Quebecq Montreal Troy rivier on the outside thereof a draft of the river of Canida with the chiefe places thereof marked to show the smallnesse of the enemy and how seated upon Canida river; which they desire may be sent over and shown to the Great King. Brother Cayenquiragoe We again thank you for the Message you have brought us from the Great King. And we pray you to send again to him for us with all vigour and speed, and to lay before the King what we have here said, faile not in writing, faile not to let the King know it. We give these five Beavers to the man that writes, to pay for paper, penn and ink. Brother Cayenquiragoe We desire you to acquaint the Great King as before, that we are a small people and he has a great people and many canoes with great gunns, we desire you to write to him to know whether he will send them to destroy Canida or not against the next time the trees grow green; and if he will not send forces to destroy Canada then to send us word thereof that we may make peace for ourselves forever, or for sometime. And we earnestly pray you will desire the Great King to send us an answer by the next time the trees grow green. He laid down a bundle of six beavers. Present At a meeting of the Sachims of the Five Nations at Albany Octob 2a 1696. His Excell. Coll. Benjamin Fletcher, &c. The May Recorder & Aldermen of Albany &c Dackashhata a Sachem of the Sennekes was Speaker Brother Cayenquiragoe We come to condole the losse you daily receive having daily alarms of skulking partyes of the enemy doing mischiefe. Then laid down a belt of Wampum. Brother Cayenquiragoe I am come with the whole House to consider what tends to the comôn good of the whole House We come here to quicken the fire, and renew the Covenant chain. Brother Cayenquiragoe We come to renew the Covenant chain with all the brethren of New England, Connecticutt, New Yorke, the Jerseys, Pensilvania, Maryland and Virginia that they may partake of the warmth of the fire. Brother Cayenquiragoe We recommend to all that are in the Covenant Chain to be vigorous and keep it up. Brother Cayenquiragoe When all is said I drincke to all yor healths & then I deliver you the cupp. Brother Cayenquiragoe. There has been a cloud and we come to remove it, as the Sun in the morning removes the darknesse of the night. Brother Cayenquiragoe. The tree of safety and welfare planted here we confirme it. Brother Cayenquiragoe. As the tree is planted here and confirmed, so we make fast all the roots and branches of it, all the brethren of the Five Nations and the brethren of Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, the Jerseys, New Yorke, Connecticutt & New England. Brother Cayenquiragoe. We wish we may rest in quietness under that tree. We fill it with new leaves, and wish all that are in the Covenant chain may have the benefite to sitt down quiett under its shaddow. Brother Cayenquiragoe I do hereby renew the covenant chain with all that have put their hands in it Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania the Jerseys, New Yorke Connecticutt & New England Brother Cayenquiragoe. We renew the covenant chain in behalfe of the whole House, the Mohaques, Oneydes, Onondages Cayouges & Sinnekes Brother Cayenquiragoe. We have lately had the losse of two Castles by the enemy, we have concluded to do our best to assist them and we desire Cayenquiragoe will doe the same. Brother Cayenquiragoe We wish the Cannoes may go to and again in safety that the Great King may know what we have here said and that we may have an answer. We now have made our word good: here is the cup. Then laid down some small bundles of beaver saying—it is but small, but [it] is as it were saved out of the fire. His Excell; stood up and said Brethren I have heard what you have said, and have here renewed the Covenant Chain with all the Five Nations, the Mohaques, Oneydas, Onnondages, Cayouges & Sinnekes in behalf of the Brethren of this Province, Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, the Jerseys, Connecticutt & New England and I assure the Five Nations of His Maties proteccôn. I have provided for you some victuals and drink to drink the King's health, and in confirmacôn thereof that it may last as long as the Sun & Moon endures I give this Belt Wampum. The principle Sachim of the Mohaques called-Ohee. The whole Assembly answered Heeeeee Hogh. The whole Assembly answered Heeeeee Hogh. The whole Assembly answered Heeeeee Hogh. The whole Assembly answered Heeeeee Hogh The whole Assembly answered Heeeeee Hogh } In the evening His Excellency did appoint the principal Sachims to meet him at a private conference next morning. At a private Meeting of the Sachims of the Five Nations at Albany the 3d Oct: 1696. Present His Excell. Coll. Benjamin Fletcher &c Coll. Nich. Bayard William Pinhorne Esq. of the Council Matthew Clarkson Esq: Sect. His Excellency said:- It was proposed by the Speaker of the Five Nations the first day that I should write to my Great Master the King of England &c concerning the warr that is between the Five Nations and the French & Indians of Canida and that I should gett an answer from the Great King to you the brethren next spring. Brethren I must assure you its utterly impossible in so short a time to send over to my Great Master and to receive an answer for reasons which I shall now give you. The way over the great sea is long, the danger and hazards are many, and in the winter season many storms and contrary winds. Brethren, I do promise you to use all the speedyest means with the first opportunity to write to the Great King and to gett you an answer which I am sure will be to yor content and satisfaction and so soon as it comes I shall communicate it to you Brethren. In the mean time I have appointed Majr Schuyler Mr Dellius Major Wessels and the Mayor of the Citty of Albany, to receive you propositions upon any occasion that may happen in my ab sence. Bretheren I do heartily wish you home well to yor own castles and that you may look out and be care full not to be surprized; you can never be too watchfull. I now take my leave of you and give each of you a kegg of rumm for a dram to comfort you in the way home, and a coat to keep you warm in the winter. I shall see you again (God willing) next summer or sooner if yo affairs call, if it please God to continue my health. The Sachims offer to make some propositions. Sanongurese Sachim of the Mohagues Speaker. Brother Cayenquiragoe We have been a long time in the Covenant Chain with the brethren of New-Yorke, in which afterwards at sundry times the brethren of Virginia Maryland Pensilvania, the Jerseys, Connecticutt and New England came and linked themselves. They like'd the chain of peace, but where are they now; they do not like to take part with us in the war. They are all asleep; they came not to our assistance against the enemy; their hands hung down straight, and their arms are lame; we see none minde the warr but the brethren of New Yorke. We are now down upon one knee, but we are not quite down upon the ground; lett the Great King of England send the great Cannoes with seaventy gunns each, and let the brethren of Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, the Jerseys, Connecticutt & New England awake, and we will stand up straight againe upon our feet; our heart is yet stout and good; we doubt not but to destroy the enemy. Then laid down a Belt of Wampum. Brother Cayenquiragoe. We again desire you to write to the Great King and to gett us an answer against the next time the trees become green and that there be no delay. Let it not be said to us the cannoes are lost under water, or that the wind has carried them into another country, or the like excuse, but let us have the answer against the trees grow green, without faile, for we are in great need of it. Then laid down a Bever Skin. To which His Excell: made answer. Brethren. I shall be faithfull and exact to my promise to you. I shall send to the Great King my Master by the first opportunity and be careful in sending you the Great King's answer, as I told you before; but I cannot be positive to a time when the voyage depends upon winde and weather which are soe uncertaine. I wish you well to yor castles. The principal Sachim of the Mohaques called-Ohee The whole number of Sachims answered Heeeeee Hogh &c. |